# Aluminum siding oxidation



## Paint medics (Aug 8, 2015)

I have seen oxidation destroy a couple of aluminum houses but not as bad as this one today . This house is oxidized all over . 
Now , I recommended replacing it with vinyl because I really dont want it, but the people insist on me painting it . I know it wont last long even with a good powerwash and prep. 
Are you guys familiar with any good product you can recommend other then latex acrilic paint.
Im always open minded ,always teachable ,,lol


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

I have painted a few that the aluminum was so wore off, the bare metal was exposed in a lot of the areas and I couldn't really get it to the point where the chalking off would stop. I used some acrylic corrosion resistant primer made by Grahams and EmulsaBond in the topcoat, still looks like new siding 8 years later. I don't even know if using special primer and EmulsaBond is required...I just did it so that I was doing everything I could. It could be that painting over degraded aluminum siding isn't as difficult as we think it is.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Why are you against an acrylic? Clean the surface and apply 2 coats of BM Aura, Rust Scat, or Acrylic of your choice. It will last for many years and a lot cheaper then replacing the siding. Vinyl will wear and fade just like the aluminum or anything else that is exposed to the elements. Most of the exteriors I paint are aluminum and I've never had a problem with adhesion. Just make sure you get all the chalking off. Oxy-clean works extremely well at removing it followed by a good pressure washing.


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

SealKrete Original as your binding primer, after a thorough wash and scrub. Paint with any good acrylic after that.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

Paint medics said:


> I have seen oxidation destroy a couple of aluminum houses but not as bad as this one today . This house is oxidized all over .
> 
> Now , I recommended replacing it with vinyl because I really dont want it, but the people insist on me painting it . I know it wont last long even with a good powerwash and prep.
> 
> ...



It's kinda funny you saying you're always open-minded, right after you ask for suggestions OTHER than acrylic paint. 

Wash with TSP, bleach, and scrub brush. The scrubbing helps immensely in removing the chalk. May need to do some areas more than once. When you're ready for application, (assuming no raw aluminum is present), use a high-quality ACRYLIC coating with Emulsa-Bond mixed into the 1st coat only. Lotsa folks mention Emulsa-Bond, but rarely state the fact that it's only to be used in your first coat. Apply 2nd coat of ACRYLIC when. 1st coat is dry. 

IMHO, there's not a single non-acrylic coating that will yield better results. Good luck.


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

Prep's been mentioned, I'm sure you know that bit.

As has been said, not sure why you don't want acrylic- it's actually vastly preferable in many metal coating situations, including this one. You could do two coats of Super Spec DTM (P25) for awesome corrosion control. Rust Scat is an option (though I've not used it myself, I hear nothing but good things about it) as well, but even Regal Select Exterior would do fine with a good primer coat.

Finally... why recommend vinyl? So much better stuff on the market these days.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

DrakeB said:


> Prep's been mentioned, I'm sure you know that bit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Can I add Emulsa- Bond to Rust Scat? I know Emulsa-Bond states not to add to, "Gloss" Paints, but would adding it to Semi-Gloss be ok? I love Rust Scat, and plan to use more of it real soon. I just don't know the answer. Maybe adding EB to RS is overkill, given the fact that RS already sticks like crazy. Not sure.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

According to the Moorguard tds no primer is required for bare aluminum, just scuff any bright metal. Also has good adhesion on chalky surfaces. Of course it still needs cleaned well.


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

stelzerpaintinginc. said:


> Can I add Emulsa- Bond to Rust Scat? I know Emulsa-Bond states not to add to, "Gloss" Paints, but would adding it to Semi-Gloss be ok? I love Rust Scat, and plan to use more of it real soon. I just don't know the answer. Maybe adding EB to RS is overkill, given the fact that RS already sticks like crazy. Not sure.


I'd certainly differentiate gloss from semi-gloss (they're different sheens, in other words) so I wouldn't worry about it there. I'm not sure it's necessary, though- if you really want to do a good job, rather than adding EB to Rust Scat I'd do a good quality primer and then hit it with Rust Scat (especially if there's a lot of bare metal). One of Rust Scat's perks is supposed to be its "tenacious adhesion" as my rep likes to say, so I wouldn't worry about it much in that regard. Also worth noting that the EB would probably cause warranty problems with the RS should you ever have trouble. I'm not a big fan of additives in the vast majority of situations, though, so there's a bit of bias there.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Aluminum paints up really nice. Use your favorite 100% acrylic.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

stelzerpaintinginc. said:


> Can I add Emulsa- Bond to Rust Scat? I know Emulsa-Bond states not to add to, "Gloss" Paints, but would adding it to Semi-Gloss be ok? I love Rust Scat, and plan to use more of it real soon. I just don't know the answer. Maybe adding EB to RS is overkill, given the fact that RS already sticks like crazy. Not sure.


Rust Scat has incredible adhesion. The stuff sticks like super glue. I have used it on bare metal without a primer under it and I could not scratch it off with a 1" scraper blade. It has a very hard surface and barely scuffs even when aggressively trying to scratch it. I got overspray on some glass panels and thought I would never get it off because it was so tightly adhered to it. I don't think that adding Emulsa Bond would improve its adhesion much.


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## Paint medics (Aug 8, 2015)

Lambrecht said:


> Why are you against an acrylic? Clean the surface and apply 2 coats of BM Aura, Rust Scat, or Acrylic of your choice. It will last for many years and a lot cheaper then replacing the siding. Vinyl will wear and fade just like the aluminum or anything else that is exposed to the elements. Most of the exteriors I paint are aluminum and I've never had a problem with adhesion. Just make sure you get all the chalking off. Oxy-clean works extremely well at removing it followed by a good pressure washing.


Ive painted about 2000+ aluminum houses in my career if not more . Im not against acrylic ,as a matter of fact that is all I use . 
This house is oxidizing so bad that that I would say 90% of the paint is just blistering off of it and peeling like Ive never seen before . 
Im not sur if you ever ran into one so bad ,it looks like rust on metal accept it covers the whole entire siding . 
I have a rental property that had some bad oxydation and after i did what I do to thousand of other houses it didnt last more than 5-6 yrs before it started to look like rust accept it looks worse. 
I was just curious if any new products hit the market recently that deal with that sort of issue . Thats it ..lol


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

stelzerpaintinginc. said:


> Can I add Emulsa- Bond to Rust Scat? I know Emulsa-Bond states not to add to, "Gloss" Paints, but would adding it to Semi-Gloss be ok? I love Rust Scat, and plan to use more of it real soon. I just don't know the answer. Maybe adding EB to RS is overkill, given the fact that RS already sticks like crazy. Not sure.



I always thought the don't add to gloss thing was mainly because EB reduces the gloss of most paints. It's not as noticeable with lower sheen coatings, but you don't want your gloss paint turning out semi or less. 

I wouldn't worry about adding EB unless there is residual chalk dust on the surface.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Paint medics said:


> Ive painted about 2000+ aluminum houses in my career if not more . Im not against acrylic ,as a matter of fact that is all I use .
> This house is oxidizing so bad that that I would say 90% of the paint is just blistering off of it and peeling like Ive never seen before .
> Im not sur if you ever ran into one so bad ,it looks like rust on metal accept it covers the whole entire siding .
> I have a rental property that had some bad oxydation and after i did what I do to thousand of other houses it didnt last more than 5-6 yrs before it started to look like rust accept it looks worse.
> I was just curious if any new products hit the market recently that deal with that sort of issue . Thats it ..lol


 Can you post a pic. If the paint is blistering, peeling, and has orange colored rust then there are definitely different ways to deal with that situation then me and others have suggested.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

This thread reminded me of when my great aunt had her aluminum siding painted. She had it put on the house 40 years ago. After about 35 it started to show a little bare metal. Being very organized she pulled out her file on it and saw it came with a lifetime warranty. She called the manufacturer and they honored it with no problem and had the siding painted for her.


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## Paint medics (Aug 8, 2015)

stelzerpaintinginc. said:


> It's kinda funny you saying you're always open-minded, right after you ask for suggestions OTHER than acrylic paint.
> 
> Wash with TSP, bleach, and scrub brush. The scrubbing helps immensely in removing the chalk. May need to do some areas more than once. When you're ready for application, (assuming no raw aluminum is present), use a high-quality ACRYLIC coating with Emulsa-Bond mixed into the 1st coat only. Lotsa folks mention Emulsa-Bond, but rarely state the fact that it's only to be used in your first coat. Apply 2nd coat of ACRYLIC when. 1st coat is dry.
> 
> IMHO, there's not a single non-acrylic coating that will yield better results. Good luck.


Bro ,,,, The reason I ask ....... "other then acrylic paint " is because I use acrylic all the time Ive done more then two thousand aluminum in my career with acrylic ..Thats why I stated "other then" 
Im more then an expert on the subject .Sherwin Williams has us try out products and give them feedback before they hit the market. 

I just spoke with my regional rep and he came out and looked at this house and told me that they dont have anything for this magnitude of oxidation . It looks like rust eating away at the siding ..Its not even chalking because its down to the silver of the aluminum with hardly any paint left . All the paint is laying on the ground,, for real. And the whole emulsa bond scenario , first coat only ect ,I knew about back in the 80's.
I was just looking for a possibility of a product which deals with oxidation , sort of like Rustoleum for metal . Thats it . thanks for your help.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

Paint medics said:


> Bro ,,,, The reason I ask ....... "other then acrylic paint " is because I use acrylic all the time Ive done more then two thousand aluminum in my career with acrylic ..Thats why I stated "other then"
> Im more then an expert on the subject .Sherwin Williams has us try out products and give them feedback before they hit the market.
> 
> I just spoke with my regional rep and he came out and looked at this house and told me that they dont have anything for this magnitude of oxidation . It looks like rust eating away at the siding ..Its not even chalking because its down to the silver of the aluminum with hardly any paint left . All the paint is laying on the ground,, for real. And the whole emulsa bond scenario , first coat only ect ,I knew about back in the 80's.
> I was just looking for a possibility of a product which deals with oxidation , sort of like Rustoleum for metal . Thats it . thanks for your help.


I suspect that there is an acid that could remove the oxides during the cleaning/washing. Maybe one of the house washing guys here will know.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

So are you dealing with "white rust"? Does it look like a bunch of little rough raised patches of metal?


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## Paint medics (Aug 8, 2015)

DrakeB said:


> Prep's been mentioned, I'm sure you know that bit.
> 
> As has been said, not sure why you don't want acrylic- it's actually vastly preferable in many metal coating situations, including this one. You could do two coats of Super Spec DTM (P25) for awesome corrosion control. Rust Scat is an option (though I've not used it myself, I hear nothing but good things about it) as well, but even Regal Select Exterior would do fine with a good primer coat.
> 
> Finally... why recommend vinyl? So much better stuff on the market these days.


I know , vinyl repaint is starting to be a big business in my area. Im not a big fan of vinyl.
Ultimately I never rip people off. Plenty of contractors do . I dont fall in that category . This is really bad , I never seen it so bad and I specialize in aluminum refinishing and have been for almost 30 yrs. Sherwin Williams regional reps came out and agreed with me . They dont carrie a product that they feel consident will treat it . The siding areas towards the bottom are being eaten away and you can see the old surface of wood under . House is on the shore of Lake Erie ,getting pounded by the elements. 
I guess I should have clarified "other then SW " products .. lol. Thanks for your recommendations though. BTW we painted about 10-15 vinyl houses this year Its just a matter of time before it becomes as popular as aluminum refinishing ...Which is fine with me.lol


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## Paint medics (Aug 8, 2015)

Lambrecht said:


> So are you dealing with "white rust"? Does it look like a bunch of little rough raised patches of metal?


Yes exactly ! But it is very bad , never seen it so bad in my lifetime . I guess I should have also stated that the house is on the shore of Lake Erie . It gets pounded by wind and rain Its right on the cliff with nothing but water until Canada,,lol


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## Paint medics (Aug 8, 2015)

Lambrecht said:


> Can you post a pic. If the paint is blistering, peeling, and has orange colored rust then there are definitely different ways to deal with that situation then me and others have suggested.


Its not orange , I just compared it to rust .Its white , with rust "like" consistency . 
I will snap some pics. I think you guys will get a kick out of how bad this one is . It getts pounded by Lake Erie all year long .Its on a cliff overlooking the great lake . So you can just imagine the beating it gets .


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

Looks like oxalic acid is one option. Don't know what concentration is needed but might be worth a try testing a spot.


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## Paint medics (Aug 8, 2015)

I will snap some photos fellas . I hope I can learn something from this one . Its really bad . If we can make this one work ,we might be onto something new and good ,,lol.
I will try some options and keep everyone updated . Its one of those surfaces where you run your hand over and get stuff that looks like bread crumbs in your palm..white bread crumbs.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

Paint medics said:


> Bro ,,,, The reason I ask ....... "other then acrylic paint " is because I use acrylic all the time Ive done more then two thousand aluminum in my career with acrylic ..Thats why I stated "other then"
> 
> Im more then an expert on the subject .Sherwin Williams has us try out products and give them feedback before they hit the market.
> 
> ...



Beg your pardon. Clearly I had no idea to whom I was addressing. Thanks for setting me straight.


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

The reason you got several queries about "why not acrylic" is not because we didn't know you were a god among mere mortals when it comes to paint experience, it's because saying "other than acrylic" is like saying "I want a product for this other than the best products on the market." Not meant as an insult to you, people just know that acrylic is the best product for this scenario.


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## Paint medics (Aug 8, 2015)

DrakeB said:


> The reason you got several queries about "why not acrylic" is not because we didn't know you were a god among mere mortals when it comes to paint experience, it's because saying "other than acrylic" is like saying "I want a product for this other than the best products on the market." Not meant as an insult to you, people just know that acrylic is the best product for this scenario.


Ha ha I like that "God amongst mere mortals " 
But you are correct my friend :vs_laugh:
I think people didnt see the words "other then" which meant "other options" 
for this particular scenario. 


Then what would you suggest ? since i know you probably have the answer. 

acrylic over oxidation ,,,,correct ?


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

DrakeB said:


> Prep's been mentioned, I'm sure you know that bit.
> 
> As has been said, not sure why you don't want acrylic- it's actually vastly preferable in many metal coating situations, including this one. You could do two coats of Super Spec DTM (P25) for awesome corrosion control. Rust Scat is an option (though I've not used it myself, I hear nothing but good things about it) as well, but even Regal Select Exterior would do fine with a good primer coat.
> 
> Finally... why recommend vinyl? So much better stuff on the market these days.


^ This is what I'd recommend


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