DH Painter & Decorator repaints metal gates, railings and ironwork in Harpole, about 3.9 miles west of Northampton town centre. Dean identifies the metal first, deals with the rust properly, and finishes in colours that suit ironstone and slate or the site standards at the industrial park.
Wrought iron on Harpole’s older houses
Period houses in the village have wrought-iron gates, railings and catches, much of it carrying many layers of old paint. Wrought iron is forgiving to work on, but rust gets under failed paint and lifts it in flakes, and the lower bars and gate hangers are usually worst. On older ironwork we assume the lower coats may contain lead, so we scrape and wire brush by hand, keep the dust down and avoid burning off. Any bare metal is primed the same day before it can flash rust.
Old wrought iron is worth keeping. If a gate leans, drags on the path or has a broken hanger, painting will not fix it, so we flag it for a blacksmith or fabricator before we paint. Small repairs, such as filling minor pitting with a metal filler, we can do as part of the job. Where a scroll or finial has rusted thin, we treat it gently and say so, so that you know what to expect.
Where railings or gate posts are set into stone, rust expanding at the base can crack the stone or coping around it. We clean that joint out carefully and seal it with paint so water has less chance to sit there.
Small ironwork on cottage windows and doors
Not all of Harpole’s metalwork is in the garden. Listed cottages such as Church Farmhouse on Upper High Street keep old wrought-iron catches on their leaded casements, and plank doors may still carry strap hinges and latches. These pieces are part of what makes the house listed, so we do not remove them to paint the frames. Where they need painting, we clean them gently, touch in the bare spots and keep paint off the moving parts so they still open. Rust treatment on ironmongery like this is done by hand with a fine brush.
Colours for ironwork in the conservation area
Black or very dark finishes are traditional for ironwork against Harpole’s ironstone and Welsh slate, and they suit the conservation area. A dark green or deep grey can also work. Bright colours stand out on a stone street, and on a listed building a change of colour may need consent, so we suggest checking with West Northamptonshire Council before moving far from what is there. Gloss used to be the standard, but a satin or eggshell metal paint now gives a softer look that many people prefer on old iron.
Steelwork at the logistics and industrial park
The south-west corner of the parish holds a logistics and industrial park, and the metal there is different: mild steel gates, palisade or mesh fencing, bollards, handrails and steel doors. Some of it may be galvanised, which ordinary paint will not stick to, so it needs a primer made for galvanised steel. On sites like this we:
- agree working times around deliveries and shift changes,
- work in sections so access gates stay usable,
- put out signs and barriers for wet paint in vehicle routes,
- match any safety colours already in use on the site.
Our main metal gate and railing painting service page covers metal types and rust treatment in more detail. For other work in the village, go to the Harpole area page, and for what drives the price, read the cost guide.
Last updated by Dean, DH Painter & Decorator.
