# Painting aluminum siding on a mobile home



## Zeebo (Jul 4, 2005)

I don't paint much aluminum siding but I have read different opinions (from paint manufacturers) re: priming or not. 

I am doing a small job on the exterior surface of a mobile home, most of which is aluminum siding.

The aluminum siding is prepainted with a god awful yellow and the client wants to go with white satin or semi gloss. 

My gut tells me to do the appropriate prep (wash, clean, sand, etc) and prime with a Zin 123 followed with 2-3 coats of exterior latex (100% acrylic) paint. 

However, other reliable sources have suggested no primer, just do appropriate prep followed with 2 coats of white exterior oil paint. 

What has worked best for people in the past?? Use a primer?? Latex Paint?? or Oil??

Thanks

Zeebo


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## wizendwizard (Nov 11, 2007)

I would do the clean and sand part, Then Kilz over with oil based. Then use your color choice. I'll pretty much tell you now, it's gonna end up looking like crap either way you go. 

I had a customer last month wanting the same sad paint job. When i finished she looked at it and said, " OK, rip it all off and put vinyl all the way around.
Now it's a lovely shade of tan in quality vinyl.

She paid twice, but she is happy now.


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## Zeebo (Jul 4, 2005)

wizendwizard said:


> I would do the clean and sand part, Then Kilz over with oil based. Then use your color choice. I'll pretty much tell you now, it's gonna end up looking like crap either way you go.
> 
> I had a customer last month wanting the same sad paint job. When i finished she looked at it and said, " OK, rip it all off and put vinyl all the way around.
> Now it's a lovely shade of tan in quality vinyl.
> ...


Yes thanks. I'm worried about this one too. I advised the client to buy some sample paints and apply to siding so she can get a true sense of color...she wants all white with black trim. Painting white is a pain in the ass...never enough to do just 2 coats... probably 3-4. That's why I'm thinking a primer to not only cover the undercoat....but to help with paint adhesion. 

I was always of the belief you had to use a primer on top of aluminum siding (already painted)...but from what I have been reading in the posts....primers are not needed....just use a good quality acrylic latex.

Zeebo


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## wizendwizard (Nov 11, 2007)

I'm not sure zeebo but I think they use electro bonding when they paint the factory color on the old aluminum siding used on mobile homes. 

If the HO is really wanting to go with the paint i'd do some test on 1 piece of it with different samples until I got a result I could live with.


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## [email protected] (Mar 1, 2008)

I Normally power wash all chalk off Add some E-B my first coat. Then reshot it with straight paint. Been doing it this way for 25year and as far as I know have had one that had a spot here it gave me headaches. You basically don't want to use any E-B in your top coat. But if I have a little left you know like a 1/2 gallon and plan on using a 5 for top I just mix it in. 
David Enterprises
Painting Contractor


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## Zeebo (Jul 4, 2005)

Thanks for all info and suggestions

Zeebo


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## ModernStyle (May 7, 2007)

Would there be a difference between painting an aluminum trailer and a house with aluminum siding ? I have never had to prime a house with aluminum and have never had any bonding issues. I always just wash and paint.


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## regal (Oct 20, 2007)

agree , wash and paint never an issue


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## EricTheHandyman (Jan 29, 2008)

http://www.paintquality.com/ppp/exterior/alum1.html


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## gideond (May 17, 2007)

Wash and paint should be fine if using a good quality acrylic. Forget oil on aluminum. Aluminum and oil do not get along well. The main issues is to make sure you get all the chalking off. If chalking is a huge issues, E-B or Zinsser Peel Stop may be needed to bond any residue prior to painting. XIM Peel Bond would work too but it's really overkill for chalking.


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## Frankawitz (Jun 17, 2006)

Zeebo, Check Benjamin Moore's IronClad paint it's a self priming paint two coats. I would power wash then scubb down with TSP and risen down with a hose make sure all TSP is gone, Then let it dry over night and come back next day mask off all areas not being painted and spray it out two good even coats of the IronClad you should be good.


www.frankawitz.net


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## painterofeveryt (Apr 8, 2005)

is ironclad an oil based product ?


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## Frankawitz (Jun 17, 2006)

You can get it in oil or latex finishes are stain, and semi gloss, I believe.


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## Zeebo (Jul 4, 2005)

Thanks for all suggestions re: methodology and product...very helpful. I always thought that priming was the way to go but it is obvious that I don't have to do this if I use the 100% acrylic paint (with obvious good prep and cleaning)

Thanks Again.

I will research the BM product.

Zeebo


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## paintr56 (Feb 4, 2005)

I spray a lot of aluminum siding. I power wash, paint first coat with Emalsa Bond added one quart to the gallon to 100% acrylic latex, and then a second coat of straight 100% acrylic latex. I agree with [email protected] I will mix a little left over in with the paint for the second coat but not too much. There is no advantage to this other then using up your paint. The problem with E-B in the second coat is the E-B can cause flashing.

Jim


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## gideond (May 17, 2007)

It can also accelerate chaulking. We use to sell a lot of Flood solid stain with the E-B built right in. After a while a lot of customers started complaining that it would chalk rather quickly, within a couple of years.


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