Doors and Windows - Help with painting aluminum windows
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Help with painting aluminum windows
vigoriton1
08-20-05, 12:28 PM
My house has aluminum windows that are a dark brown (also called bronze) color. The house and windows are about 18 years old. The front of the house faces west and the back faces east so the windows get LOTS of sun. I live in Tennessee. I noticed recently that the color on the windows seemed to be a bit faded and in many places had a sort of crackled finish look.
I bought some Benjamin Moore self-priming metal and wood latex enamel paint in a color that is a dead match in anticipation that I would just rough up the surface and then paint over it. However upon closer inspection of the windows, the crackled finish is because the paint is cracked all the way to the metal and the paint finish itself is gummy. So gummy I can scratch it off EASILY using my fingernail. It even is gummy outside the crackled areas.
I’m thinking that just painting over that is probably not a good thing and wouldn’t last at all. I decided to remove the bad finish with a razor blade and then sand smooth: I started removing some of the finish on one window with a razor blade but it is so tedious and keeping the blade clean is a bear. That route isn’t very appealing. I was wondering if I could/should use a chemical stripper to just strip them all clean, and if so which one?
Anyone out there been down this path and have any advice? Thanks!
Nick
I bought some Benjamin Moore self-priming metal and wood latex enamel paint in a color that is a dead match in anticipation that I would just rough up the surface and then paint over it. However upon closer inspection of the windows, the crackled finish is because the paint is cracked all the way to the metal and the paint finish itself is gummy. So gummy I can scratch it off EASILY using my fingernail. It even is gummy outside the crackled areas.
I’m thinking that just painting over that is probably not a good thing and wouldn’t last at all. I decided to remove the bad finish with a razor blade and then sand smooth: I started removing some of the finish on one window with a razor blade but it is so tedious and keeping the blade clean is a bear. That route isn’t very appealing. I was wondering if I could/should use a chemical stripper to just strip them all clean, and if so which one?
Anyone out there been down this path and have any advice? Thanks!
Nick
scratchnding
10-12-05, 01:24 PM
My house has aluminum windows that are a dark brown (also called bronze) color. The house and windows are about 18 years old. The front of the house faces west and the back faces east so the windows get LOTS of sun. I live in Tennessee. I noticed recently that the color on the windows seemed to be a bit faded and in many places had a sort of crackled finish look.
I bought some Benjamin Moore self-priming metal and wood latex enamel paint in a color that is a dead match in anticipation that I would just rough up the surface and then paint over it. However upon closer inspection of the windows, the crackled finish is because the paint is cracked all the way to the metal and the paint finish itself is gummy. So gummy I can scratch it off EASILY using my fingernail. It even is gummy outside the crackled areas.
I’m thinking that just painting over that is probably not a good thing and wouldn’t last at all. I decided to remove the bad finish with a razor blade and then sand smooth: I started removing some of the finish on one window with a razor blade but it is so tedious and keeping the blade clean is a bear. That route isn’t very appealing. I was wondering if I could/should use a chemical stripper to just strip them all clean, and if so which one?
Anyone out there been down this path and have any advice? Thanks!
NickThere are definitely solvents out there that stand a good chance, but I can't mention brandnames. Solvent will do a cleaner job than stripper. Try a strong (toxic) solvent like NAPTHA for starters. You can contact me for other info if needed.
Good luck!
Alan
I bought some Benjamin Moore self-priming metal and wood latex enamel paint in a color that is a dead match in anticipation that I would just rough up the surface and then paint over it. However upon closer inspection of the windows, the crackled finish is because the paint is cracked all the way to the metal and the paint finish itself is gummy. So gummy I can scratch it off EASILY using my fingernail. It even is gummy outside the crackled areas.
I’m thinking that just painting over that is probably not a good thing and wouldn’t last at all. I decided to remove the bad finish with a razor blade and then sand smooth: I started removing some of the finish on one window with a razor blade but it is so tedious and keeping the blade clean is a bear. That route isn’t very appealing. I was wondering if I could/should use a chemical stripper to just strip them all clean, and if so which one?
Anyone out there been down this path and have any advice? Thanks!
NickThere are definitely solvents out there that stand a good chance, but I can't mention brandnames. Solvent will do a cleaner job than stripper. Try a strong (toxic) solvent like NAPTHA for starters. You can contact me for other info if needed.
Good luck!
Alan