# Aluminum painting



## South-FL-Painter (Jan 17, 2012)

I just finished a huge mansion on the beach,and owners asked me if I could paint sliding doors bottoms.Its aluminum strip along the bottom of the sliding door.All the rest is factory painted aluminum white,and they hate that little piece of strip.Any of you guys have exp with aluminum?
Can anybody advice me as far as prep?and what products to use?self etching primer? I thank you all in advance

I have like 8 triple glass sliding doors to paint


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## South-FL-Painter (Jan 17, 2012)

Wow everybody is so helpful! Good to know  
Thanks everybody!

No get back to "Cheap painter" or "old people pain updates" and do some real PT.


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## bodean614 (May 31, 2011)

We scuff sand use a binding primer then dtm. They spec that here in storefronts all the time.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Calm down and be patient.nline2long: Again, scuff sand with a scotch bright pad so you dont scratch the aluminum. Do not use sandpaper! Then use a bonding primer and then topcoat it. :thumbsup:


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## South-FL-Painter (Jan 17, 2012)

Lambrecht said:


> Calm down and be patient.nline2long: Again, scuff sand with a scotch bright pad so you dont scratch the aluminum. Do not use sandpaper! Then use a bonding primer and then topcoat it. :thumbsup:


I am very calm  sometimes too much haha

Thank you for your help.


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## South-FL-Painter (Jan 17, 2012)

bodean614 said:


> We scuff sand use a binding primer then dtm. They spec that here in storefronts all the time.


Thank you brother


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## 6126 (May 9, 2010)

Sharp_Painting said:


> Wow everybody is so helpful! Good to know
> Thanks everybody!
> 
> No get back to "Cheap painter" or "old people pain updates" and do some real PT.


I've never clicked either thread, but headed there now :thumbsup: Wipe clean with a deglosser, XIM Primer, and DTM :yes:


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Sharp_Painting said:


> Wow everybody is so helpful! Good to know
> Thanks everybody!
> 
> No get back to "Cheap painter" or "old people pain updates" and do some real PT.


Speaking for myself, I was deferring to some fellow contractors who have more experience in tropical salt-water conditions. What we'd do here in the inland Northwest might not be appropriate on the beach in Florida. We've have great success with wiping with VM&P, prime with Zinc Chromate, and finish with alkyd enamel OR scuff and DTM.


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## Toolnut (Nov 23, 2012)

OK I'll be dummy of the week what is DTM?:stupid:


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## 1963 Sovereign (Dec 14, 2011)

Toolnut said:


> OK I'll be dummy of the week what is DTM?:stupid:


 direct to metal


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## TrueColors (Jul 30, 2010)

Dtm.....


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

I have a question....I have used a lot of DTM paints, is there a reason why (I do it sometimes) one would use DTM over a primed metal surface....it is, after all, Direct to Metal paint. Are DTMs really that much "harder" and it is assumed painted metal gets abused more, and so needs DTM? I should know this, but I don't......
Some of the DTMs I have used are fairly thin as well....


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

kdpaint said:


> I have a question....I have used a lot of DTM paints, is there a reason why (I do it sometimes) one would use DTM over a primed metal surface....it is, after all, Direct to Metal paint. Are DTMs really that much "harder" and it is assumed painted metal gets abused more, and so needs DTM? I should know this, but I don't......
> Some of the DTMs I have used are fairly thin as well....


DTM is for primed or unprimed metal I'm pretty sure at least we use it for both.
The watery stuff really is garbage for a few reasons.
I recently used a Ben Moore DTM. It smelled, looked, and acted like an Acrylic/alkyd. I personally thought it was the closest thing to using oil (I was painting hollow metal frames) that I have come across since oil became harder and harder to get and the whole DTM circus started. I'd prefer good old oil for sure but that Ben Moore DTM was almost impressive. Good cover, good bite, laid down good, tuff finish.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Oden said:


> DTM is for primed or unprimed metal I'm pretty sure at least we use it for both.
> The watery stuff really is garbage for a few reasons.
> I recently used a Ben Moore DTM. It smelled, looked, and acted like an Acrylic/alkyd. I personally thought it was the closest thing to using oil (I was painting hollow metal frames) that I have come across since oil became harder and harder to get and the whole DTM circus started. I'd prefer good old oil for sure but that Ben Moore DTM was almost impressive. Good cover, good bite, laid down good, tuff finish.


We used the BM DTM for the first time this fall and had a similar experience. We were doing garage doors.


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

DTM's have rust inhibition in them and usually good adhesion and a harder finish. They are at the low end for corrosion protection but have better durability then a latex or alkyd enamel usually because they contain a Zinc Phosphate pigment. The benefit on aluminum would be hardness and adhesion. The standard spec for hollow metal doors. Glad to hear high marks for the BM DTM as I have a customer that constantly complains about hide and leveling. It does give an automotive finish if sprayed. Love the Devoe Devflex too.


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

I used California's DTM early this summer a bunch, really liked it. Nice build, 7 months later, lots of sun, great (dark) color retention, lots of abuse, still looks great. I will check back next May....


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