Painting aluminium?

[si tate]

How do you go about, is there a special way or paint i need to use.

Its the front skid pan im thinking of doing because every time its cleaned it still looks grubby. Ive tried to polish & buff it but it only lasts a few days & goes dull again.

Any ideas peeps.

[StevenN]

You will need a suitable primer.
I think the Hammerite people do one

Regards

Steve

[BUSHWHACKER]

Do you want to paint it black or aluminium colour?

[si tate]

Do you want to paint it black or aluminium colour?

Not sure, probably black.
Why?
which is easiest?

[BUSHWHACKER]

You said you tried polishing it.

Hammerite will cover it if you want it back, but spray it on though, it'll look better.

If you want the aluminium look, just get a can of wheel spray paint

[si tate]

You said you tried polishing it.

Hammerite will cover it if you want it back, but spray it on though, it'll look better.

If you want the aluminium look, just get a can of wheel spray paint

So i don't need a primer with this, just clean the ally & spray it on?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165495
As you can tell im not a painter.

[tomtrux]

For aluminium you need to use an etching primer for better adhesion to the surface otherwise its more likely to chip and peal!!

[si tate]

For aluminium you need to use an etching primer for better adhesion to the surface otherwise its more likely to chip and peal!!

Cheers.

[w33lerd33ler]

So i don't need a primer with this, just clean the ally & spray it on?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165495
As you can tell im not a painter.

you dont need to prime first to paint with hammerite it goes straight on, or thats how iv always done it and never had any problems with flaking. to be safe give it a light rub down first to make sure its got a good key for the paint to stick to... i done my skidpan on my old shgun SWB with red hammerite this way and it was spot on, no flaking.

that said, whenever iv refurbed alloys in the past iv always primed in etch primer and rubbed them first before painting and laquering but iv never used hammerite on alloys, always proper paint then a few coats of laquer...

all depends on what kind of finish your after.

[BUSHWHACKER]

It's going to chip and peel after a while anyway being a bashplate.

Cover it with some silver sticky backed plastic.

[si tate]

It's going to chip and peel after a while anyway being a bashplate.

Cover it with some silver sticky backed plastic.

I could glue some bacco foil to it, now that would be shiny.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Talking of skid plates, check out the under body armour on this 5th gen.....

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-ge...kidplates.html

[DaveHMS]

Etchprime is an absolute must for anything ally on a boat if you want the paint to stay on. As an experiment, I tried not using it on some ally trim once in a marine environment - the primer & top coat lasted less than 3 months.
Ally oxidises within seconds of being rubbed down & most paint won't stick too well to aluminium oxide. I would always etchprime first, it zaps the oxidising process.

[si tate]

Talking of skid plates, check out the under body armour on this 5th gen.....

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-ge...kidplates.html

Wish my underside looked like that, f'nar f'nar.

[wishbone]

I've been really pleased with the Hycote stoneguard paint. Goes on nice and thick. I'd use etch primer first then try that on top.