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donnamarienj

Paint Aluminum Siding?

donnamarienj
13 years ago

Can I paint aluminum siding? I cannot afford to replace the siding (even with vinyl) and someone offered to paint the aluminum. He said he would power wash the house first, then HAND PAINT the entire house. One friend said it was a good idea, another told me that you are not supposed to paint on top of aluminum siding. One part of the house is pitted and that is what I really want covered.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

Donna

Comments (11)

  • paintguy22
    13 years ago

    Sure, you can paint it but it has to be very clean. Aluminum siding tends to chalk up over time and if you do not remove all that chalk, the paint may not stick well long term. I prefer to spray aluminum siding because I am trying to simulate the factory finish, but I know not everyone sprays.

  • clg7067
    13 years ago

    I don't know what prep was used, but several houses in my neighbor have re-painted aluminum siding. I hope to have mine done next year. I know two that have been sprayed.

  • andrelaplume2
    13 years ago

    Pop (a former union painter for 30+ years) painted our aluminium siding on our house 12 years before we sold it and it still looked great when we did. In fact it had already been painted once before. We used Lucite paint I got on Clearance when Triangle Lumber went out of business (remember them!)

    Anyway, he told me prep was the most important part and I know he hand cleaned the entire house...not just pressure washing. I am not sure exactly what chemical he used but I would stop in a paint shop for advise and supplies before painting.

  • donnamarienj
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you. Someone offered to do it for me and I wanted to know if he really knew what he was doing. He never once mentioned cleaning the house, I brought that up. I just need to know if I am going to be spending my money wisely. Either way, it is much less expensive than putting on new siding!

  • paintguy22
    13 years ago

    Yes, someone who doesn't know what they are doing can really screw up painting aluminum siding. It is hard to brush/roll because the paint dries very fast on surfaces that are not porous. If you have direct sunlight or any wind, this will make it more difficult.

  • Faron79
    13 years ago

    YES....follow PG's instructions!!!

    Exteriors HAVE to be cleaned...WELL.
    * ANY decent house cleaner will do fine. I'd manually scrub the lower 10' with a shop-broom/similiar brush. This is due to plantings near homes, and water-splash from sprinklers, etc.
    * Don't let cleaner dry on the home. Do one side at a time. Plan your way around the house...OPPOSITE the sun.
    * If ya DIDN'T wash the house...well...just think how long paint would last on a dirt-laden, chalky, tree-sapped, etc., surface!!
    * Lucite paint?!?!?...uggghhhhh...return that immediately. It's a poor excuse for paint. You'll be literally wasting a LOT of time and effort putting on a SUB-STANDARD paint like that.
    * After home is thoroughly cleaned AND DRIED-OUT, do your repairs, caulking, etc.
    * Then prime...use a top-notch latex like Zinsser 123 or C2-One.
    * Now, ideally...TWO coats of a top-notch Latex in a low-sheen, maybe a Satin. You couldn't PAY ME enough to have a Flat on my house...
    * Again...NOT the Lucite!! I wouldn't put a cheap Lucite on a dog-house.

    Faron

  • donnamarienj
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    PG, wanna paint my aluminum siding? are you for hire?

    I have absolutely no idea if the guy who offered would do it correctly..... Maybe I'll wait.

  • paintguy22
    13 years ago

    I'm for hire yes, but I live in Illinois.

  • donnamarienj
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Well, then, by all means! Come to NJ to paint my house!

    Seriously, sorry, I was thinking I was in NJ forum. Forgot "Paint" fourm was for all states....

    Thank you so much for the info tho.

  • clg7067
    13 years ago

    So what's the final story?

    Wash/scrub with what - detergent? What won't kill the plants?

    Prime? Latex?

    Paint. Acrylic Latex?

    I'd like to try a small test area this fall.

  • andrelaplume2
    13 years ago

    Re:
    * Lucite paint?!?!?...uggghhhhh...return that immediately. It's a poor excuse for paint. You'll be literally wasting a LOT of time and effort putting on a SUB-STANDARD paint like that.

    I have to laugh because I thought Lucite has not been sold for a decade or more? Maybe its under a different owner now but I used it (as mentioned in my post) to paint our aluminum siding around 1996. I got it for like $7 a gallon on clearance at the long defunct Triangle lumber here in the east. The paint looks great on the house to this day....though we have moved. Again, Pop always said prep was more important than the paint. In fact I still have a gallon of Lucite exterior in white, also bought on clearance back then that I used to paint some fence trim outside. It was still good. All I did was invert the can now and then as instructed by Pop...not sure what that has to do with anything but he says to do that with all my paint.

    Maybe its inferior today but back then it did the trick. Either way I'd be sure you get the house clean before painting.