RpR said:Use oil paint on metal if you do not want to have worry about deterioration.
A proper metal prep and PRIMING, is half the battle, there are clear coats for oil based paint also that reduce sun effects.
Yes, excellent advice. I did not paint these pieces myself, though. I bought them from a lady who painted them using an acrylic paint. There was a product I heard about a year or two ago that is supposed to be just about the best protector you can buy. It was quite expensive as I recall. I think half a gallon or perhaps a gallon was around $68. I am going to have to try to find it again. Wish I could recall what it was called. It was used with boats and other things that really take a beating UV-Wise.
This is the piece. She painted it with acrylic paint--both the old fixture ad the rebar she used as a post to hang it. I may end up having to repaint it. I will at least have to treat it with Krylon or something. I have found out you just cannot risk UV damage. I knew as I put my picks out right around Thanksgiving that I needed to respray them, but I was so busy, so overloaded with so much stuff to get done that I just put it off and put it off, and then one day before Christmas, I suddenly noticed they turned orange---faded by the sun. My own fault, though. Next time, I will not put out any of my stuff before I respray it. Basically threw away $30-$35 worth of decorations unless I can figure out a way to save them. I might be able to dye them, but I am not sure it would be worth it. It might be best just to buy new ones next Autumn.
