Outdoor metals need to be well-protected against environmental hazards since exposure to moisture can cause metals to corrode and rust. Painting remains one of the best solutions to prevent the wearing out of your exterior metal and adds a protective layer to help slow down the effects of degradation. Here’s your ultimate guide on painting metal siding gutters.
How to paint the metal exterior surface
Steel
Homeowners must do all they can to get rid of water and air from tampering with their steel. Here are the four best ways to protect your steel with a strong barrier of paint.
- Before painting or repainting steel, use a wire brush to clean up rust on your steel surface.
- Obtain a rust-resistant primer from local stores and apply two coats on your steel. Dry in between to create a much stronger protective barrier.
- Apply good paint such as 100% acrylic latex paint or oil-based paint. For steel, spray paint is usually recommended. Follow all the instructions that are written on the can and try to get an even finish. DTM paints are formulated for use on metals without a primer.
Aluminum and aluminum siding
If your home is located in a harsh climate, your aluminum siding may wear faster. Therefore, refresh your home by painting the exterior metal. Clean up the surface of the metal (remove stains, dirt, and grease). All metals should look neat and dry and remember to cover areas that you don’t want the paint to contact.
Apply anti-rust primer on the metal; priming will create a gentle surface for strong adhesion. Wait for the full dry time to elapse and a rust-preventative enamel to the layer followed by more thin coats. Finally, wait for everything to dry up completely.
Three things to note when painting aluminum and aluminum siding
- Chalking can occur when the coating is weathered. To see if you have chalking, place your fingers on top of the siding — the appearance of white substances means that chalking has occurred. When that happens, use sodium triphosphate to clean it.
- A flat or satin finish is ideal for aluminum siding. This paint is capable of hiding small imperfections on aluminum, such as dents.
- When spray painting, consider the wind’s direction and avoid over-spraying.
How to paint metal gutters
A homeowner who wants to improve his home environment’s appearance may also choose to paint their gutters. While it’s relatively easy to paint gutters, you don’t want to apply the paint directly on the surface. This attempt will lead to the paint falling off and frustrating you.
Like siding painting, you need to scrub your metal gutters and free them of chalk and other residues. Add a primer to ensure that the paint will adhere to the surface of your gutters.
RPS Metal Roofing & Siding offers the fastest turnaround time in Florida. Having served the Florida residents with metal roofing, fasteners, and other accessories for over 20 years, we have a variety of high-quality building materials to help you redesign the home of your dreams. Get in touch with us if you need suitable quality roofs for residential, commercial and agricultural purposes.