Best rust converter – reviews and buying guide
Rust converter is a chemical solution, also called primer used to convert iron oxides (another name for rust) into a protective chemical barrier. That means that they form in a black layer and are resistant from moisture and protect against further corrosion. So they are integral part of metal maintenance. They are used in a variety of applications, such as vehicles, storage tanks, household appliances and other appliances. They prevent them from forming rust and make the metal look younger and in better shape. They also solve a problem of corrosion. So they make the life span of metal much higher. Here we focus on finding the best rust converter for your car or other vehicle as well as the rust converters in general.
Rust converter reviews
Finding best rust converter might be hard. This is why we made a shortlist to make your decision easier. Below is quick table of them, but if you want to read more about any product you can either click on them (will take you to Amazon product page) or read our reviews written below.
Picture | Name | PROs | CONs |
---|---|---|---|
3X:Chemistry 99022 Rust Converter | + reliable + easy to use | - might not be best to apply too thick | |
VHT SP229 Rust Convertor Can | + easy to apply + can reach hard to reach places | - you must make sure you read the instructions | |
PlastiKote 624 Rust Converter | +reliable + no bubbling or foaming | - might not be best to apply too thick | |
Rust Converter and Primer | +reliable + easy to apply | -expensive | |
Corroseal 82331 Water-Based Rust Converter | + thin coating + easy to apply | - you must make sure you read the instructions | |
PlastiKote 623 Rust Converter | +reliable + thin coating | - you must make sure you read the instructions | |
Rustex Rx32/6 Krud Kutter Rust Converter | + easy to apply + good rust prevention | - might not be best to apply too thick | |
Rust-Oleum Automotive 248658 | +reliable +cheap | - you must make sure you read the instructions |
3X:Chemistry 99022 Rust Converter
This rust converter does the job really well. It is made chemicals that can neutralize dust and convert the rusted surface to dark and protective coating. It will seal the moisture and prevent from further rust and corrosion. It is one of the best products that do the job out there. Its advantages are:
- This converter will transform rust into a paintable polymeric coating so it can have even different colors.
- It can be easily applied by either brushing or spraying on the surface. It is easy to use and follow the instructions.
- When cleaning, it is also very easy to use it with soap and water cleanup. That is important because you will always need that when removing rust.
- It is quite a lot of it – one rust converter can cover 25-35 square feet. You can also buy bigger packages which will allow you to clean even much more.
After coating, it dries nice and smooth and then it lasts for a very long time. It has many advantages and it can also be sprayed on your car which will save you a lot of troubles. Definitely worth checking it out!
VHT SP229 Rust Convertor Can
Here is another product for the consumer’s comparison. This product is spray type. So that’s why it comes in the packing of a spray bottle. It is handy and portable. It is very popular because of its size. It is small and easy to carry with you. Following are the major characteristics of this product
- VHT SP229 rust convertor is very hand and can be applied to spary on areas that are harder to reach.
- The good thing about this rust converter is that it is very good to also prevent the forming of the rust so it will work for a long time.
- If you apply it correctly, you can completely eliminate the rust.
- In the end it sands to a smooth and even finish. That will give a nice texture to the final surface.
The best thing about this product is that with the right coating (over the whole surface and thoroughly), you can (at least in theory, but also in practice) eliminate rust completely and for a very long time because it keeps converting it. Just make sure that there is not a lot of moisture around when you are applying it.
Check price and availability here
PlastiKote 624 Rust Converter
This is one of the most popular rust converters on the market at the moment. It is popular because it is simple to use, small and portable and most of all – because it works! It is primarily made to be used on cars or other vehicles. It has several advantages, such as:
- It converts the rust organically. It will convert it to hard and iron surface. This surface can also be paintable.
- After the coating is applied, it causes no bubbling, or foaming. This is very handy because it looks good right after application and stays this way.
- The formula that is used in this converter is non-flammable and environmentally safe and friendly. It is not toxic nor it contains any hazardous materials.
- The product itself is thin and almost watery. Only a little bit will be enough for quite a big surface area.
After application, you can expect to work well for weeks. That is why it is definitely worth to try a product like that. Furthermore, it is a water based product, so it will be very safe for your car or other metal surface areas. It also does not harm the painting.
Check price and availability here
Rust Converter and Primer
Another rust converter in the line of many rust converters that you can find on the market. It is a great choice if you want a simple, portable converter that is also effective and will protect your surfaces for long time to come. Again, this is one of the more popular products. It has many advantages;
- It is environment friendly. It is based on water and therefore does not contain any dangerous materials.
- It offers a complete one step solution. So it is easy to use and it will also save you a lot of time when you are applying it.
- It offers a large degree of leveling for uneven surfaces. This is useful because it further improves the appearance of metal surfaces.
- It turns rust to a rustproof protective coating that won’t re-rust. So it will give you a long term shine of your surfaces.
The product itself comes with instructions of how to use it. You even have youtube videos to make the whole application simpler and more effective. The best thing is that it also does not contain dangerous chemicals so it is safe to use it also on fragile surfaces with a lot of paint.
Check price and availability here
Corroseal 82331 Water-Based Rust Converter
This is another water based rust converter. They are good because they are environmentally friendly and they do not harm your car and paint. Also many times you miss the spot and you can damage other parts of the car; that will rarely happen with water based rust converter. This specific product also has a number of advantages, such as:
- It is a one-step converter, which means that it paints, primes and converts rust all in one step.
- This product is also very easy to apply. All you have to do is brush and spray or roll it on your rust. After that you only have to wait for it to do its job.
- If you apply very thin coating, it should already do a good job. So you will not use a lot of the coating and therefore save on expenses.
- This can be used in variety of operations, but it is best used in automotive (on your vehicle), household and industrial applications.
This is a great product and we certainly recommend you to give it a try. You can get it in different quantities.
Check price and availability here
PlastiKote 623 Rust Converter
If you are looking for some cheaper version of your solution to a rust problem, this is the product that might be just great for you. It is very similar to 624 version, but a little bit cheaper. It still remains with all the useful advantages. It is portable and easy to move. Advantages of this model are quite the same like the advantages of the 624;
- It converts rust to iron hard paintable surface in organic way which makes it eco-friendly. It is good to support environment even with such such a simple step as to buy a different rust converter.
- Problems with bubbling and foaming are minimized and almost non-existent.
- The formula is not toxic or flammable and materials are also safe.
- It is very thin and watery products which means that you can apply very little of it on a large surface and save a lot of space doing that.
It is good in stopping the rust spreading, although you might need to apply an extra coating or two. Still, it does its job and therefore it definitely deserve a place on the list of the recommended products to buy.
Check price and availability here
Rustex Rx32/6 Krud Kutter Rust Converter
Compared to other products, this one is definitely great product because it offers high-quality coating in a short time for extended time period. It is made by a manufacturer called by the name of “Rustex.” From the name it is apparent that they do care about rust and its removal, cleaning and converting. The product itself has a number of advantages:
- It is water based and bio-degradable. That means that it is eco-friendly and it will not harm the metal, paint or anything around the rusted surface.
- It makes it possible for further painting on the material. So it is good to be used before painting.
- This product will make sure that you will not get rust on your surface also in the future. That is part of the reason why it is good to use it before painting. So it is also a rust protector and preventive.
- It is easy to use. But it is still recommendable to follow the instructions.
This is a great product on the market and it is available mostly online. We were very happy with its results and are recommending it here because of that.
Check price and availability here
Rust-Oleum Automotive 248658
This is another cheap solution to the rust problem. What is particularly good about this one is that it is made for automotive applications, so it will be great for an application on your car or vehicle. Although it might not have such a good quality as other products, it is a cheap alternative and it does its job. Here are some of the things that we really liked about it:
- It is portable and you can have it in the car trunk. Then you can use it whenever there is a need to use it.
- It works instantaneously; It covers the rust and converts it right away to a protected, paintable surface.
- This product also prevents future rust from forming. So this is also a rust preventer.
- Especially effective in black metal. Then it is especially good to use this product because it is likely it will do its job best with black metal surface.
All in all, this is great rust converter for different vehicles. It saves you the effort of actually scrubbing the rust all the way down to the metal. It is a huge time saver.
Check price and availability here
How to perform surface rust removal?
There are some rust converters and removers that contain hydrochloric acid to dissolve the rust. The chemicals with a solution of phosphoric acid or hydrochloric acid are harsh. They give very intense fumes when open to the air, so use these type of rust removers with care. Always use rubber gloves, goggles and a respirator while using these products. An old paintbrush, a waste tub, a 3 in knife and rags will be needed to use these rust removals.
Use a paint brush to apply the rust removal on the rag and wait for the recommended time period for the chemical to work. After that remove the liquefied rust from the surface. It won’t get off in a single step swap, do this multiple time to remove the heavy rust from the metals.
There is another method to clean off the rust and that is to convert it. There are some converters available in the market. Let’s see how they work. If someone can live with a rough look, then the rust converter is the best option. It removes rust and prevents it from spreading. Start the procedure by removing any flaking paint and rusty dust with a wire brush. Then either you can spray these converters or you can apply with a paintbrush. Then give it recommended time to dry. Then paint. Do not return the leftover converter into the original converter, it will contaminate the rest of the converter.
One may ask how do we know which one should we buy? Following are the main tips one should keep in mind while buying these products.
Available size
There are many sizes available in the market. One should buy according to their need. If they need in greater quantity then they should buy big gallons, otherwise small gallons are also available.
Method of application
There are many types of rust remover w.r.t method of application. Some are painted, some are sprayed while others are poured on the affected area.
Consistency
Consistency tells the physical resemblance, means either it looks like water or gel?
Appearance
Appearance tells the color of the product.
Time to remove rust
This is the most important factor one should keep in mind while buying rust remover. Always check how much time this rust remover would take to remove the rust. The range for them to remove rust varies from 30 seconds to 24 hours.