Poly frame rusty - worth painting?

[SarrissUK]

I have a poly tunnel frame without cover at the moment. I have bought the cover and prepping everything that needs doing before the cover goes on.

The frame has had just netting around it up until now, no plastic cover and is rusty in places but is sturdy enough.

I've got tape to help protect the plastic, but I'm worried about the rust.

Would you paint it before adding the polythene?

[Greenleaves]

If it is sound, I would just brush it down with a wire brush. You could always give it a coat of Hammerite.

[Chestnut]

You can buy paint on stuff which treats rust - then paint over the top in a colour of your choice ;-)

[nickdub]

If it was mine I'd put some bitumen on it - bit messy but cheap, and it does the job as long as you are not worried about the look of it afterwards.

[Greenleaves]

^^^ Isn't bitumen carcinogenic?

[SarrissUK]

Would that make it tacky, Nickdub? I have tape to wrap around it to protect the plastic from any sharp edges, so I probably won't paint it all, but I will definitely want to treat the pipe that goes into the ground and those running along the ground. I found Hammerite Kurust, which might be helpful and then paint it.

Thank you all!

[nickdub]

It is a bit tacky for a while, but OK to handle after a day or two - main problem at this time of year is that it goes on best when above about 20 C - I dipped the ends of the bars of my large PT where they join in bitumen beofre putting it together, as its the cut bits which tend to rust first, but I was putting it together in the summer.

Worked OK for me but I'd be the first to admit its not the cleanest operation in the world - I'd definitely bitumen any iron pipe I was putting in the ground - this time of year I heat anything like that up with a blow torch first, to get the pipe warm - best dune outside in case of accidents.

(have a feeling my health and safety score might not be a pass these days ) :-)