Tips On Painting Aluminum SidingAfter a while, aluminum siding, especially older types of aluminum siding, starts to look faded and chalky. One solution to this problem is painting aluminum siding. This will also allow you to change the color of your house if you should so desire. However, there are some steps that you need to take if you want the paint to adhere properly to your siding. Otherwise, it might end up peeling within a short time and needing to be redone. The first thing you need to do before painting aluminum siding is to clean it thoroughly. This can be done with a strong hose or a pressure cleaner. For very dirty siding you might want to include a cleaning solution as well, just make sure that all the solution is thoroughly washed off the home. After cleaning, allow the siding to dry completely in the sun for a few days.
The next thing you need to do is make sure that there is a relatively smooth surface. You want to sand down any areas where the paint is flaking or has peeled off so the surface isn't bumpy. Some people recommend that before painting aluminum siding you sand off almost all of the old paint, but most people don't do this. If you need to sand anything, be sure to rinse the house off again to get rid of flakes and dust and let it dry again before painting. Painting aluminum siding is best done on cloudy days that are dry since the paint will adhere better. You will probably want to use a primer. Some people find it works best to mix the primer with a bonding agent, and to tint the primer closer to the final color of the home, others do not find this necessary. It depends in part on the type of paint you are using, so ask the advice of the people where you buy your paint. Using a paint sprayer is probably the easiest way to apply the paint, and you can rent these easily. Make sure to choose a type of exterior paint that works well on aluminum siding. There are a number of recommendations available on various different websites if you are not sure what to use. |
