Painting Rusting Cabinets

[LimitedReality]

I've oogled garages on this site for years and over the last 3 have been building my "dream garage". Each step of the way I've read the threads about the best way to do something and it's resulted in me over-engineering/overdoing almost all aspects of the garage to date. And with me doing most of the work myself (and I'm a perfectionist) it's taking me absolutely forever to get it done.

I've decided it's better to have a functioning workspace than for everything to be perfect and I'm trying to justify in my head what corners it makes sense to cut. I've acquired several heavy duty cabinets that I intend to basically build into the wall with custom made wood cabinets going from the top of the 6' cabinet to the ceiling - basically floor to ceiling cabinets all along the one wall.

These heavy duty cabinets have some dents and rust and I plan to paint everything to match when I'm done. So my question to the forum:

How many corners would you cut knowing the cabinets on this wall are never going to be moved?

1. Do you bother painting the walls behind them? They're primer now.
2. Do you fix dents, sand and paint the whole cabinet or just the areas which will be exposed? (Main concern here would be rust spread)

I figure I'll probably get two camps of responses - the "it ain't worth doing if ya don't do it right" camp and the "it's a garage" camp but I'd be interested in the logic behind your thoughts beyond that.

Thanks!

 

[Squashfest81]

The next time you have to move the cabinets, if ever, you will need to patch and paint anyway. My younger self would say do it right. My adult self would tell you time is too precious. Don’t waste it painting what will never been seen.

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, RustOLem spray cans.

 

[RStewart]

Currently have access to the wall and cabinets backs? Make it pretty.

 

[ManOnTheCouch]

Use Rustoleum hammered paint. Minimal prep and hides everything. I’ve used it for rusty shop shelves with great results. Just scuff it, knock off any loose stuff and roller brush on. It flattens really well too.

 

[Ries]

If you don’t want to take the time to sand blast off the rust or sand it down use something like POR15 and then if so desired paint whatever color you desire. POR15 comes in flat black, gloss black, and gray as far as I’m aware. The finish is fine to leave alone if you’re OK with the finish.

If you don’t paint them the rust will spread and start to make a mess of things later. The likelihood that you’ll want to empty out the cabinets and move them later to fix the rust and paint them is probably pretty low.

Why have a mess on your hands later with a lot more work when you can do it now with minimal effort.

 

[matt_i]

Imo if you used something like LPS-3 - a corrosion inhibitor and left it thick/drippy//waxy I don't think you'd have rust issues.

 

[LimitedReality]

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to go with triaging the rusting spots with a sloppy coat of rust stop and focus only on what you see. You're right @Squashfest81, time is too precious to sweat what won't be seen.

 

[y'sguy]

Use Rustoleum hammered paint. Minimal prep and hides everything. I’ve used it for rusty shop shelves with great results. Just scuff it, knock off any loose stuff and roller brush on. It flattens really well too.

x2 on this.

Did exactly this on my old metal cabs and used a roller. Satin, hammered finish is best I think. It's been several years now and they have held up well. It is a very forgiving finish. Do some lite body work with a hammer and dolly or block of wood. Don't go overboard and don't need to bondo. Also What I like to do is paint the inside in Rustoleum gloss white. Make it easier to peer into. Roller on this too, the skinny rollers allow you to get into the corners, possibly not needing a brush.

 

[sberry]

I fix stuff so you dont notice. I used to fuss over some perfect finish but I have a good way to blast etc so its not adding to the cost. But, having said that I dont do it anymore unless its practical. It aint worth it.
You can make it as nice as you want, certainly pound the dents out and it never hurts to remove an eye catching wrinkle. I have painted some shelves, it depends. Some worth more than others, some I care more about the white on the shelf. my steel shelfs were already scuffed green when they were built, gonna be piled with steel and simply painted the flat fronts could be seen with a white sponge brush the night before I shoved stuff on them. Wish I would have done the little bit shelf, missed it, but others various methods including having them in pieces, sprayed before assembly.
Paint shelf dis the same, sheeted in a section and added a couple doors for a cab. Think I simply sponged it on.
On the last pic can see its all painted.

 

[sberry]

Its simply how much it matters and what finish. You can learn to get faster, you can learn economy, you can get to the point no one notices, the main thing is no overspray and no slop. No one even notices fine lines on that type of thing but the wrong colors and over places shouldnt be that color stands out. I like to mix it up a little, brand stuff like to get close to the right color,,, and nothing aint John Deere looks good JD green. IH red, gloss black white, little safety yellow, and some cases a duronotic bronze of brown is your friend as is maroon scotch brite the remodel and painters secret weapon.

 

[sberry]

Contrary to some belief not everything needs to be white blasted. You can finish over some rust and never know it especially on inside storage. Clean dry, smooth and not loose, spray can right over it or sponge brush some on.
Had a bud built his living room and kitchen cabs, owned a custom sheet metal shop and finished at auto level with auto paint. You working in there, showing classic cars, do you care? Mine is a shop and not a residential garage, I **** it finished that you dont think about it, its got the right color and no one examines the finish. Just dont think about it.
I can paint as fine as I want but dont always do it. I zip the yellow parts washer top off with the DA and wiped the grease off the red front. Cant really tell its old and not been 100% painted.