Cast Iron doormat on stone - will it stain?

I have just bought mself a lovely cast iron door mat and cast iron boot scraper to put outside my back door on my new indian stone courtyard. However it just occured to me - are these likely to rust? I think the answer is yes - especially the doormat which has a sort of rustic finish (as opposed to hammerite) And secondly would this rust stain my stone (it is not sealed) - Could I paint the doormat with hammerite to prevent it rusting?

Would appreciate anyones thoughts. Cheers EGW

 

What a good question.

Metal Rusts.

I would do both. The Hammerite and seal the small area that the doormat and boot scraper are on.

If you wish to keep the colour of the mat and scraper, then I would suggest a heavy duty exterior clear varnish (at least three coats) instead. Not so much on the surface, but underneath and where they come in contact with the stone. Re-do both every year.

Alternatively, I have seen, see through rubber type thick (as in 3mm) clear plastic that you could stand them on over the stone, but I would still suggest you seal the stone in that area.:thumb:

Speaking from a DIY point of view and not as a gardener.

 

Ellie, I think you have answered your own questions there. Wouldn't it be a good idea to seal your stone courtyard? I would imagine that as it is it will be susceptible to stains from all sorts of matter. Including bird life etc. I am not certain about Indian Stone but my son is a floor and wall tiler and many of the types of stone and marble people are having on their floors and walls have to be sealed to preserve their beauty and to protect from mishap spillages.

 

I think tweaky is right as no matter what you do whether you seal the stone and paint the iron it will still chafe and possibly eventually damage the stone so a rubber or plastic separation between the stone and the door iron would be desireable.

 

Thanks so much everyone for your replies, they are really helpful x

 

Thanks so much everyone for your replies, they are really helpful. Not sure about sealing the whole area as I want it to look weathered and don't mind it looking dirty - I had my patio done in the same stone last year and whilst it looks very dirty now (I pot all my plants up on it ), I like it better than the new stuff because it blends in with the old property better. Would sealing the stone keep it looking brand spanking new?

Thanks again x

 

Would sealing the stone keep it looking brand spanking new?


May be not brand new, but newer than the rest. I agree that weathered stone looks better than clean new one. I would definitely put a piece of rubber like stuff between the iron and the stone. There are also rubber mats that look remarkably like real iron ones, but since you already have the real thing this is not an option I guess.

 

Now ivory - wouldn't that have been a bettr idea - and probably cheaper - lol!

 

Cheaper for sure,I got one for 5 euros, but that was a special offer and it is not one of the most convincing. Still nice though :D