Painting Alluminum

[rckrdyxj]

How do you do it? Is there any special prep vs painting steel? I have some thin diamond plate aluminum that i am going to use to cover up some holes i made in my front fenders. It will basically be a make shift armor plating. I want to paint it gloss black. Its brand new sheet aluminum and would be a real pita to scuff up. Do i just clean it with thinner and prime with normal rustoleum primer and paint or is there a fancy way to do it?

Once its cut and painted i am going to use rivets or sell tappers to attach it to my front fenders.

[Buffalo Phil]

There are actually specific paints that are designed for aluminum use but must be baked on but is durable as all hell. They use the stuff on firearms.

I doubt that is any help, unless you want to suspend the parts in your oven and cook them to about 150 degrees and apply the paint.


Painting it normally would be ideal I guess, just use degeaser such as denatured alcohol or carb cleaner and apply the paint as normal.

[rckrdyxj]

Car cleaner eh, i thought that would leave a film on it. I just use lacquer thinner usually. Thanks, i will see if i can find some shit if not i will just use some sheet steel instead.

[Buffalo Phil]

Use denatured Alcohol. same difference.

it really depends on the paint more because of the surface.

[rckrdyxj]

I think i have some of that as well. WE will see what i can come up with.

[heapxj]

You need to make sure the surface is clean, ie alcohol, carb cleaner, etc first. Then use self etching primer otherwise the paint will not stick. This is how I painted my aluminum boat a few years back and the paint is still in great shape, especially on the bottom where it gets the most abuse.

[CumminsJeep]

powder coating FTW