Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Painting Porcelain

I have an old white porcelain gas station light shade that has some quarter sized surface rust spots on it. I am planning on fixing the rust spots, epoxy sealing and then base/clear coat the shade. How do I "rough up" the porcelain surface so that the paint will stick? I tried beadblasting the porcelain but it didn't work.
Thanks

I have used 60 grit paper and then prime and block and repeat the prime and block. Bead blast sometimes just is not strong enough.

The way I do it is bead blast the light shade at low air
press. repair the bad spots prime and paint. I have done many with no problem.

I have sandblasted to etch the porcelain and then apply a self etching primer.

I have taken them to my sandblaster and he has sandblasted all the porcelain off down to bare metal.

If the porcelain is stained with rust, I've had good luck using fine scotch brite pad. they sell tem at auto paint places. Wet the surface and scrub tell rust is gone. If it dulls the surface, you can buff it with heavy cut cleaner. If its a chip you are filling, still works to remove rust in prep for touch up. White is the hardest color to match if you are touching up by the way, if you go that route. If the porcelain is still there no reason to touch up.

What if you were changing the color of the lamp shade?

Sorry, should have read this more carefully. If your repainting the whole light shade, I'd sand blast to roughen porcelain, etch prime (epoxy), either apply glazing putty or slicksand polyester primer (it's super filing), sand down, apply one coat of filling primer, sand lightly, apply sealer optional, paint.

Sandblast the porcelain enough to etch it, use appropriate primer, then paint.

IF (in caps!) you do get it sandblasted down to bare metal, why not get it powder coated to any color you'd like? It will get a tougher covering than most paint.

I would think the same.

The problem with blasting porcelain off to bare metal is the heat generated to get it all off...it tends to warp the metal.

All that's needed is enough to etch it.

I would not recommend removing all the porcelain for the reason that Ohio Oil said. Roughing it up just enough to give a good "tooth" for adhesion is all you need. It is a proven stable base for your finish.