Can Aluminium Sliding Doors Be Painted?
The answer is very simple. Yes they can. Read on to find out how they are painted.
The Painting Process
What you’ll need
Here’s what you’ll need to paint your aluminium sliding doors:
- Average-sized roller.
- Rags or old (but clean) cloths.
- Newspapers (to protect glass).
- Bucket of soapy water.
- Protective eyewear.
- Latex Paintbrush.
- Masking tape or painter’s tape.
- Paint cleaner.
- Door paint.
- Paint primer.
- Sandpaper.
- Brush or broom.
Prep, prep, and more prep
It’s vital to clean aluminium sliding doors before you begin painting. You can’t simply paint a door frame as is. It will come out lumpy and look unfinished.
That’s where prepping before repainting sliding glass doors comes in. Start with your clean brush or broom, and brush along the door frame to sweep away any dust.
Now, grab your cleaning cloths and bucket with sudsy water and get to work. You must scrub your aluminium door to eliminate any dirt or dust.
We know it’s exciting, and you want to get to the painting bit, but we can’t emphasise enough how essential cleaning the aluminium door frame is.
Scratch off any residue using some sandpaper but do this in very gentle motions to not damage to aluminium further.
Remove the hardware
If your old door has any hardware like a handle, you need to take them off at this stage. It might be a bit more work, but you won’t regret it.
Trying to paint around hardware is time-consuming and can make your paint job look messy and unfinished.
Have a look at what is holding the hardware onto the door. If it’s screwed on, then getting them off with a screwdriver is quick and easy.
If it is too difficult to remove the hardware, make sure to cover it with painter’s tape.
Prep your workspace and door
Before you start painting, it’s important to protect your home from the splatters that come with any paint job.
The best thing is to remove the door to get it to a work area, but we know this isn’t usually possible. Here’s some help on how to adjust sliding patio door rollers that might come in handy.
So, you’ll need to cover the surrounding area with newspaper or drop cloth. Place these on the floor and over anything in the near vicinity that you can’t pick up and move.
At this point, you should also place newspaper on the two panes of glass in the door. Cut out the correct size and stick it down with some masking tape ( whileavoiding the door frame).
To get an even border, you should also use masking tape around the outside door frame. Make sure to do this on both sides of the door, as you want the two surfaces to look equally amazing.
Now that that’s done, you can start priming.
Get your prime on
Paint primer comes in different forms. You can spray it on or paint it on. It’s all based on your preference, but painting it on will give you a smoother application.
Primer is necessary even if the aluminium door is already painted. It holds the paint in place and makes it last a lot longer. Primer makes a big difference.
It would be best if you left the primer to completely dry for at least six hours. Painting over wet primer is a big no-no. You’ll be left with a total mess.
Once dried, if you notice any bumpy areas, you can sand it lightly to make it smooth.
Painting
You should only use paint specifically created for an aluminium door. This means finding paint that is suitable for metal surfaces. Acrylic paint is a good option; it adheres to the metal very well.
Paints come in different forms, with most choosing the spray paint option. If this is your choice, you’ll need to wear a mask and protective eyewear while working indoors. Spray paint has harmful gas. Always paint in a well-ventilated space.
Spray paint the aluminium door paint in the same direction along the entire frame. It’s best to get the first coat down in one sitting.
If you’re using brushable aluminium door paint, you should paint steadily up and down, making your way around the door.
Keep an eye out for any drips; picking these up while the paint is still wet will save a lot of hassle later.
An important step is to let each layer of paint dry completely before moving on to the next. Some aluminium sliding doors might require many coats to get the desired colour and density you’re looking for.
So now you know how to paint aluminium doors. If you’re looking for a reliable supplier of aluminium doors, get in touch with Fast Frame today.