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Breath new life into old gym equipment

If you’re setting up for some exercise at home, you can’t go past a set of dumbbells for versatility. If you’re having trouble sourcing a brand new set, why not consider breathing new life into some older ones?

Maybe you pulled them from storage in the shed, or perhaps you found a second hand bargain. Whatever the case, rust and flaking paint aren’t just unsightly; it can be hard on the hands too. Let’s fix that up with some hammer finish paint.

Hammer finish is ideal for three reasons. It hides imperfections so you can avoid hours of sanding, it’s incredibly hard wearing, and it is textured so you’ve got a better grip when you lift!

What you’ll need to restore rusty dumbbells:

A wire brush
Eye protection
Rust converter (only if the rust is particularly bad)
Wax and grease remover
Hammer finish paint
A selection of paint brushes

Slip on your eye protection and begin with the wire brush. Go over each weight and rough up the surface a little, paying extra attention to any surface rust and loose or flaking paint.

If after this any stubborn rust remains, apply some rust converter to the affected areas and allow that to do its magic for the time recommended on the bottle.

We’re almost at the painting stage now, so give each dumbbell a good clean with a cloth and some wax and grease remover.

Man using wire brush to clean gym weights

Applying the paint

One of the best things about working with hammer finish paint is the ease of application. It won’t show brush strokes and has quite a quick dry time.

Apply your first coat as thin as possible and go back over it lightly to even out the finish. Allow the first coat to touch dry (usually 30-60 minutes) before applying a second coat. If you need a third coat; this should be done within 2 hours.

Wrapping your paint brush in plastic wrap between coats will save the paint from drying out, meaning you don’t have to clean up until the end. When it comes to that; a splash of mineral turpentine in an old can or jar will do the job!

A coat of paint can bring life into your old gym weights

Time to get lifting!

You can let yourself off this afternoon and give your dumbbells overnight to dry. But tomorrow you’re getting into it, no excuses! But honestly, one look at your newly freshened up gym gear and you will be looking for an excuse to do MORE workouts!

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