looking to paint some polished aluminum. i've been told to sand with 400 grit sandpaper and then apply primer and then paint.
is this the correct process?
any recommendations?
is this the correct process?
any recommendations?
Prepping aluminum for paint?
- Thread starter solidsnak3
- Start date
Yes, sand, spray with a self etching primer, dupli-color makes one, and then paint. If you follow the directions on the cans you cant go wrong. make sure you get the etching primer for bare aluminum or your paint is just gonna flake off.
Yup go with an etching primer paint will bite to it best, it's what I used on my Intercooler!
what brand primer do you guys recommend? 1 coat or 2?
400 grit is way too fine. Get it good with 80-100 grit. the profile needs to be there to really hold the paint. use a nice epoxy primer and a polysiloxane top coat. It will last a very long time. The initial profile really will make a huge difference in how the paint holds. So 80-100 grit. Not 400. your goal is an anchor profile of 3-4 mils. (.003-.004 of an inch) the epoxy primer will hold like glue!! Then the Polysiloxane top coat will bond to the primer. (no need to rough it up)
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i agree. worst case, sand the primer down and it will be slicker then snot. when i sandblast its pretty rough but it insures the "bite"
Please do not use 80-100 grit, he's not sanding bondo. 400 may be a little too fine though. I think the best choice is 220 then 320. Then primer, then wet sand with 320, then 400 or 500. Then paint it.
When I did my 10 holes and my CAI I finished with a wet sand of 1500. Get a good self etching primer. It will most likely news to dry over night. I found that out the hard way. Then good even light coats. Take your time and you will be ok. My CAI was painted with VHT nite shade. It turned out great and I ended up gunning the wheels and primer.
fine. use 220. Bad idea on aluminum wheels that will be exposed to the elements. Flaking is going to be bad after a year. The anchor profile will not effect the paint. You can polish the paint for the smooth surface. You want to make sure the primer is adhered hard to the surface. Surface prep is paramount. Use chlorid to remove any salts that may have found there way to the aluminum. Then some Denatured alc. before epoxy primer. Feel free to go cheap with some self etching spray primer from auto zone. LOL
Just incase you are wondering. Sand blasting is far more abrasive then 80-100 grit. Part of the reason powder coat is so durablable.
When it flakes and chips after a year from road debris he will be wishing he went with a deeper profile than what 220 provides.
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