The Best Paint for Aluminum Siding And Ultimate Guide To Self-Painting

During the entire process of repainting your aluminum siding, preparation seems to play a vital role and is the key to determining your success. Therefore, it is a great idea to notice every single step of it.Make sure you know aluminum siding

When you work with aluminum siding, it is very different from other metal materials or vinyl. Thus, experts recommend that you understand what you are facing.

Oil-based paint is not suitable for galvanized steel. You can look for some paint manufacturers who provide multi-purpose enamel. Otherwise, you can find metal paint for the best outcome.

Another factor to consider is whether you have repainted the siding or not. If you have, check the paint you used the last time and consult a professional about that paint if possible.

Many people find it challenging to distinguish between aluminum and vinyl if your siding is brand new. In this circumstance, it’s best to search for things. If you find the latter, it is likely vinyl. Meanwhile, aluminum will show bumps or dings.

In case you want to find out whether your siding is steel or aluminum, the recommendation is to use a magnet. It sticks to the steel since the adheration is quite good. Besides, you can also notice red-brown rust in steel siding.

Clean the siding

Cleaning is essential because of several reasons. First, it enhances the primer, allowing the paint to stick to your siding better. Second, it contributes to a smooth finish.

The suggestion is to get a power washer for the best quality and preservation.

In case you want to get some chemicals, you should start with rinsing the siding first to eliminate any remaining materials. Otherwise, residual chemicals may damage the painting.

For stubborn stains, you can use biodegradable laundry detergent to remove them. Try using one-quarter of a cup of them and water (4 gallons).

To detect chalking that usually appears on the surface after a long time of using, you can rub the hand along your siding.

Seeing a powdery substance should not make you worried. It is chalking. The powdery substance can be considered as a self-cleaner. In this case, a detergent which has TSP would eliminate the chalking easily.

Fix some small issues

The primary purpose of repainting your siding is to give your house a completely brand new appearance. On the other hand, you also want to fix issues which might affect the quality of your siding.

When you find peeling paint, you need to remove it so that your siding can have a smooth look.

If you find severe damage, it is crucial to consider replacing with a new aluminum siding. Some problems are too big to be handled only with paint.

Sand down your siding

You ought to consider using a power sander. It is dependent on the area you need to paint. Rough sandpaper is excellent for the beginning, and a fine is good for finishing. It is necessary to stay away from and not damage special molding and etches.

Those who get a power sander should be careful to avoid any possible damage on the siding.

Besides, you should not use sandpaper below 80 grits because it is responsible for a lot of permanent damage on the metal surface.

You need to carefully pick these tools to have the best result after the entire process.Power or pressure washer

As it is unnecessary to repaint your siding so often, you do not need to buy a washer. Ask friends or neighbors who are likely to have one. Otherwise, you can rent it at a reasonable price at many hardware stores.

You may also want to be concerned about other safety tools, like goggles, ear protection, gloves, or waterproof boots.

Choose the right primer

Oil-based primer is necessary because it helps to absorb chalking pigment on your siding. Furthermore, it protects your siding’s surface from external substances.

An acrylic primer is a great choice thanks to its strong base. It does not cause possibly missed oxidation. However, you need to be careful with this primer as it goes well with only acrylic paint.

Latex primer, on the other hand, should be avoided due to its content of ammonia.

Timing your workThe weather should be taken into consideration when it comes to painting your aluminum siding as well. If the weather is hot or cold, it can affect the speed at which paint dries and therefore how the paint sticks to your siding.

Even though each paint indicates its acceptable temperature range, you should remember not to paint when the weather is less than 10 degrees Celsius or rainy.

Before painting or priming, remember to start in shaded areas first. If you paint the siding affected directly by the sunlight, bubbles and cracks may happen as a result of drying too quickly so for the best quality you should be conscious about the weather.

Prime

Coat the roller in primer before rolling it quickly and evenly on the siding. Then, continue backward, but in the opposite way this time. Doing so allows you to apply an entire and even coat.

Typically, you just need several seconds to complete applying primer on an area of a foot. Full coverage should mean you use more than two coats.

If the primer makes it impossible to see your previous paint or your metal, do not be panic! The coat should be visible to the naked eye, but still thin enough for quick drying.

The key is to prime at an end. Whether you would like to work from right to left or vice versa, it is alright.

Give enough time so that the coats can be completely dry. Waiting and giving it a proper resting time can increase the quality significantly.

Paint your siding

Dripping paint is a sign that you are having too much.

You ought to start from the top so that dripping paint does not have unwanted effects on the final work.

When you deal with horizontal siding, start painting from the left. For vertical siding, you should start from the top to guarantee that coats are even and you will not miss any places.

The average time for paint to dry is around two hours. If you want to check whether it is dry or not, get your finger to touch it a little bit. No feeling of sticky or tacky is a sign of full drying. Then, you can move to the next stage – the second coat.

Apply coat again

After the first coat, if you notice any bumps, eliminate them immediately with another sanding. You need to be careful because too hard actions can turn your first coat into nothing.

The second coat is not compulsory, but it contributes a lot to the professionalism of your house. It also has enormous impacts on the paint durability. So, don’t skip it!

When lines appear in the first coat, it implies that you can speed up the process. The second coat can fix it correctly as long as you do it carefully.