How to Prepare and Paint Rusting Interior Heating Ducts

Metal heating ducts that run through a room can be an eyesore, especially if they are rusting. Painting them can improve their appearance as well as form a moisture barrier, protecting them from further rusting. Fortunately, when painting rusted metal, all signs of rust do not need to be removed -- only loose rust. High-heat paint is not necessary as metal heat ducts do not reach excessively high temperatures.

Wire brush
Steel wool
Shop vacuum
80-grit sandpaper
Dish soap
Sponge
Mineral spirits
Metal tape
Painter's tape
Drop cloths
Metal primer
Paintbrush
Metal paint

Instructions

- 1
  Remove any loose rust by scouring rust spots with a wire brush. After scrubbing with a wire brush, scour the rusty areas with steel wool. Vacuum up all of the debris.
- 2
  Scratch up the metal surface by sanding it down with 80-grit sandpaper.
- 3
  Wipe down the duct work with soapy hot water and a sponge. Remove the soap residue with a sponge and fresh water. Once dry, give the duct work a final wipe down with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits to remove any residual oils. Allow the metal to dry.
- 4
  Seal any gaps in the duct work with metal tape.
- 5
  Mask adjacent edges with painter's tape and cover all surfaces below the duct work with drop cloths.
- 6
  Paint the duct work with a coat of metal primer. Both brush-on and aerosol metal primers and paints are available. Allow the primer to dry.
- 7
  Apply a coat of metal paint to the duct work. Allow the paint to dry then add a second coat to thicken the paint layer and eliminate any blotchiness in the first layer.

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