I’m getting ready to paint some I beams and H column trestle bents for a bridge. They have the look of iron so flat black is a logical choice but it doesn’t quite capture the look. These are not rusty at all but they are somewhat “less than black”. Sorry about the vague description but I’m just colorblind enough that some hues give me fits to describe.
Thanks
Ricky
Take a look in the Walthers catalog or go to web sites of the various paint makers. Look at a color chart, see what looks best to you or to those around you who may have better color preception. I’d think you would want something with a little bluish tint. As you said the color can vary slightly even on the same piece.
Good luck,
Try a color called “Payne’s Gray”. It contains so very deep blue and might work better for you.
I just found a smaple online in a scale with other grays, it definately looks very promising.
Thanks
Ricky
Being a former iron worker for a very short time there is no such thing as an iron color or bare iron. It comes typically red oxide from the steel mills and is most always painted on site.I paint my bridges a mix of engine black with a wash of diluted grimy black over the top to give it that dulled down look Most structures such as plate girder or truss bridges if painted black would be a glossy black as most rust inhibitive paints are a gloss finish when freshly painted just like most new rolling stock has some sort of gloss to it being an enamel paint. We weather them to dull them down and give the aged apperance.
So start off with the engine black or some other gloss black and dull it out .
I use a color called gunmetal to paint plastic to look like steel fresh from the roller mill. I think that is the color your looking for. Hope this helps.
John