Can I paint metal with wall paint?

[ironhat]

I scored an old seamstress' pattern cabinet (think, dressmaking patterns by Simplicity) which I couldn't pass up because of the large drawers on bearing slides. I knocked out most of the metal dividers and now I'd like to paint it. I've use household paint for some small metal projects in the past but they reside inside the house where the climate is moe moderated. I'm wondering if the extremes of the shop environment will cause this paint to spall off or if there is a known prep that is necessary - please don't say 'Kilz' ! OK, off to post question number two.

[Hellrazor]

I would use a paint made for metal in an indoor/outdoor setting.

[Mr__Bill]

My experience has been any thing metal painted with latex/acrylic paint rusts. It's as though the water in the paint starts attacking the metal right at the start. This is even when the metal thing was already painted. It's as though there were microscopic openings in the paint that lets the water in.

Machinery enamel or even Rustolum can be tinted to what ever color you want and if flat is the sheen desired, some steel wool will do it.

Bill, YMMV

[just started]

Can you? - yes. Should you? - NO WAY!

[Tom Slick]

you want to use a "DTM" paint, Direct To Metal.

[ironhat]

Boy, am I glad that I brought this up! So, industrial supply or just plain old brush-on Rust-O-leum?? My issue with the latter is that it just seems to take a week to dry.

[Tom Slick]

Rust oleum will work fine. just use primer to make sure it sticks