Painting Metal Siding

We have to agree that rust can be very annoying at times, and once it starts, it can be challenging to get it off your metal siding. Some people use the short term methods of frequently removing the rust again and again. However, this is never a permanent solution, and neither is it convenient because it still leaves the dust marks on the metal.

A better and more convenient method, though, is thorough cleaning and painting over the metal surface. Not only does this prevent future cases of rusting, but it also gives the metal a better aesthetic value. Here is a step to step, detailed guide on how you can paint your metal siding and bring life to your home. If you are currently struggling with this give us a call today: Ideal Siding.

Clean the metal siding

Logically, the first step you will need to do will be to clean off the extreme moisture off the metal, as this is one of the primary causes of rust. This is considered a preparatory step before starting the actual painting.

a. How to clean steel

Using a paint sprayer mixed with trisodium phosphate, spray the metal siding and get rid of the grime on it. To completely remove the rust from the steel, use a rust converter, and ultimately the rust will be turned into black substances which will effortlessly come off.

However, while using trisodium phosphate, make sure you wear protective gear since it is a caustic substance and can cause irritation and burn to your skin.

b. How to clean aluminum

Determine whether your metal siding is aluminum or steel because the two need different handling. If it is aluminum siding, then you will need to have your pressure washer. Set it low and spray the rust off the metal siding. For better results, add some liquid soap to the water and after spraying, rinse off the metal with clean water and leave it to dry for approximately two days.

Cover areas not to be painted

When you finally start painting the metal siding, there are things that will be on your way, and without care, you can mess them all up with paint. Therefore, to prevent spraying on doors and windows, cover them using a cut and well-trimmed plastic sheeting then affix the sheet with masking tape.

Apply Primer

Principally, the first actual step of painting metal siding is applying the primer, and in this, you have two choices, whether a paint sprayer or a paint roller with extension. The regular metal paint primer works better with aluminum. However, for steel, you should consider a latex-bonding primer instead.

After making your choice, pour the primer into the paint container/tray and start applying it evenly on the metal siding. An easier method will be to start from the top of the wall.

Let it dry and paint with acrylic paint

Let the primer dry for approximately one to two days, depending on the weather of your location. After it has dried off, paint on top of the primer using acrylic paint. Also, do this keenly and evenly. After the first layer of the paint has dried, paint the second layer. This will ensure durability and better resistance to rust. You can then remove the plastic sheet.

Clean your equipment

The job is not over until you clean up your equipment. While some people do this one by one for each piece of equipment, a more convenient way is to do them all at once after finishing everything, because who knows? You might need to use the equipment you already clean, and you shall have wasted some of your time.

So, as small as this step may seem, it is very important that you leave your equipment clean. Start by cleaning the paint sprayer, and usually, they have cleaning directions on the manual. Follow these instructions to the letter. After that, you can now clean out your brushes and the ray or container you used. Leave the equipment to dry completely.

Conclusively, most of us have found ourselves frustrated with the rust on our metal siding. However, it does not have to always be like this. You only need to take your time, get the right equipment and product, then follow the guidelines explained above step by step without skipping any of them, as insignificant as you may think some are.