Q&A: Painting Aluminum Siding

A.Former painting contractor Ed Fillbach responds: Yes. If you carefully apply one or two coats of premium 100% acrylic latex paint on aluminum siding, you can expect it to last for about ten years.

Before painting, remove any chalk, dirt, or mildew by thoroughly washing the siding, preferably with a power washer. Aluminum siding, especially if it has been directly exposed to sun and rain, may be heavily chalked. If there are any signs of mildew, a mildewcide (available from your paint dealer) should be added to the paint. In order to prevent mildew from recurring, it’s best to paint the siding as soon as possible after cleaning.