Painting exterior handrails and other neglected surfaces

For many business owners and property managers, facility maintenance is a constant juggling act. With so many interior and exterior areas to maintain, priorities to accommodate, and limited time and budgets to cover them all, some projects fall to the bottom of the list.

Greasing the squeaky wheel

As the saying goes, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease," and sometimes a low-priority project heads straight to the top.

Before: Peeling paint and rusting metal railings.

All exterior metal surfaces corrode without coatings or other protective measures. Handrails may not be a mission-critical facility concern, but this was an eyesore and could lead employees and visitors to wonder about this highly visible sign of neglect. Other issues are pedestrian safety and more costly future repairs, including possible concrete work.

Finding the business driver

In the case of one of our clients in the Chicagoland area, an upcoming VIP visit was the 'squeaky wheel' that became the reason to promote a low-priority maintenance project. After looking at the visual condition with a critical eye, local managers decided to elevate a painting project of several exterior, metal handrails around the building's perimeter.

The paint was peeling in some areas to the degree that if you grabbed the rail there, you could end up with a paint chip in your hand. In areas where paint had peeled away completely, the metal was rusted, aided by constant exposure to Chicago weather swings, where winter lows can plunge to below freezing temps and summer highs can hit triple digits, and let's not forget that famous wind!

It was time for a refresh, and making a good impression on some important visitors was the driver to getting it done.

During: Cleaning and prepping for long-lasting results.

The railings required hand-cleaning and scraping away of peeling paint and corrosion to prepare the surface for priming and coating. Bad prep always results in bad outcomes, so it’s something we take seriously.

After: A safer, more welcoming reception to the business.

Handrails literally guide people into a building, both physically and visually. They’re especially vital during inclement weather, giving visitors and employees greater confidence to navigate steps without tripping, slipping, or falling.

Painting and coating maintenance for metal components of all kinds

In the grand scheme of facility maintenance, handrails and similar building elements can be a low priority. Yet it's important to remember that today's minor issues can lead to more costly and time-consuming repairs in the future. Sometimes it's better to nip small issues in the bud, especially exterior projects. They have little to no disruption on normal business operations plus they can quickly deteriorate due to weather.

For little projects that deliver big rewards in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and greater Chicagoland area, keep Painters USA in mind!