Antique iron beds can bring back the charm of olden times with their intricate scrollwork and other details. However, you need to restore metal beds, especially iron beds to bring back their charm. If the metal bed frame was built a hundred years ago, you might need replacement bed rails, which you can buy from an antique bed tire specialized in replacement parts.
As antique metal beds were manufactured independently, no standard sizes were established for bed rails. Most of the twin antique metal beds were 72 inches long and today’s twin mattresses are 75 inches long. If you are planning to restore your antique metal beds, the tips that are shared below can help you restore your beds.
Assess And Repair
The first thing you need to do is to examine the bed thoroughly to ensure that the bed has no rusted parts. Measure the side rails of the bed, as you may need to replace the side rails together with hook-up hardware so that a modern mattress can easily fit the bed. You will be able to find most of the parts you need from an online bed restoration store.
If the frame of the bed has rusted holes through it, you may need to get it repaired by a professional welder. Unless you have all the pieces of broken medallions, you will need to replace them. Also, you may need to add felt pads to the bottom of the feet of the bed to level to footboards and headboards.
Clean The Bed
Clean the outdoors of the bed with a sponge with an abrasive side. Dip the sponge in a solution of a quarter cup mild dishwashing liquid mixed with a gallon of water. You may use warm water to have better results. Scrub the metal bed completely to get rid of grime and flaky rust. Repeat scrubbing the bed as necessary to remove dirt and debris off the bed. Allow the bed to dry completely.
Remove Rust And Paint
Use a wire brush attachment on a power drill to remove rust and paint residue from the bed. You need to wear safety goggles, a dust mask, and gloves while using the wire brush attachment on the bed frame. To remove excess paint, you may apply a paint stripper to the bed and let it sit for about twenty minutes before removing the paint using the wire brush attachment.
The above steps will clean and restore the metal bed. You should use lighter primers if you are planning to paint the bed white.