|
Author: Robert Clarke Article source: http://www.howtodothings.com/. Used with author's permission.
Anyone with older aluminum siding is well aware of the paint chalking problem. Just rub your hand along the old siding and the chalky old paint will be all over your palm. Trying to get paint to stick to this could be a real problem. This is due to oxidation of the paint. Siding manufacturers originally referred to this problem as a "benefit". They called it, "self cleaning", as the paint literally washed off the house.
Older vinyl siding is also a problem. UV light fades vinyl siding over time and the siding becomes very unsightly.
Many unfortunate homeowners and contractors have experienced the dismay, when they repainted their homes, only to find the new paint peeling off a few months later. Both problems with older aluminum and vinyl siding can be overcome with proper cleaning, surface preparation and re-painting.
Cleaning
You will need to rent a powerful pressure washer with at least 3000 psi. You will want a pressure washer powerful enough to remove most of the old chalky paint off the aluminum siding or, to remove any dirt buildup on the old vinyl siding.
Start at the top course of siding and work your way down. You will need to keep the pressure wand fairly close to the siding surface to effectively remove the old paint. In some areas, you may find that the paint comes off to the bare metal. Be careful near windows, corners, soffits and doorways. The water under pressure, can be forced behind these areas causing damage. You can add TSP or other cleaning solutions to the reservoir for mildew, algae or other grime built up. If you do use a cleaning solution, be sure to completely rinse it off with your pressure washer. You should allow your home to dry for several days in dry, sunny weather before proceeding to the painting process.
If you are repainting vinyl siding or vinyl coated aluminum siding, you may need a surface de-glosser. This is a solvent type product used to remove any shine on the surface and to help your first coat to adhere better. You will have no trouble finding a good de-glosser at your local paint supply store.
Application
I like a commercial type airless sprayer. It will draw the paint directly out of your 5 gallon paint pails, through the hose and into your spray gun. These are available to rent at many tool rental locations and even some paint supply stores that supply contractors. If your paint is real high quality latex, it will be thicker than regular latex paint and will require a more powerful airless sprayer.
Priming
This step is equally as critical as the step above. Actually, the cleaning and surface preparation phases will make or break the results of your project.
I like a latex paint additive called emulsa-bond for the first coat. Emulsa-bond is a bonding agent you will add to the first coat of paint or primer, to help it to bond to the old siding.
I buy the best grade exterior latex paint, rather than oil or other solvent based paint. Latex paint seems to keep up with the expansion and contraction of the siding very well. The high quality latex paint I buy needs no primer. I add the bonding agent directly into the first color coat. Check with your paint supplier whether or not to use a primer. The rule of thumb is, when in doubt, use a primer. If you use a primer, add the bonding agent into it before applying. There are also bonding agents available for oil or other solvent based paints. One type is called penetrol. These are usually available at a painting contractor supply store.
Many contractors will spot prime areas, especially where bare metal is exposed. I don't like spot priming because it can lead to an uneven looking top coat. When I put a primer coat on, I prime the entire home. This gives a uniform surface finish later on.
Finish Coat
Your top coat will be color only. You should check with your paint manufacturer to see if you need one or two top coats after the base coat. Like I mentioned above, buy the highest quality exterior paint.
In Conclusion
Proper cleaning and surface preparation are the two main ingredients to a successful painting job. A bonding agent in the first coat is also very critical to avoid paint peeling off later on. Using these techniques, I've re-painted homes that have lasted far longer than the original factory applied finish.
ARTICLE REPRINT PERMISSION
You may reprint the above article in your electronic or print newsletter; however, please include my byline and bio and keep the article intact. I retain all copyrights. Robert Clarke has operated home improvement companies over the last 30 years. He is the owner of ContractorsUSA,Inc, a nationwide contractor referral service at http://www.contractorsusa.info/. Get more information about aluminum and vinyl siding at http://www.contractorsusa.info/install-vinyl-siding.html
Digital Cameras: Do You Know Your Megapixels?
Until recently, were you to ask someone if they knew how to operate a digital camera, they would react as though you had grown another head. A digital camera? ...
Its Time To Start That Swipe File
Just as great fiction is an art, so is great copywriting. Beneath the art, however, there's a foundation of basic knowledge and skills. The craft that goes in...
How Intelligent is Your Dog
Find out just how Intelligent your Pooch really is. This article enables you to find out your dog's canine IQ. This article first appeared in the Healthy Pet Ne...
Do You Make These 5 Mistakes When Writing Sales Copy?
A brief list of some of the common mistakes people make when writing sales copy...
Do I Need Travel Insurance?
Does your health insurance policy cover you abroad? Do you need travel insurance because of illness?
Digital Or Film?
For many, digital photography is a breath of fresh air, but be wary - believing our landscape images will be superior could be a serious blunder.
3 Link Exchange Methods
3 Ways to exchange links with other websites, the pros and cons of each and criteria for selecting a link partner.
The History of the Christmas Card
An entertaining look at the history and origins of the Christmas card.
Articles and Adsense
Google Adsense is a hot topic in the Internet Marketing arena these day's and rightfully so. Adsense is drastically increasing the income generated from content...
1st Textbook on Sleep Psychiatry
The fascinating world of sleep has achieved more clinical research inquiries over the past few decades. However, Sleep Psychiatry has become a newly established...
Caring for Your Customers
You probably think I am going to say something like, "The customer is always right." Right?? Wrong. I have many philosophies when dealing with customers, but I...
How to Buy Your Own Home
Buying Your First Home can be a scary process, but it doesn't have to be! It's almost as easy as 'Get Money, Find a Home, Buy it, Move in...' Buying Your Own H...
How To Recognize Stress And Its Effects Before It Takes You Over
Stress is a leading cause of disease costing $billions every year to business and untold misery to sufferers. Discover the signs of stress and the simple means ...
Thirteen Values You Can Teach Through Homework
Are you a parent concerned about passing values on to your kids?
Do you worry that you can't find the time, or don't know how?
You don't need thirty-minute mult...
Writing and Self-examination
A writer must know the reason they are writing and that requires self-examination.
How to Delegate More Effectively
Do this simple excercise, and transform your life.
A Review of Popular Whey Protein Products
Because whey protein products have a wide variety of uses and appeal to large groups of people, determining which one can lay claim to the title best whey prote...
Is a Birthing Center Right for You?
Ever thought about giving birth at a birthing center? Also included you'll find statistics from a Birth Center.
Building a Trade Show Display
If you are taking your newest products to a trade show then you will need to come up with some ideas on how to build a trade show display in order to adequately...
Is the IronPort Whitelist Actually An Extortion Tactic?
It appears that Mr. Gates' prophetic prediction that charging marketers to send email across the Microsoft email networks (MSN and Hotmail) to cut down on Sp*m ...
How To Get Web Site Traffic
Web site traffic is essential to having a thriving online business. You cannot have enough web site traffic (visitors) unless it is the wrong traffic or you do ...
Creating A Wedding Budget You Can Afford
How to create the best wedding possible within a budget that you can afford
Meta Keywords Advice
Do not use the meta keywords tag. Many people still think of this as a quick fix for SEO. It's not. By placing this tag on a web page, the primary beneficiary i...
Words That Inspire - SIMPLIFY
A motivational newsletter that hightlights a word, its relevance to you, and asks questions on how to enhance your professional and personal lives, all in 45 se...
|
Print this page