Aluminum Siding Painting in Northwest Florida: DIY or Hire the Pros?

If your Northwest Florida home’s exterior is of traditional aluminum siding and requires repainting, it may be tempting to tackle the job yourself. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when dealing with aluminum siding. 

1. Painting experience: Consider your expertise, as painting a home’s exterior can be challenging and lengthy. The job requires knowledge of inspecting the siding for needed repairs, properly prepping the surface, choosing the correct type of paint for the substrate and Northwest Florida climate, and working around your home’s landscape. Professional painters do this type of work daily and can perform high-quality work efficiently.
2. Prep work: Ensure you’re working with aluminum. Aluminum sounds hollow and metallic if you tap on the siding. If you’re unsure whether it’s steel or aluminum, a magnet won’t stick to aluminum but will stick to steel siding. Prep work will include finding and fixing any repairs, then using a pressure washer. Be sure not to angle it up, or it can cause water damage. Spray at a downward angle (like the rain would fall on it.) After it dries completely, check for a chalky film when rubbing your hand over the siding. If there is a chalky film, use a detergent that contains TSP (trisodium phosphate) to remove the chalking. Next, use a scraper to remove any paint that is peeling. Finally, sand down the siding so that the primer and paint adhere well to the aluminum. Do you want to do all this prep work yourself or let CertaPro Painters® of Northwest Florida’s professional team do it for you?
3. Equipment: You will need the proper tools, such as ladders, brushes, sprayers, and scaffolding. When deciding whether to do it yourself, be sure to figure in these costs. Professionals have these readily available.
4. Time: If you haven’t painted a home’s exterior often or simply want the job done quickly, consider hiring a professional painting company. Consider safety as well. If you have a two-story house, a tricky landscape and trees to work around, and sharp angles on a roof, it just makes sense not to put yourself on a wobbly ladder and take risks.
5. Finished Result: When hiring professionals, you are confident of increasing your home’s value and curb appeal because there is a guarantee of a high-quality result. If you do it yourself, you may make many mistakes, tire out halfway through, and then decide to hire someone, which means you’ve wasted unnecessary time and money.

Contact the professionals today at CertaPro Painters® of Northwest Florida for a free quote.