# First time doing Aluminum Siding



## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

I cleaned a house with Aluminum siding today. I cleaned it very well...to the point where I could actually see the chalkiness coming off...but when I wiped the siding it is still chalky. I always planned to use Emulsa Bond and still do. My concern is, is there a certain level of chalkiness that the Emulsa Bond cannot handle.
I am by nature somewhat anxious about trying new products (new to me) when a failure can lead to a major catastrophy. I cannot even imagine trying to fix failing paint on aluminum.



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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

It's sort of hard to tell what you mean by the siding being "still chalky." Does your pressure washer have a chemical injector so you can pull chlorine through the hose while washing? Straight water isn't going to make much of a dent. That being said, many times I still get some chalk on my hand when testing after washing. 



I'm sure a lot of guys are going to say this is an unnecessary step, but here's what I do:


I use SealKrete (I think Emulsa Bond does the same thing). I put it in a pump sprayer and mist it over the siding, and push it around with a 6 inch mini roller. A little goes a long way as it has even better coverage than advertised. It goes on milky and dries clear and very shiny. Careful not to get it on anything your aren't going to be painting, because it will dry shiny.


The reason I apply it this way instead of mixing it in the paint is because I can run my hand over it when dry and be 100% sure that it completely bound the chalk. It works like a dream. Whatever topcoats of paint I apply adhere really well to the dried SealKrete. If you add the stuff to the paint, it could work just as well, but you won't ever be able to visually and manually confirm that that pesky chalk was neutralized, and you will be forever wondering if your paint adhered properly to the aluminum. 



You probably didn't put this step in your bid, but it's worth the extra labor (4 or 5 hours or so) to have peace of mind.


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

SemiproJohn said:


> It's sort of hard to tell what you mean by the siding being "still chalky." Does your pressure washer have a chemical injector so you can pull chlorine through the hose while washing? Straight water isn't going to make much of a dent. That being said, many times I still get some chalk on my hand when testing after washing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I used the BM cleaner. I called my paint store to ask if there is a special cleaner I should use and I was told no and that the BM cleaner would do the job. Do you know if the Emulsa Bond can be put on directly like the stuff you use? I would rather spend the extra time and have the piece of mind. And by chalky I mean when wipe my hand on it get some residue on my fingers.

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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

@SemiproJohn Is the Seal Krete that you are using the concrete protective sealer. I can get that stuff fairly local.

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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

Pete Martin the Painter said:


> @*SemiproJohn* Is the Seal Krete that you are using the concrete protective sealer. I can get that stuff fairly local.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A600U using Tapatalk



I use the SealKrete original all purpose waterproofer.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Pete we do a lot of that commercial aluminum siding up here. N318 "clean", pressure wash with my yamaha 4040 and 25 degree tip. Top coat with mooreglo. Good stick and looks like brand new siding. Doesn't need anything added.


Did a job recently where i color matched mooreglo to the new siding and it was so good they went around touching up the new stuff with my match.


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> Pete we do a lot of that commercial aluminum siding up here. N318 "clean", pressure wash with my yamaha 4040 and 25 degree tip. Top coat with mooreglo. Good stick and looks like brand new siding. Doesn't need anything added.
> 
> 
> Did a job recently where i color matched mooreglo to the new siding and it was so good they went around touching up the new stuff with my match.


I used my 40 degree tip...should I have used a stronger tip to get more of the chalkiness off? I do not want to wash again...but it is better than a fail.

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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

We used emulsabond for 20 plus years, hundreds of aluminum houses and never ever had a failure. Washing aluminum is a no win game, it's nearly impossible to not have chalky residue when finished. Add emulsabond to Moorgard and try scratching it off after the first coat, it's almost impossible. Top coat with Moorgard minus the emulsabond and you're done. The only reason it'll ever need to be painted again would be due to fading, not failure. 

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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

Rbriggs82 said:


> We used emulsabond for 20 plus years, hundreds of aluminum houses and never ever had a failure. Washing aluminum is a no win game, it's nearly impossible to not have chalky residue when finished. Add emulsabond to Moorgard and try scratching it off after the first coat, it's almost impossible. Top coat with Moorgard minus the emulsabond and you're done. The only reason it'll ever need to be painted again would be due to fading, not failure.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk


Thanks @Rbriggs82 You just made my day!

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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

*Removing oxidation before painting aluminum siding*

Just for future reference, there are plenty of additives one can use when downstreaming which help to remove as much of the oxidation as possible. Most are caustic de-greasers though which can cause harm to you or anything you let it dry on, but there are a few metasillicate/monobutyl ether blends that work well to remove oxidation and are less dangerous to work with though.

As far as whether it's "too chalky" to paint should be defined as if the surface/substrate is otherwise in sound condition. EB works well and is good insurance. I'm sure you already know, but only use the EB with your 1st coat, not the 2nd.

I don't doubt that SemiproJohn's method would work; I've just never done it. 

Your concern whether a 40 degree tip was sufficient absolutely depends upon how much pressure your 40 degree tip puts out, how thoroughly you rinsed, as well as how far from the surface you were when you rinsed. I have 40 degree tips that yield 800psi at the gun and others that are nearly double. If you feel you rinsed until you didn't see any more oxidation literally running off the home and everything else got clean, you should be fine.

Depending upon the severity of the oxidation remaining though, it's always good insurance to wipe everything down with microfiber cloths before your first application.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Rbriggs82 said:


> We used emulsabond for 20 plus years, hundreds of aluminum houses and never ever had a failure. Washing aluminum is a no win game, it's nearly impossible to not have chalky residue when finished. Add emulsabond to Moorgard and try scratching it off after the first coat, it's almost impossible. Top coat with Moorgard minus the emulsabond and you're done. The only reason it'll ever need to be painted again would be due to fading, not failure.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk


Never used emulsabond in mooreguard, it's already got enough alkyd resin. usually I spec mooreglo because the sheen looks exactly like brand new siding.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

I've always preferred the low luster finish on siding and semi on trim but to each is own. 

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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Rbriggs82 said:


> I've always preferred the low luster finish on siding and semi on trim but to each is own.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk



yes in general I spec the same mooreguard 99% of siding. however i meant this type of commercial siding you can touchup with mooreglo, mooreguard is too low sheen. This type of siding has become very popular here in the last decade.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> yes in general I spec the same mooreguard 99% of siding. however i meant this type of commercial siding you can touchup with mooreglo, mooreguard is too low sheen. This type of siding has become very popular here in the last decade.


Oh well yeah in that case I understand. The kind of aluminum siding house Pete is referring to came new with a matte type finish. There are tons of aluminum sided house throughout the Poconos and the Allentown Bethlehem area where I came up. I've only ever seen one here in South Carolina and I painted it. 

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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Pete Martin the Painter said:


> I used my 40 degree tip...should I have used a stronger tip to get more of the chalkiness off? I do not want to wash again...but it is better than a fail.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A600U using Tapatalk


Moorglo W096 has an alkyd modification and will bite well onto a slightly chalky surface.


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

Rbriggs82 said:


> We used emulsabond for 20 plus years, hundreds of aluminum houses and never ever had a failure. Washing aluminum is a no win game, it's nearly impossible to not have chalky residue when finished. Add emulsabond to Moorgard and try scratching it off after the first coat, it's almost impossible. Top coat with Moorgard minus the emulsabond and you're done. The only reason it'll ever need to be painted again would be due to fading, not failure.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk



I was wondering if you have ever used emulsabond when painting stucco? I don't think the product is specifically recommended for that ( it seems to be primarily for aluminum, vinyl, hardboard and cement siding). 



I have a stucco exterior to do soon, and would love to forego my usual technique of sealing it first with SealKrete. I talked with a Rustoleum rep who does not recommend I add SealKrete to the paint for purposes of binding residual chalk. She said that the SealKrete could be added to enhance the spread rate, but nothing more.


Any advice regarding the Emulsabond would be appreciated.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

I don't recall using it on stucco but if it's chalky I probably would. 

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## canopainting (Feb 12, 2013)

Dunn Edwards 'Surfaco' is a great sealer conditioner for chalky surfaces, I have used it for years. It's a clear sealer that washes up with water. SW has a version too.


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