Homeowners with aluminum siding installed know they made a good choice. Aluminum siding has been around since the early 1940s and has continued to get the job done. Unlike those who’ve opted for wood, you don’t have to deal with the nasty and nagging maintenance. You can also sleep better at night, knowing your aluminum siding won’t rot or snap off during heavy winds. Other advantages include safety from termite threats, fires, and increased insulation.
Although aluminum offers these many benefits, it has a major downside: the factory paint coated on it. The thin sheet of color added to the siding material may turn chalky over time due to exposure to weather elements. A great way to combat this problem is by painting aluminum siding.
Adding a fresh coat of paint to your aluminum siding improves its appearance and your property’s appeal. It also counters rust and fading, thus giving you the overall peace of mind you deserve. Although painting your aluminum siding may appear to be a simple job, it requires adequate preparation. This article takes you through everything you need to know about painting your aluminum siding.
Can/Should You Paint Aluminum Siding?
We get it; many homeowners may wonder why they need to spend extra money on quality paints after buying aluminum siding to protect their homes. The answer is simple – a fresh protective coat. Adding a new layer of paint on your aluminum siding gives it the edge it needs to last longer and serve you better.
In addition to the extra layer of protection, aluminum siding takes perfectly to paints. You can easily customize your property’s appearance and appeal by doing this. So, think of this as a multi-approach to protecting your home and maintaining its value.
How to Paint Aluminum Siding
Now that you see the reason to repaint your house exterior and aluminum siding, below are the essential steps to achieve your goal.
Prepare the Siding
Any and every painting project should start with surface preparation. A properly prepared surface encourages paint adherence to the substrate. To get started, you may need to purchase a paint scraping tool to remove the existing paint on your aluminum siding. Failure to remove the existing paint can affect the durability of your fresh coat of paint.
If your aluminum siding has been installed for some time before the painting project, wipe the surface clean of dust, dirt, grime, and other impurities using a mix of ten parts water and one part bleach. Pay attention to mold and mildew and scrub them off.
If you’re a pro, you would probably want to use 80 grit sandpaper to start the process. You can then proceed to use the 220 grit sandpaper for the second round of sanding.
All of the needed preparation products can be bought from any local convenience store.
Apply Primer Coat
After sanding, apply the first primer layer to the aluminum siding. Primers help improve paint adherence and color. Adding your primer to the surface as soon as you’ve wiped it clean is essential to prevent another dirt buildup.
Ensure that you maintain an even spread when applying the primer. You should also focus on distributing the primer uniformly across the surface to be painted. For the best result, roll over each area twice in a back and forth movement.
Pro Tip: Apply your primer in one direction, top to bottom, left to right, right to left; this will improve the outcome.
Allow your first primer coat to dry, then repeat the process. The second coat of primer ensures that the surface is properly sealed to receive your fresh coat of paint.
Paint the Aluminum Siding
After drying the second primer quote, paint your aluminum siding with your chosen paint color. Ensure that you’re using the right paint quality and applying your paint in even strokes. To get the best outcome, you should adopt a one-direction application approach. Apply the fresh coat of paint from top to bottom, left to right, or right to left. This ensures that the color is evenly spread across the aluminum siding.
Let the first coat dry out, then add a new layer of paint to it. The second layer of paint aims to improve the appearance of the siding and the color. It’ll also seal in the first color, giving your aluminum siding better protection against weather elements.
Inspect the Outcome
The final step in painting your aluminum siding is to inspect your work after it’s all dried out. Ensure that the outcome meets the highest quality standards by attending to areas with bubbles or uneven patches.
Your job is done if you’re satisfied at the end of the inspection.
Tools and Products Needed to Paint Your Aluminum Siding
Here is a list of the essential products to gather before painting your aluminum siding.
Oil-based primer: Oil-based primers are suggested because of their water resistance. It also offers a better spread, thus covering more surface area on the aluminum siding.
Acrylic exterior paint: Acrylic exterior paint is recommended for painting your aluminum siding because of its strong bond with vinyl surfaces. For the best results, select a color similar to the current shade of your siding.
Synthetic fiber brushes: Synthetic fiber brushes are recommended to improve the paint spread and ease of application. They also do well with acrylic paints.
Lambswool paint rollers: These are perfect for applying primers and paints on exterior surfaces. They help to maximize paint coverage too.
Secured ladder: Improves your reach and distribution of paint across your aluminum siding.
Plastic paint buckets: These are useful for mixing and diluting paints where necessary. They can also be used to carry paints in small batches up the ladder.
Plastic paint trays: These can be used to hold the brush and rollers used for the job. It can prevent making a mess of the job site.
Drop cloths: Drop cloths are essential for protecting the ground around the work area. You can place them on plants, on the side of your home, etc.
Painting your aluminum siding can be demanding. Contact experienced New Haven County painters to save time and get the job done excellently.
Infinity Painting
30 Taft St Hamden Connecticut 06514
(833)724-6828