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Help: Painting aluminum frames on storm windows
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Posted by catbird (My Page) on Sat, Nov 14, 09 at 18:58
| We have some 30 year old "custom" storm windows on 22' of single pane windows across the front of our house. I've hated them for 30 years, but we can't afford to replace the windows, so our contractor suggested painting the storms. He tested a spray paint (don't know what kind) on one frame and it looked good, so we decided to go with it. The aluminum is dull and the paint adhered well to it. However, when the painters did our new front porch last week, they couldn't get a smooth coat on the rest of the storm windows. They brushed on two coats of primer and two coats of the same paint (white satin SW exterior acrylic) that they had used on the woodwork and fiberglass columns and it just didn't cover well. I gave up on them after the 4th coat. Now what can we do to get a good finish coat? We bought some Rustoleum oil based paint this afternoon, but now we're having second thoughts. Hope the pros out there can help! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Help: Painting aluminum frames on storm windows
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| Many spray-paints (GOOD ones anyway...!) stick well to clean/dulled metal windows. However...
* Aluminum & Stainless-steel need a different chemistry in primers.
* Most brush-on & spray-paint lines have special "Galvanized & Aluminum" primers.
* These variants have high levels of Zinc, which holds well.
* Then, paint with a top-notch Latex paint...OR a good spray-paint.
* Return your Oil topcoat Rust-oleum, and exchange for Latex. >>> The KEY here is the right primer!! Faron |
RE: Help: Painting aluminum frames on storm windows
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| Faron: Thanks. One more question, though. What do we do about the paint that's already been put on them? Do we have to remove it (oh, my)? Can we prime over it? Sand and prime? |
RE: Help: Painting aluminum frames on storm windows
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| The DH says the painters asked the clerk at the paint store about primer and used what he recommended, so maybe he got that part right. I just tried scraping a fingernail across it and it didn't come off easily. |
RE: Help: Painting aluminum frames on storm windows
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| Just got this response from Faron and thought others might want to see it, too. Thanks, Faron!
If existing paint is still well-adhered, sand with 100-grit paper (or a sanding-sponge) so the surface has some "tooth".
Remove ALL dust...then prime & paint.
For your topcoats, use 100% Acrylic Exterior paint. I'd use at least a Satin or Semi-gloss for trims.
I'd use a top-notch Latex primer as well.
Oils just keep getting more brittle over time.
If you had a lot of bare wood, then an Oil primer is justified, but use Latex topcoats.
Faron |
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