porch railing

[fptahoe]

I have had to repaint or revarnish the hand rail on our porch railings 3 times in the last six years, which seems excessive to me.  They do get alot of sun during our northeast summers.  They were brown when we bought the house, and may have been painted with the same stuff that was on the floor of the porch, I am not sure.  Any recommendations on what to put on the railings next?  They will definitely need sanding so I should have a good surface for something new to adhere to.  Before I head to SW or HD, some suggestions would really be appreciated.  Thanks as always...FPT

[Snipe Hunter]

Replace with iron or vinyl.

[toolmiser]

I wouldn't use paint, I would use a semi transparent stain. But with existing paint that might not be doable. Paint is tough to adhere on flat surfaces.