# Trailer Park Painting (Aluminum Siding?)



## Rocketpaint (Jun 24, 2010)

I recently painted one old lady's porch/deck in a large trailer park complex and now "everyone" wants their house painted. I've only painted a couple trailers, mobile homes?, in my time and never went back to check on them so I'm really not sure how well the paint held up. Anyone have any experience painting metal siding? The next house I'm bidding on is totally chalked out and I would say 10-20% of it is down to bare metal. Do I absolutely have to prime or if can I just spray on a couple coats of quality paint and call it good. Keep in mind these people don't have a lot of money and their home looks like a dirty dog turd.


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## chris n (Oct 14, 2003)

In all my years as a painter................................

I have found it impossible to make a dog turd look good..........................

Especially a *DIRTY* one...........................................:w00t:


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## dave_dj1 (Mar 16, 2010)

I'm no painter but i would think with the proper prep it should last a good long time, after all they are painted from the factory.

to chris n, some people choose to live in manufactured housing, they have the money to have them painted and look as best they can, you shouldn't criticize!


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## Paintlady (May 11, 2010)

Power wash using 3500 PSI to remove all dirt chalk etc. If down to bare metal, spot priming should be fine top coat with two coats 100% acrylic latex paint. I have had good success using Sherwin Williams A-100, you mentioned price is a concern, this product performs well and is priced right! This would not be a cadillac paint job, but will hold up well and look good. Suggest staing in a light to mid tone color base to keep from fading.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

wow...paintlady...excelent post:thumbup:


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## chris n (Oct 14, 2003)

dave_dj1 said:


> I'm no painter but i would think with the proper prep it should last a good long time, after all they are painted from the factory.
> 
> to chris n, some people choose to live in manufactured housing, they have the money to have them painted and look as best they can, you shouldn't criticize!






I was NOT criticizing:no:. I did not make the original comment about the dog crap, HE was criticizing:laughing:


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## gideond (May 17, 2007)

If it's aluminum then any good quality acrylic paint should work fine. The chalk MUST be removed though or the paint will peel. Pressure washing alone often doesn't do the greatest job at removing chalk. I usually use Jomax and a stiff brush or rags to get it cleaned up in addition to pressure washing.


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## dave_dj1 (Mar 16, 2010)

ok sorry chris, you know how sometimes when you read things and then read them again you "see" lol


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## painterman (Feb 5, 2005)

add Emolsabond to the paint... it will now stick to less than perfact surfaces.


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## Kade (Jun 25, 2010)

painterman said:


> add Emolsabond to the paint... it will now stick to less than perfact surfaces.


This.

Clean surface dirt as best as possible. Emulsabond is specifically made for chalky surfaces so it would be perfect for your job.


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## jfranklin (Apr 18, 2009)

we use chaulk sealer or loxon to paint chaulky aluminum down here in florida,


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## NaeGan (Sep 8, 2009)

I believe you will still need to spot prime. But use an oil base primer because waterborne primers will detach after not too long. I hate it when you go to paint a house and the previous painters used waterborne primer on the gutters and it is pealing off and they assume you can just paint over it.


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## jfranklin (Apr 18, 2009)

oil base primmer on aluminum :no:


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## Red Adobe (Jul 26, 2008)

1st post so i wont give out too much, but this line works well on racecars and trailers

http://www.ppg.com/coatings/refinish/en/colortools/tools/commercial/Pages/FleetColor.aspx


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## paintr56 (Feb 4, 2005)

I have done a lot of aluminum siding and several trailers. The suggestion to add Emulsa Bond from Flood to 100% acrylic latex was right on. It is very difficult (time consuming) to get all the chalk off of aluminum it seems to be attracted to the surface. By using the e bond the paint will adhere over a less then perfect surface. Unless oxidation is present then no primer is needed.

Jim


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