Faded or worn aluminum siding can be updated by painting.
How to Prepare Aluminum Siding for Painting
Painting aluminum siding is different frompainting other house sidingmaterials.
When to Paint Aluminum Siding
Aluminumsiding is best paintedin dry, warm seasons.
Jiri Hamhalter / EyeEm / Getty Images
Paint during the early part of the day, before the sun begins to shine on the siding.
Avoid painting when it israinyor overly humid.
Theoptimal humidityis between 40 and 50 percent.
Tip
For the best paint job, take the project slowly and in separate stages.
Use a lead paint test kit to determine if the paint contains lead.
If the lead-based paint is in good condition, it can be encapsulated by a fresh coat of paint.
Encapsulation is an approved method of dealing with lead-based paint without removing the paint.
Caulk around windows and doors.
Smooth over dents in the siding with a sandable, hydrophobic acrylic latex exterior filler.
Pressure-Wash the Siding
Clean the siding gently with apressure washer.
Spray from the top downward.
Neverpressure washupward, as this may force water behind the siding.
Remove large pieces of debris like spider webs, dirt, and dust.
Warning
Only use a medium- or angled-spray when pressure washing.
Aluminum siding is soft and can be dented or etched with a concentrated spray.
Wearing kitchen gloves, scrub the aluminum siding by hand, starting at the top.
Use an extension ladder or a 6-foot ladder to reach the top.
Scrub areas that are about 3 feet wide.
When you reach the bottom, rinse off the section.
Move to an adjacent section and repeat.
TSP Alternatives
Many states ban household cleaning products, such as TSP, that contain phosphates.
If your state bans TSP, search for a product called phosphate-free TSP substitute.
Mask off Areas
Mask off all sections that will not be painted.
Use painter’s tape for small areas.
For large sections, use masking film attached with painter’s tape.
Lay down a drop cloth over pavement and foliage.
Prime the Siding
Mix the primer.
Insert the airless paint sprayer’s draw tube in the bucket.
Fully masked and wearing goggles, spray in sections of about four feet by four feet.
Paint the Siding
Let the primer curefor at least one hour.
Clean out the paint sprayer gun and hose.
Switch to the paint.
Spray the paint similar to the primer, in small sections.
It’s faster to have two people doing this job.
One person sprays, while the other person follows by back rolling.
Apply a Second Coat of Paint
Let the paint cure for at least two hours.
In moist air or cool temperatures, let the paint cure longer.
Apply a second coat of paint to the aluminum siding.
Exterior painting isn’t particularly complex, but it is time- and labor-intensive.
The best kind of paint to use on aluminum siding is 100-percent acrylic latex paint.
you might use rollers,brushes, or a paint sprayerto apply paint to aluminum siding.
Spraying paint to aluminum siding, followed by immediate back rolling, produces a smooth paint coating.
It’s recommended that aluminum siding be primed before painting, especially if it is corroded or pitted.
Aluminum siding in good condition may not need to be primed.
Lead-Safe Renovations for DIYers.
U.S. Environmental Protectional Agency (EPA).
PubChem Compound Summary for CID 24243, Trisodium phosphate.
National Center for Biotechnology Information, PubChem, 2005
