FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe

In every issue you'll find...

  • Expert insights on techniques and principles
  • Unbiased tool reviews
  • Step-by-step details to master the job
  • Field-tested advice and know-how
Subscribe Now!
Subscribe
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
  • Join
  • Log In
Subscribe

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Painting an aluminum awning

Rebeccah | Posted in General Discussion on February 8, 2008 02:02am

Doing cosmetic work to sell my home in Oakland CA…

The house is a 1919 bungalow, with later addition of aluminum awnings over the living room window and front and back porches, and ugly aluminum support columns (kind of a swirly sort of bent-aluminum design between two 1.25″ square tubes for each column) for the one over the front porch. Current house color is pale pink with white trim and awnings, red sidewalks and driveway, light colored gravel on the roof. There is a wrought-iron railing for the front porch and stairs, which was painted a couple of months ago (we’re doing the window bars now) with Rust Bullet, which is a moisture-cure urethane coating and is silver in color.

The house is badly in need of an exterior paint job. We’re going to change the wall color to something more curently popular – probably a “warm grey”, that is, something sand- or khaki-like in color. We’ll stay with white trim.

The question is what to do with the awnings, which are filthy. The awning over the front porch provides necessary shelter from the elements, so ugly as it is, it stays. The house would look unbalanced if we took off the awning over the living room window and left the one over the porch; plus, the neighbors on either side have awnings over their front windows, so it fits right in.

Options:
1. Just wash the awnings and leave it at that.
2. Paint the awnings with the same semi-gloss, white paint that we’re using for the trim (Behr premium exterior acrylic, supposed to be primer+paint in one).
3. Paint the awnings with the same Rust Bullet coating we’re using for the railings and window bars that actually need the rust protection ($$$).
4. Something else.

Questions:
1. Will exterior acrylic paint stick OK to aluminum? Does it need a special primer?
2. Opinions about white vs silver color, vs something else? I’ll try to dig up a photo of the front of the house and add it to the thread. The realtors I’ve interviewed would want the awning to come down, or at least no attention drawn to it.
3. One of my fiance’s friends has an airless sprayer and supposedly knows how to use it, so we’ll be spraying the stucco when we get to that part. If we paint the awnings, should we spray them or brush? I don’t think we’ll be able to use a roller, due to the way the metal is corrugated. We definitely won’t use the sprayer if we go the Rust Bullet route — that stuff can’t be removed once it hardens, and these guys don’t take that great care of their tools.
4. If we paint the awnings, should we paint both the top (outside) and the bottom (inside), or just the top (outside)?

Any input greatly appreciated!

Rebeccah

Reply

Replies

  1. Rebeccah | Feb 08, 2008 02:26am | #1

    These photos are from when I bought the house 4 years ago.

    View Image

    View Image

    View Image



    Edited 2/7/2008 6:42 pm by Rebeccah

  2. renosteinke | Feb 08, 2008 04:56am | #2

    In a word ... DON'T

    Painting such things has always bee problematic. If you want the best results, see if you can get them powder coated. Failing that, take them to an auto body shop for painting with a proper paint for the material.

    1. Rebeccah | Feb 08, 2008 05:10am | #3

      I'll take that as a vote for "wash only." Those columns are already painted white, though (previous owner).The one neighbor's awning is painted. The yellow and blue one, looks like a circus tent. I'm not sure about the neighbor on the other side. It's a dark color, but it may have originally been that way.Rebeccah

      1. alanj | Feb 08, 2008 06:53am | #4

        My experience with prepainted aluminum has been very good. I should add that I am not a painter, but have seen many paint jobs that turned out well. Even alum. siding paints quite well.From what I've seen, a powerwash, let it dry, and spray on acrylic.Thinking back to a job at least six years ago. No problems, No call backs.

        1. Rebeccah | Feb 08, 2008 06:58am | #5

          So, that's one vote for "wash only" and one for "spray on acrylic".Rebeccah

          1. User avater
            Kurt99 | Feb 08, 2008 06:30pm | #7

            I would expect it to paint well with the acrylic paint. Aluminum siding paints well with acrylic paints. I will second, or third or what ever the importance of prep. The oxidized layer of paint and attached dirt needs to be removed. I would recommend TSP and a scrub brush then rinse well. Two minutes with a power washer is not going to cut it.Should you paint the bottom side? Will you look out the window and say it looks like ####? Or will it clean up and look decent? Paint if it looks bad after cleaning.Spraying has the potential to look smoother than brushing and not counting equipment clean-up time is much faster. It can be tricky to spray irregular surfaces to get everything completely covered without getting to much in some spots so you get runs and drips. Spraying with irregular touch up with a brush to catch the drips almost always looks worse than brushing the whole thing. You also need considerable care and or masking to keep from painting everything in sight. The bottom line, I would probably brush the awning and I certainly would not attempt spraying it if you do not have a fair amount of experience with a sprayer.

          2. Rebeccah | Feb 08, 2008 07:28pm | #8

            OK, I'm getting the picture.The amount of work it will be to paint it is not worth the payback in terms of improved appearance of the house to sell faster. I'm not convinced that painting it will help it sell for any more money. We'll wash and scrub with TSP and probably just be done with it. The guy who owns the sprayer is hardheaded and likes to cut corners. I just had a talk with my fiance about letting him not mask the windows while painting the security bars. I'm tempted to roll the stucco walls, because I sure don't want overspray on the neighbors' cars and houses (or on my gardens, either).Rebeccah

  3. IdahoDon | Feb 08, 2008 09:13am | #6

    You can paint the awnings, but you may not want to go through the trouble it takes to do it right.   Getting the surfaces prepped in the joints and cracks is very hard and most repainted awnings I've seen suffer from pealing paint, which not surprisingly starts in the cracks and joints.

    You don't want to use house paint, but rather an oil based enamel, preferably not out of a rattle can.  The key to making it all work is surface prep and a suitable primer (mumble this over and over as many times as needed while visiting your local paint store).

    You'll want to get the old oxidized layer of paint off and get down to solid paint or bare metal, whichever comes first.  Then use a metal wash primer if any bare metal can be seen, followed by a good quality general purpose adhesion primer.  After that top coat with whatever color you wish.

    Your best bet are the industrial lines of paint or very similar automotive products.

    If you commit to proper surface prep the cost of good primer and paint can set some people back a bit.  $50 a quart for an industrial paint or primer isn't uncommon.  There is no free lunch, and the very best paints are also the most expensive.

    Stay away from two part polyurethane paints unless you can rent or borrow proper breathing equipment.  This stuff is tops however, and most aluminum aircraft are painted with it.

     

    Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Cutting Small Tile

Cutting small tiles comes with extra challenges. Learn how a simple addition to your saw's sliding table can make cutting small tile easier.

Featured Video

A Modern California Home Wrapped in Rockwool Insulation for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance

The designer and builder of the 2018 Fine Homebuilding House detail why they chose mineral-wool batts and high-density boards for all of their insulation needs.

Related Stories

  • Pretty Good House Book Excerpt: Copper Farmhouse
  • Fine Homebuilding Issue #308 Online Highlights
  • Coastal Home That Mimics Nature
  • A Sturdy Rail for Outdoor Stairs

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Justin Fink Deck Building Course announcement
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Sign Up See all newsletters

BOOKS, DVDs, & MERCH

Shop the Store
  • 2021 Fine Homebuilding Archive
    Buy Now
  • Code Check Building 4th Edition
    Buy Now
  • Outdoor Projects
    Buy Now
  • Tool Guide 2022
    Buy Now
  • Shop the Store

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 307 - June 2022
    • How to Raise a Post-Frame Home
    • Trimming Deck Stairs
    • Evolving an Energy-Efficient Envelope
  • Issue 306 - April/May 2022
    • Framing Stairs to an Out-of-Level Landing
    • Building a Zero-Energy Home for Less
    • Good-Looking and Long-Lasting Traditional Gutters
  • Issue 305 - Feb/March 2022
    • The Steady Surge in Residential Solar
    • The Fine Homebuilding Interview: William B. Rose
    • How Good Is Your Air Barrier?
  • Issue 304 - Dec 2021/Jan 2022
    • Why You Need Blower-Door Testing
    • Passive-House Standards for Everyone
    • Window Replacement With a Side of Rot Repair
  • Issue 303 - November 2021
    • Compact Cordless Miter Saws
    • Maximize Space with Thoughtful Built-Ins
    • 10 Essentials for Quality Trim Carpentry

Fine Homebuilding

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Sign Up
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences

Taunton Network

  • Green Building Advisor
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Fine Gardening
  • Threads
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2022 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Shop the Store

  • Books
  • DVDs
  • Taunton Workshops

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Sign Up See all newsletters

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to set_percent%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in