The two most popular ways to paint aluminum

Aluminum metal is characterized by its flexibility, light weight and durability, which made it used in many human industries from cars to food containers, windows, electric poles and other industries. In this article, we will show the most famous methods of applying aluminum. 

1- Hand painted aluminum

Painting aluminum differs from other surfaces in that it needs to prepare its surface for painting before starting to paint it with colored paint to obtain the best result that lasts for the longest possible period in different weather conditions.

Tools needed to paint aluminum

• Paint sprayer.
• Base coat paint.
• Medium coarse sandpaper.
• Protective transparent coating.
• Paint remover liquid accompanied by a solution intended to remove traces of this liquid.
• Rust remover liquid.
• Paint scraper.
• Adhesive tape.
• Protective devices for hands, eyes and nose, such as gloves, breathing masks and goggles.

Aluminum grease steps

1. Clean the aluminum from the fat using cleaning fluid and warm water, and use a cloth to dry it after washing it with water from the remnants of soap and dust.
2. Remove the old paint from the aluminum surface, by using a liquid paint remover on the places of the paint, then wait a few minutes for it to take effect and use the scraper to remove the paint, then use the substance intended to remove traces of paint remover after completion, then wash it with water and dry it.
3. Remove traces of rust from the aluminum surface using a rust removal liquid with a wire brush.
4. Put on protective gear to get ready to start applying primers and tints, and make sure the aluminum is in a well-ventilated area to protect against toxic gases.
5. Polish the aluminum surface using sandpaper in continuous circular motions. It is recommended to use medium or high-roughness sandpaper, then wipe the aluminum surface with a dry towel afterwards. It is worth noting that polishing the aluminum helps the different coatings stick better to the aluminum surface.
6. Clean the aluminum surface from the remnants of sandpaper using warm water and detergent and leave it to dry at air temperature, which helps in applying an even and tidy layer of paint and paint.
7. Paint the aluminum with the primary paint that uses the acid etching technique, and this paint helps in forming a smooth surface and is more tolerant of weather conditions, which keeps the colored paint for as long as possible. Aluminium, waiting 5-15 minutes between coats to make sure it dries, then leave the painted aluminum at least an hour after that before you start applying any other paint. 
8. Use masking tape to cover areas you don't want to stain, and put a sheet of aluminum under the piece of aluminum and a protective surface to protect the floor from colored paint.
9. After the initial paint layer dries, it is recommended to use a fine sandpaper to polish the painted aluminum surface and ensure its smoothness, then wipe its surface with a dry cloth to remove traces of sandpaper.
10. Paint the aluminum with colored paint of any kind, and it is recommended to apply 4-5 thin layers of equal thickness of paint, waiting 5-15 minutes for each of them to dry before applying the next layer, and if you use paint sprayers, it is recommended to hold it at a distance of 20 centimeters from the surface of the aluminum As for the types of colors used, it is recommended to use acrylic or latex colors with a matte gloss, and to avoid using glossy paint because it shows the defects and cracks of the aluminum surface more clearly.
11. Allow the paint to dry for 24-72 hours, as the time aluminum takes to dry varies with the type of paint. 
12. It is recommended to spray two to four layers of transparent paint and wait for each one of them to dry before applying the next layer, in order to protect the paint from peeling and various weather factors, and then leave the aluminum to dry the transparent paint layer and become hard, which needs a period of 24-72 hours.

2- Chemically paint the aluminum

This method is used to paint large aluminum surfaces that are exposed to many atmospheric factors, as it is characterized by its ability to protect aluminum more than the previous one, and aluminum can be chemically painted by following the following steps:

• Clean the aluminum surface of dirt with soap and water.
• Chemically clean the aluminum using chemical etching lye and a corrosion inhibitor such as Alodine 1201 paint, by following these steps:
• Use sandpaper or something similar to smooth the aluminum surface when needed.
• Make a diluted solution of chemical etching rinse according to the package directions, and use a brush to brush the aluminum surface, being careful to keep the aluminum surface wet as you paint.
• Apply a corrosion inhibitor to the aluminum surface, being careful to keep the aluminum surface wet as well.
• Rinse the aluminum surface with water and allow it to dry. When the aluminum surface has a golden sheen at this point, it is ready to apply primer and paint.
• Paint the aluminum surface with acid etching primer, apply 3-4 layers and wait at least 5 minutes for each one to dry before applying the next.
• Paint the aluminum surface with an even layer of colored paint, and it is recommended to apply two or three layers of colored paint to get the best result.
• Allow the paint to dry and harden for at least 24 hours.
• It is recommended to apply a transparent protective coating to protect the paint, especially for aluminum surfaces exposed to weather conditions and the elements of nature.