Is It Better to Paint or Replace Aluminum Siding and Capping?
June 27, 2021
It is an age-old question and should be considered carefully when you are trying to decide how to refurbish your aluminum siding. Aluminum has been a solid choice for window capping since the 1940s and stood up to the weather and climate robustly. It is better than wood and looks excellent. Capping windows with aluminum means that they won’t rot, and window aluminum capping won’t be dislodged during gale force winds either. Aluminum adds other benefits like fire protection – aluminum is flame retardant – will not provide an environment for vermin to breed, and moss algae won’t get a foothold on aluminum siding either. In this article, we want to extoll the virtues of upgrading your aluminum siding with a fresh coat of paint rather than taking it off and installing vinyl to get a new appearance.
Can You Really Paint Aluminum Capping or Siding?
It is a given that wood can be painted when necessary, but many homeowners are unsure about aluminum siding. They should shed their misgivings as aluminum siding can be painted, and it will be refreshing for the look of the front of your home. Aluminum will accept paint well, and it adheres to aluminum much better than vinyl when applied. Aluminum has the advantage of not shrinking or expanding like wood, and you don’t have paint peeling or see cracks in the finish like you see in wood finishes. Aluminum siding should only be replaced if damaged or punctured – but if the siding is just painted and needs some cosmetic repairs, then, by all means, get the paint out for a quick update.
How to Paint Aluminum
To successfully paint your aluminum siding, a little preparation is essential to get the best results.
Clean The Surface
Aluminum is rust-resistant, but it does accumulate a chalky-like dust substance that needs to be removed before painting can begin in earnest. The surface must be clean enough to pass a white-glove test – remember that the chalky dust is the remnants of a factory powder coating, and oxidation affects an unfinished aluminum section. Using a power washer will yield the best cleaning results when striping the dirt off the siding. Use a TSP solution and a cap full of bleach to get the cleanliness level you are looking for.
Prime The Surface
You want to add a coat of primer for two reasons it stops oxidation from occurring and provides an even, uniform surface to apply the paint. Using a self-etching paint that was created for painting metal is the best product to use. The primer used here will be able to access the surface and cut through the oxidation to get to the aluminum surface. Many paints offer a 2-in-1 mix that they say contains a primer, but it doesn’t. The 2-in-1 paints may be effective indoors but fail miserably when used outdoors.
Let’s Paint
Applying the paint can be done in two ways – with a brush or with a spray gun. If you use a brush and are working in the sun, know that aluminum will heat up and the paint will set quicker, so use small amounts of paint when using a brush. Rolling on the paint can be a problem if you use too much paint, and the result is an unevenness that creates finish variations that make the work look sloppy. An airless sprayer that a professional painter uses is the best bet to get the right amount of paint in the right place, and it best to hire a professional for the work.
What Kind of Paint Should You Use On Aluminum?
You are only limited by your imagination when you think about what colour to paint your siding with. Bright colours might need to have a tint added or come from a base of white paint, but most common colours can be used. When selecting paint, remember that sheen is as important as colour when making a choice. A flat or matte variety of paint will show well and provide a modern look to your home. Those varieties of paint also hide poor brushwork and mistakes made while in the painting phase.
Before you paint, you need to clean the surface, so choose the paint and finish with care. A matte surface will be a magnet for dirt, and it isn’t easy to clean, so you must be careful not to overdo the scrubbing process; otherwise, you will remove the paint and create an opening for problems to occur. While the paint will hold up for a long time, the lifespan for the finish will not. The best paint for your aluminum is a satin or eggshell type of paint that will provide the best results for longevity, and it will hold the finish longer. Cleaning and stain-resistant are two of the many advantages of satin or eggshell paint.
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