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Permalink Reply by Matt Beach on August 24, 2009 at 4:37pm

Sand top of nail heads of possible with sand paper. This will give the paint something to grab on too. If not possible, look at applying a small amount of ext.caulk to the top of the nail head and paint over. Other option, replace the screws with an exterior deck screw (galvanized or coated)

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Permalink Reply by Mike Vandepeer on August 30, 2009 at 6:30pm

Sanding back will only part fix the problem the real problem most likely is that the nail heads are still rusty. Try brushing some oxalic acid over the top of the nail heads and leave for a while before rinsing off with clean fresh water, allow to dry thoroughly before repainting. The oxalic acid does a conversion job on the iron oxide and makes it both more soluble (so you can wash it away) and white rather than rusty brown.( so you dont see it), and provides a great key for the repaint. This is a great product for cleaning up any timber finish before a paint job and for getting rid of rust stains in all sorts of places (bathrooms, kitchen sinks, where taps have dripped etc.). You'll be able to find it in most hardware stores and any marine paint store. Just read the label. Its not very strong and is safe to use. The oxalis plant family is named after the acid sour sobs etc.

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