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Aluminum siding and paint

RichBeckman | Posted in Construction Techniques on June 3, 2002 06:16am

My sister’s house has aluminum siding. She called me today with a question about painting it. She plans to paint it next weekend and went out to clean it a couple of days ago, using aluminum siding cleaner (whatever that is!). Very chalky, and the more she cleaned, the chalkier it got. At least until she got to bare shiny metal. She realized that she is never going to get the chalkiness gone this way. The local hardware/paint store says that it is doing this because someone must have used an oil base paint on the siding and they suggest power washing. So she has scheduled someone to come powerwash it on Wednesday.

Does this make sense? Is the power washing going to get the chalkiness gone without taking it down to bare metal? I would’ve thought that she should be using a high quality primer. Or wash with TSP.

Thanks.

Rich Beckman

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  1. User avater
    rjw | Jun 03, 2002 02:03pm | #1

    My experience is that aluminum siding starts to chailk after awhile, as most (if not all) (n0n-gloss) exterior paint does.  how it stays clean.

    Tell her to go to a real paint store: where they sell nothing but paint.

    Any powerwashing has to be done very carefully, that stuff dents fairly easily.  I question whether power washing is really necessary or appropriate.  Talk to some experts.

  2. BKCBUILDER | Jun 04, 2002 03:11am | #2

    I've helped my painter do his own house(he's a friend and had beer), he has a powerwasher, but would not use it on aluminum siding(wants to paint this year and it won't dry in all the cracks till next I guess) We used a RV washing brush on a long extension pole and TSP. Got all the dirt and chalk off fine, rinsed with the garden hose and it was good to paint in 2 days.

     Folks have gone powerwash crazy, I've seen more stripped driveways and decks and roofs in the last few years......put down the wand and step away from the powerwasher slowly....you are under arrest for being a moron......

  3. andybuildz | Jun 04, 2002 03:56am | #3

    Rich,

           Dont wanna bum you out dude.......but I started out 27 years ago as a Tin man......IMHO....why go through all a that? Rip that crap off..bring it to the salvage yard and collect 47 cents a pound and re-side. Aluminim will NEVER look good ever again!

    Sorry.........Jus' MHO

    Be well,

             Namaste'

                             Andy

    It's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

    1. DIY | Jun 05, 2002 02:46am | #4

      I asked this very question a few months ago.  The problem with washing aluminum is that it re-oxidizes (...become chaulky).  If you power wash do so carefully...then  paint as soon as dry.  Meaning that day if possible.  We heard Shermin Williams sells this additive of Aluminum.   We are waiting for a sunny weekend to do our house.

      1. Mooney | Jun 05, 2002 03:52am | #5

        Go to a real paint store is right on !!! Send her to Sherwin Williams . They will even make a call to the lab if they feel its necesary. They are there to help you keep their paint on her house . Period. I have always been able to rely on them , as as mention above ; they sell nothing else. That is their business. They keep the pros flying straight ever day. I count as one in many.

        Tim Mooney

    2. Rein_ | Jun 05, 2002 06:35am | #6

      Wow! Talk about skeletons in the closet.

      I can't wait until the the vinyl stick-on guys fess-up too!

      Thanks for leading the charge Andy.

  4. Ralph027 | Jun 05, 2002 10:54am | #7

    I had this same problem.  The house( 2 story) that I bought has alum. siding.  It was in good shape and I actually prefer it, but it needed painting.  I had the chaulky dust problem, I had flaky paint problem and wooden trim around the windows.  I found that the powerwasher was great at getting the large flakes of paint off, but that was it.  It was much better at getting me soaked.  Bleach was about the best thing at getting the chaulk off, however,  the chaulk problem was never fully solved.  Do NOT use the powerwasher on any exposed wood, it will scar and damage it beyond belief.   To apply the paint, I used a spray gun and True Value paint.  I also added a product called Emulsabond to help it adhere to the metal.  The bottle states that it wll not change the color of the paint, but I found that it did slightly once, so be EXACT in your measuremets or try to mix all the paint at one time.  This may have been because I was using a dark paint.  I found that I could scrape off the old paint where it was thick, but be very careful, alum. willl dent.  If you do not have a True Value store, Sherwin Williams is the way to go.  They will go out of the way to help you.  Try to get all the flakes off that you can.  I painted three years ago and have had no problems except in places where I was in a hurry and did not scrape enough paint off and the old paint is flaking off and taking the new paint with it.   Like all painting, good prep is the key.  Good luck.

  5. Mooney | Jun 05, 2002 02:43pm | #8

    Several yeas back I had a problem with moisture finishing drywall. After I was done , you could scrape gouges The end result in the mud with you finger , and sand it at will with your hand . Powder every where . I had a USG rep and chemist come to the job . They flew out here . I wont go into details there but , what was recommended was oil primer . They said it will soak to the bare rock and glue it all together. I even had to spray it because it would come off on the roller.

    End result was it worked great . Oil primer will penetrate and glue that powder.  Paint flaking is another thing . I have painted several mobile homes doing the same thing.PPG used to have a metal siding paint . [Pittsburgh] It was discontinued , but they noted that it was their house paint with elastomers added . That is no more than the additive that you add to your paint to make it flow better . [acrylic]  Anchor paint company actually makes a 100 percent acrylic paint, just for the sake of it .

    Tim Mooney

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