Paint steel stairs, fire escapes and mezzanine parts

Guided structural metal coating

Guide to painting steel stairs, fire escapes and mezzanine parts

Steel stairs, fire escapes and mezzanine parts face foot traffic, weather, hand contact and hard edges. A strong result starts with cleaning, rust removal, primer on exposed steel and a semi-gloss 2K PU coating suited to stressed metalwork.

What do you need to paint steel stairs, fire escapes and mezzanine parts?

Cleaning and degreasing

Mipa silicone remover in liquid or spray format removes wax, grease and silicone so sanding, primer and topcoat work starts from a clean metal surface.

Fine surface keying

MP Fine sanding pad green helps matt edges, folds and profile details before recoating without cutting too aggressively into existing paint.

Epoxy primer system

Mipa EP 100-20 with Mipa EP 950-25 hardener and Mipa EP Thinner creates a zinc phosphate epoxy primer layer for steel, aluminium, zinc-coated metal and other demanding substrates.

Heavy-duty semi-gloss PU finish

Mipa PU 240-50 with Mipa PU 912-25 hardener and Mipa 2K Thinner Normal V25 gives a durable 2K polyurethane acrylic finish for highly stressed steel constructions and exterior metalwork.

2K spray finish for local areas

Mipa Mix PU 240 2K Paint Spray 48+ 400 ml is useful for small sections, welded edges and local repair areas where a 2K aerosol is more practical than a full liquid application.

How to paint steel stairs, fire escapes and mezzanine parts

1
Clean the metal

Wash off dirt, salts and dust, then degrease the stair, fire escape or mezzanine metal with silicone remover before sanding.
2
Remove loose material

Take away flaking paint, loose rust and weak edges, then feather stable old coating into the surrounding surface.
3
Key the surface

Matt glossy areas and detailed corners so primer or topcoat can bond to a clean, stable profile.
4
Prime exposed metal

Treat bare steel, repaired rust and mixed metal zones with the correct primer layer before the visible finish.
5
Apply the finish

Apply the PU 240 semi-gloss coating, with the spray format reserved for local edges and detail areas evenly, keep film build controlled on edges and allow the coating to cure before hard service or weather exposure.

Which steel stair coating products should you choose?

For load-bearing exposed steel

Choose the PU 240 liquid system when stairs, platforms and structural parts need a tougher semi-gloss 2K finish over prepared metal.

For welded edges and local repairs

Choose the PU 240 2K spray for narrow welded details, underside touch-ups and areas that are hard to reach with a roller.

For bare steel and rust repairs

Choose the EP primer system where sanding exposes steel or old rust has been removed before the final coating.

Technical details

Mipa PU 240-50 is a 2K polyurethane acrylic coating for commercial vehicles, façade components and highly stressed machines and constructions.
The PU 240-50 system is matched with Mipa PU 912-25 hardener and Mipa 2K Thinner Normal V25 in this product group.
Mipa EP 100-20 provides a zinc phosphate epoxy primer layer on prepared steel and related demanding substrates.
Footplates, stair nosings and hand-contact areas need especially thorough keying because they are the first areas to wear.
Coated stairs and escape routes should not be returned to service before the coating has cured enough for the expected load.

Practical suggestion

Plan access before opening paint. Stairs and escape parts often need staged coating so a safe method remains available while the finish dries.