Oil Or Latex Paint For Aluminum Siding

3 choose the right paint.

Oil or latex paint for aluminum siding.

Naturally breathable and expands and contracts with house siding making it very durable. Have you ever wondered if you can paint aluminum siding. Select a paint meant for aluminum that s acrylic exterior grade paint. This is probably the worst thing you can do when painting aluminum siding.

Check the label to be sure it s recommended for metal siding. The key to painting aluminum siding is to get it really clean and to use 100 percent acrylic latex paint. You may want to tint the primer with a lighter hue of the finish color for easier color application. Also called latex paint or acrylic paint.

Less likely than oil based paint to crack or peel. Choose a primer made for metal for the best results. Latex primer can cause a chemical reaction with the aluminum that forms small gas bubbles. Latex paint by nature is very elastic so you end up with an elastic coating with gas bubbles underneath it.

Acrylic paint is durable and long lasting and is best for use on siding wood fiber cement or aluminum stucco plaster drywall and porch floors. While you can use either oil based primer tends to work better on aluminum. Painting aluminum siding is best with oil based paint and a good acrylic metal primer. Or you could wash it by hand with tsp or a similar product available at home centers and paint stores and rinse it thoroughly.

Since the oil paint does not cause a reaction with the siding this paint will act as a barrier between the aluminum and the acrylic finish paint. Most latex paint has ammonia in it and that includes primer. Look here for tips on choosing the best paint for aluminum siding. Avoid latex primer since it generally contains ammonia which reacts over time with aluminum to form microscopic gas bubbles and can lead to premature failure of the primer removing the paint from the surface or the siding.

Putting oil paint over latex often causes bubbling and peeling as the solvents in oil paint melt the latex. Oil based paint oil based paint creates a stronger and more durable finish making it an excellent choice for exterior paint projects. Expect to pay the premium for good paint. Add one pint of paint thinner to the gallon of oil based metal primer paint.

The best way to get this siding clean is to power wash it. With painter s tape and lengths of plastic sheeting protect items and areas adjacent to the siding. The paint you choose should also be compatible with the material you re painting. Overtime those bubbles can show or cause the paint to bubble and flake.

Once you have completed the paint job remember to remove the tape.