How To Spray Paint Aluminum Siding

Assuming you have done good surface preparation, killed the mildew, cleaned the siding and removed the chalk and deglossed any glossy finish you are now ready to paint the aluminum siding.

Spraying alumiunum siding has some advantages: 1) you can usually get good coverage in one coat with an airless 2) the smoothness of the finish matches the original factory finish 3) it is the fastest way to apply paint.There are disadvantages to spraying also: 1) overspray problems. Spraying outside can be a real problem for overspray especially if you are spraying two stories up (as in a two story colonial aluminum sided home), and if there is any wind. The drift of a latex paint from 18' in the air (aided a bit by wind current) can go a long way including the neighbors house, car and possibly the neighbor's neighbors house and car parked in their driveway. 2) Spray requires some skill. One common problem with spraying long expanses of aluminum siding is lap marks (particularly if using a satin sheen paint). Lap marks are where two sections of paint overlap - the thickness is doubled if sprayed where these sections overlap which causes "shiners" where the paint is shinier on the overlapped section. One way to eliminate lap marks is to spray from breaking point to breaking point, such as from window to window. If you have no breaking point you may want to spray from one end of the house to the other without lapping. The only way I know to do this (and the method I use) is to use a "pole gun" and simply walk from one end of the house to the other. My favorite pole gun for this is the Titan telescoping pole gun which I have used for years.

these primers are waterbased products. They are great “clean surface” primers. They do not wet chalky weathered paint well, so the surface must be clean if you use it as a total house primer on both unweathered and weathered siding.

Paint choice

I use a satin sheen latex paint (specifically I use Sherwin Williams A -100 satin latex paint), to each gallon of this paint I add a cup to a pint of "Emulsabond". Emulsabond is a alkyd additive for latex paints, which will wet any light chalk that did not come off with the cleaning. Added to the paint in small quantities "EB" will ensure adhesion to light residual chalk. In greater quantities EB can bind fairly heavy chalk - but always do some adhesion spot tests with the EB / latex mix on the siding to be sure of adhesion before doing the full painting..Do the adhesion tests on the heaviest chalked sides - usually the south and west sides of the house

Overspray and Covering up

There will be quite a bit of masking and shielding involved with spraying the siding. Windows, the roof, and even bushes down below the siding will need to be masked. Move the cars into the garage and close the door. You will probably need to get the neighbors to move their cars too. Never spray on a windy day, and always stop spraying if the wind kicks up. Wait for it to stop before continuing to spray. You need to be careful of the roof above the siding if you are spraying near it as it will bounce up and onto the roof. If the neighbors house is close to the house you are painting, you will not be able to spray it without getting overspray on the neighbors house. You will need to roll the paint instead. If the wind is blowing toward a busy street I would not spray either as you could get overspray on virtually every car that passes by. Overspray concerns are real and very serious so don't be careless or it will cost you a fortune in insurance deductibles. Most contractor policies have a "per claim" deductible when it comes to spraying, which means for every car owner that claims overspray you will pay your deductible for each, as opposed to a "per occurrence" deductible which is one deductible for the whole event. I have sprayed many aluminum sided homes, but I am always very, very, very, careful about overspray. I never take chances with spraying outside.

Spray Rig

Keep your pressure as low as you can and still get a good spray pattern. Probably around 2000 PSI with a 517 or 415 reversible tip. I use adjustable (Titan) tips sometimes for better overspray control. Run the paint through a strainer and filter the paint at the machine and maybe the gun too - to prevent clogging. 50 feet of hose will usually do. As previously mentioned I often use a pole gun to avoid lapping.

Spraying aluminum siding, because of the equipment involved, and the skill need to operate the equipment, as well as the masking capabilities involved doesn't lend itself well to the homeowner wanting to paint his/her own house. I would not recommend spraying the aluminum siding to a homeowner, I would leave that to the professional. But, rolling and brushing (mostly rolling) does turn out much nicer than most professionals will admit and that is well within the skills of the part time painter and home owner. I will address how to brush and roll aluminum siding in another article.

Do you need to prime?

Weathered aluminum siding that has been cleaned holds paint (quality acrylic latex) very well. Do a good thorough job on the cleaning and you can paint it directly with latex paint (modified with a tad of Emulsabond)

If the siding is new or glossy, you will need to prime it to be certain of adhesion. You may find the siding in protected areas (under the sofits etc.. where the siding is protected from weather) to be glossy. There are two primers that will stick to glossy aluminum: XIM UMA (Urethane Modified Acrylic) and Zinsser’s 123 Bullseye. Both of

Spray Painting Aluminum Siding

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