Yesterday we published Billboard Insider’s 2026 list of billboard structure painters.  While the topic is fresh we are reprinting Jon Odom’s thoughts on the importance of painting your billboard structures.  Jon’s comments come from a January 2021 Billboard Insider podcast interview.

Jon Odom on the importance of painting a billboard structure

The thing that really should be made exceptional is the paint that’s used.  That paint is what’s going to protect that steel for many years…There ought to be a two part system.  One that uses a rust inhibitor/primer and then a UV resistant finish coat.

The paint that we use was developed by Sherman Williams for the specific purpose of painting outdoor structures.  It’s the same paint that a lot of the buys use that make…propane tanks, trash containers, the same type of structures that are outside and are exposed to the elements.

Reader Greg Hicks of Hicks Outdoor had these comments on painting

Thanks for the list. The most important question is about how each handle rust that typically is not completely removed. This is AI’s response. It would be informative to know how each contractor handles this situation.

“ If complete rust removal isn’t practical, the goal shifts from clean steel to stabilizing existing rust, sealing out moisture, and applying a coating system that can tolerate less-than-perfect surface preparation.

The best-performing approach depends on the amount of rust present, but for structural steel in industrial, commercial, agricultural, or outdoor environments, the following systems are widely used.

1. Surface Preparation (Most Important Step)

Even when you can’t remove all rust, remove everything that is loose.

Recommended preparation:

1. Scrape off loose scale and flaking rust.
2. Needle-gun heavy rust pockets if possible.
3. Wire brush or power-tool clean.
4. Remove oil, grease, dirt, and salts.
5. Blow off dust and debris.

A power-tool clean surface (similar to SSPC-SP3 or SP11 standards) is usually achievable without abrasive blasting.

2. Rust Converters (When Rust Remains)

Rust converters chemically transform iron oxide into a more stable surface.

Common high-quality products:

* Corroseal
* Ospho
* Fertan

These are useful where pitting prevents complete cleaning.

Limitations:

* Not a substitute for coating.
* Must be top-coated according to manufacturer instructions.

3. Moisture-Cured Urethane Primers (Excellent for Rusted Steel)

For steel that cannot be blast-cleaned, moisture-cured urethanes are among the best performers.

Examples:

* Rust Grip
* MCU-Coatings
* Sherwin-Williams moisture-cured urethane primers

Advantages:

* Penetrate tightly adhered rust.
* Extremely tough.
* Excellent moisture resistance.
* Often used on bridges, tanks, and structural steel.

4. Surface-Tolerant Epoxy Primers (Industry Favorite)

If budget allows, this is often the preferred professional solution.

Examples:

* Carboguard 893
* Amerlock 2
* Intergard 269
* Macropoxy 646

Benefits:

* Designed for imperfectly prepared steel.
* Excellent adhesion to tightly adhered rust.
* Very good long-term corrosion protection.

For many industrial structures, an epoxy mastic primer is the best balance of performance and practicality.

5. Zinc-Rich Primers (Only When Surface Prep Is Better)

These are outstanding corrosion inhibitors but generally require cleaner steel.

Examples:

* Carbozinc
* Zinc Clad

If substantial rust remains, epoxy mastics typically outperform zinc-rich systems.

6. Recommended Coating System

For a heavily weathered steel structure where blasting is not practical:

Best Overall

1. Power-tool clean
2. Rust converter on pitted areas
3. Surface-tolerant epoxy mastic primer (6–10 mils DFT)
4. High-build epoxy intermediate coat
5. Polyurethane topcoat

This system can provide 10–20+ years of service in many environments.

Budget System

1. Power-tool clean
2. Rust converter
3. Moisture-cured urethane coating

Usually performs far better than typical hardware-store rust paints.

7. What to Avoid

Avoid relying solely on:

* Consumer-grade “paint over rust” products
* Single-coat alkyd enamels
* Latex paints directly on rusted steel
* Applying coatings over loose scale

Most coating failures occur because rust scale remains under the coating, not because the paint itself is poor.

For Severe Corrosion

If rust has reduced steel thickness, caused section loss, or produced lamination and deep scaling, coating alone is not enough. Have the structure inspected for:

* Loss of load-carrying capacity
* Connection deterioration
* Corrosion at welds and bolted joints

For critical structural steel, the highest-performing practical field system is usually:

Power-tool cleaning → epoxy mastic primer → polyurethane topcoat, with rust converter used only where deep pitting prevents complete rust removal. This combination is commonly specified for bridges, industrial plants, agricultural structures, and older steel frameworks where abrasive blasting is impractical.”

 

We’d like to hear more of your thoughts on painting billboard structures.   Use the comment box below or email davewestburg@billboardinsider.com.