I’m putting a gate on a Ipe deck that I built last summer. I want the hinges Stainless Steel but black to match the rest of the balusters and post caps. I have not been able to find much in the way of SS hinges and the only ones I’ve seen were polished SS. Anyone know a source for black SS hinges or what would be the best way to paint them for the finish to last. I was thinking of scuffing the SS, wiping with laquer thinner to clean them, let air dry a few minutes then use a quality flat black spray paint.
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I used SS hinges on a new deck last summer so I understand what you mean when all you can find are the "shiny" ones. Buy the solid stainless and scuff with a wire brush attachment on your drill or cut-off tool. Spray with a Rustoleum-like primer and finish with a good black paint.
SS is notoriously difficult to get good paint adhesion (similar to problem with galvanized) so you have to increase mechanical adhesion by roughing up the surface somehow.
Acid etching (phosphoric is preferred) is good as is sandblasting (lightly, just until the surface looks dull), or even sanding with 100 grit in an orbital sander (again, lightly until the surface looks dull) will also help.
http://www.pfonline.com/articles/clinics/0406cl_paint1.html
Use oil-based metal primer - thin wet coat; too thick will be more likely to peel because cohesion of the shrinking paint film as it dries can break the relatively weak adhesion to the substrate.