Painting iron or steel without anti-rust preparation is a short-term fix with rust to follow: ordinary decorative paint doesn't protect the metal without suitable prior treatment.
Preparation: removing existing rust
Before painting, loose rust must be removed with a wire brush, sandpaper or blasting on large pieces, and the surface degreased. Painting over active rust without treating it lets the problem keep advancing beneath the new paint.
Anti-rust primer: the layer that really protects
The anti-rust primer (synthetic red lead or rust converters on pieces with rust already bonded) is what truly halts corrosion; the finishing enamel is mostly aesthetic and extra protection against the weather. Applying only enamel without anti-rust primer is the most common reason a "freshly painted" railing rusts again within a few months.
Outdoor maintenance
On railings, balustrades and structures exposed to the weather, plan a maintenance repaint every 3-5 years depending on exposure, and warn the client that areas of constant friction (hinges, catches) wear sooner and may need spot touch-ups before the general repaint.
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