How To Paint Aluminum Windows

This step-past-step tutorial volition show you how to paint aluminum windows and door frames. Information technology'southward a quick and easy style to update your former doors and windows for simply a few dollars.

While nosotros've fabricated lots of improvements and updates to our home over the last several years, replacing the aluminum windows and sliding glass doors but isn't in the budget right now.

We have ii sets of sliding doors that lead out to our huge screened porch and as much every bit I dearest all the low-cal they allow in, the blank metal finish really simply fabricated them expect a bit cheap and unfinished.

sliding glass doors with metal frame and track

I painted the interior of the sliding doors several years agone and the paint has held upwardly really well. At that place is a bit of chipping on the door handle, only everything else however looks pristine.

I'g in the middle of updating our screened porch then this seemed similar the perfect time to tackle the exterior of the doors. And while I was at information technology, I also painted the aluminum windows on our porch as well every bit all of the metal outlet covers.

aluminum windows with blue shutters

gray metal outdoor outlet covers

Today I'm sharing step-by-stride instructions and photos as well every bit a video tutorial of the entire process.

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Materials

Vacuum (for cleaning sliding glass door tracks and window sills)

All-purpose cleaner

Painter's tape ( ii-3 inch thick tape is best for this project)

Gyre of kraft paper or wrapping paper

Spray paint

How to paint aluminum windows and door frames

The beginning step of any painting project is cleaning. Our sliding doors had accumulated quite a scrap of pollen and grit in the door runway so I started by vacuuming it out. Then I used an all-purpose cleaner and rag to make clean everything I was going to be painting.

Spray pigment is definitely the best paint for painting almost anything metal. It adheres well and goes on quickly. Nearly general apply spray paints will work for this project. Just double cheque that your paint says it is appropriate for use on metallic and can be used outdoors. I used Rustoleum Semi-Gloss Protective Enamel in white for my own doors and windows.

You will need to do a fleck of extra prep when using spray paint to brand sure the overspray doesn't mess upwards anything nearby.

Start by using painter'southward tape to tape all along the edges of where you volition exist painting. This would be a great time to apply iii inch painter'southward tapeto provide more than protection. I only had the regular 1″ painter's tape on hand, and then I did a few rows of tape around my windows and doors.

I too covered the entire glass section of the windows and doors. This isn't completely necessary but I like the extra protection it gives.

sliding glass doors ready to be painted with painter's tape and paper covering adjoining areas

My coin-saving fox is to use any erstwhile rolls of wrapping paper if y'all don't have brown kraft paper on paw. I ever seem to have an backlog of wrapping paper somehow and this is a corking fashion to repurpose it.

aluminum window frames and metal outlet covers surrounded by painter's tape

Once you lot take everything prepped, yous tin start painting. Whatsoever time you spray paint, start by shaking your paint thoroughly for virtually a infinitesimal and and then shaking it every few minutes equally y'all work. It's also a adept idea to wear a protective mask when working with spray paint.

Hold the spray paint vi to 8 inches from the surface yous are painting and slowly motion it over the surface with a steady back and forth motion. Make sure you go on the tin can moving to avoid thick, drippy areas.

You desire to do ii-3 thin coats of paint. Don't be tempted to endeavor for one very thick coat, you lot'll just end upwardly with drips and uneven coverage.

Check the instructions on your can of spray paint to see how long you need to wait before adding a 2d coat of pigment – usually it is only a infinitesimal or ii.

sliding glass doors with a layer of white paint, surrounded by painter's tape and paper

When you're done painting, plow the paint upside downwardly and spray for five seconds. This will make sure the tin can doesn't clog and will work only equally smoothly for your adjacent projection.

Once the paint is mostly dry, you can advisedly remove the painter's tape and paper.

If you find any little spots where paint managed to sneak through your barrier onto the glass, it'southward easy to remove using a razor bract scraper.

Painted Metallic Doors and Windows

Here are some before and after photos and so you lot can actually run into the departure the paint made. Even though the color divergence from bare aluminum to white is subtle, the windows and doors look so much nicer (and less cheap) at present. I dearest how they alloy in with everything else instead of continuing out.

metal sliding glass doors before paint and after being painted white

aluminum windows before paint and after being painted white

I besides congenital new shutters for the windows, but fifty-fifty without the shutters, I was really surprised at only how much better those windows look.

aluminum windows painted white with gray shutters

And the metal outlet covers blend in nicely now. Which is groovy, since we take at to the lowest degree a dozen scattered around our porch.

metal outlet covers before paint, while being painted, and after being painted white

This projection was especially quick and easy. I used three cans of spray paint to paint two sets of sliding glass doors, two windows, and a dozen outlets. And the entire project was done in a couple of hours. The majority of that fourth dimension was spent cleaning and taping everything. The actual painting took less than ten minutes.

Video Tutorial

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sliding glass doors before and after white paint

Materials

All-purpose cleaner
Painter's tape
Roll of kraft paper or wrapping newspaper
Spray pigment

Instructions

Start past removing any pollen and dust in the door frame by vacuuming it out.
Use an all-purpose cleaner and rag to clean the surfaces you will exist painting.
Secure painter's tape all along the edges of the surfaces you will be painting.
Embrace the unabridged glass section of the windows and doors with kraft paper or wrapping paper.
Shake your pigment thoroughly for almost a minute and then begin painting.
Hold the spray paint 6 to eight inches from the surface and movement information technology with a steady back and forth motion.
Y'all will need two-3 sparse coats of paint.
In one case the paint is dry, remove the painter's tape and newspaper.