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I want to paint a bright aluminium door rain deflector. Can't find an etch primer in a small enough tin, can I use ordinary metal primer? Or would thoroughly roughing up with medium wet & dry and then ordinary paint do the same job? We will be using a Little Greene water-based exterior satin paint, which I don't think will take to bare aluminium.
I would say that an etch primer would be the better approach, it’s what I’ve used for non ferrous metals on boats. Sanding/abrading could potentially give rise to the scratches showing through the finish coat, so I would avoid that.
I’d also avoid using a water based exterior paint, even if it is Little Green. IME, water based exterior paints do not cope with UV light and tend to fade and lose their depth of colour. Which is fine if you like painting.
Have you gone to a trade paint store? They may well know of some specialist products that you can use.
Thanks for the advice. The local Dulux Decorator Centre don't have etch primer or anything they recommend but I've found a spray can online for a reasonable price.
In defence of Little Greene, I painted our south-facing back door with their water-based exterior paint about twelve years ago and it has been amazingly stable; doesn't appear to have faded or been damaged at all by prevailing weather and UV. It was the first ever coat on a well-prepared metal/timber/metal door, which is also very stable indeed. I'm even slightly reluctant to repaint it because I'm afraid that the second coat won't be as stable on top of the first.
Special metals primer
Other brands available
Upon acid8
Me means UPOL acid8, but I've found the halfords acid etch primer to work ok too.
Why not contact Little Greene direct.
The Hammerite product looks as if it would do the job, thanks.