Best Way To Quickly Sand Aluminum Siding

Don your latex gloves again then pull off a small chunk of aluminum repair epoxy from the tube.

Best way to quickly sand aluminum siding.

Over time the aluminum siding builds up mildew and can begin to look chalky or the paint color may fade. The best way to get this siding clean is to power wash it. Mix the two components together thoroughly then push the putty into the hole with your fingertip. Sandblasting aluminum with fine sand is best for small imperfections while medium is better for larger imperfections.

Check the label to be sure it s recommended for metal siding. Expect to pay the premium for good paint. To prevent the surface from drying out and having to scrub the area again work in three or four foot sections from top to bottom and then rinse. In general it s best to sand with the grain of the wood especially for the final grits.

Peel off any excess so the patch is flush with the front of the aluminum siding. A nibbler is made from two small blades that vibrate up and down at a very high speed. It actually allows your random orbit sander to work faster. The sand that can be used in a sandblaster comes in many grades which differ in thickness and abrasiveness.

Aluminum is also a very sticky metal and loads up cutting tools and abrasives really quickly. While cutting at the width of the aluminum siding make use of straight tin snips. Keep the surface clean. Use a nibbler to cut in a straight line.

Rinse dirt grime and soap off using your garden hose directing the water stream in a downward path. But to remove deep scratches and stains it s ok to angle across the grain up to about 45 degrees for the initial sanding. So by increasing dust removal a vacuum improves sander efficiency. Most sand paper is aluminum oxide grit so expect to use a lot of paper until you remove the oxide layer.

But when vinyl siding arrived in the late 1950s aluminum rapidly fell out of favor in part because it was prone to denting and its color faded relatively quickly. This goes contrary to popular opinion but it s a good method to remove material quickly. Even with the sander s built in dust collection system the sander rides on a thin cushion of dust that prevents full contact between the grit and the wood. The speed along with the vibrating blades ensure that you get a straight cut.

Connecting to a vacuum doesn t just cut down on dust. The key to painting aluminum siding is to get it really clean and to use 100 percent acrylic latex paint. Have you ever wondered if you can paint aluminum siding. Wet sanding with soapy water will help with the loading.

Sand should be picked according to how much work needs to be done and how damaged the aluminum is. Scrub with the length of the aluminum siding starting at the top and working downward.