How to Make clean or Paint an Aluminum Awning

Owning an aluminum awning can be a dandy choice for many homeowners. The metal shade structure is low maintenance and is a nifty wind resistant choice. It is also a perfect all-conditions option that tin stay upwards year effectually.

If information technology is cleaned regularly and kept in adept status, the awning can terminal for decades with minimal additional price. To assistance you maximize the lifetime of your house and patio, nosotros've created the following guides.

How to clean your aluminum awning?

This is a relatively simple chore for an average DIY. The only required tools are a 5-gallon bucket, a long-handled castor, and a garden hose.

  1. Spray entire awning with hose
    On a dainty sunny afternoon, spray the entire awning to knock off any dirt and debris. We spray off the tops, brackets and conclude with the underside of the metal sheets.

  2. Sweep all sides of the canopy with brush
    Extend the handle of your stiff bristle brush (if you lot don't have an expandable castor, here'south a link to our favorite) and so that yous tin can comfortably attain each face. I fill the bucket with standard dish liquid and use that on the castor. I spend time scrubbing starting with the tiptop, then each side bracket. If there are any specific spots on the underside, I handle them individually.

  3. Liberally rinse the awning with hose
    If you are using a standard garden hose, the pressure should be kept. If you are using a pressure washer, we recommend never using in a higher place the 100psi on your canopy equally information technology may lead to harm.

FAQ – Cleaning an Aluminum Awning

The next few paragraphs are our FAQ for cleaning an aluminum canopy. Nosotros accept gotten questions over the years from visitors to our website or at the abode & garden shows. We thought the best way to convey this data was to create a simple question and answer section.

Do you lot need to remove all items fastened to awning?

We highly recommend this. If yous leave planters, flags or any other items attached to the awning during cleaning, there is a risk of them condign loose and being propelled with the pressure from the hose.

Practise you need to remove patio furniture?

There is a good take a chance the furniture will become soapy water on it if it'south left in place. Additionally, you will want to carefully piece of work around it while you are cleaning the underside. Otherwise, at that place shouldn't exist any reasons that force y'all to move it.

Exercise you demand to remove patio article of furniture?

There is a expert adventure the piece of furniture will go soapy water on information technology if information technology'southward left in place. Additionally, yous will want to advisedly work around it while you lot are cleaning the underside. Otherwise, at that place shouldn't exist whatsoever reasons that force you to move it.

How do I deal with stubborn stains?

When we have tough stains, I use very hot water and spray all-purpose bathroom cleaner right in the area. I apply the ladder to get close to the stain so that I can see it. Afterwards I let the cleanser sit for 10-15 minutes, I and so come back and aggressively brush the back and forth. Only spray the area with cold h2o once the stain is no longer visible. Notation non all stains tin can exist removed with cleaning. In these cases, they volition need to exist painted.

How to paint an aluminum awning?

One of the almost mutual questions that I go is from people who accept had issues when they pigment their canopy. The normal culprit is either they failed to clean information technology before they started or they chose the wrong primer.

If this is you, and then I'll comprehend both scenarios in the painting FAQ below.

  1. Make clean awning
    We have a detailed guide above that lists the unabridged process pace-by-step.

  2. Employ an oil-based primer
    Many people get a latex primer because it dries faster; however, these oftentimes contain ammonia. Unfortunately, aluminum and ammonia have a chemical reaction which is corrosive to the metal. If will cause some white flaking to appear and gas. The precise output is aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen (Source: https://www.scienceforums.net/topic/38355-ammonium-hydroxide-and-aluminium/)

    3. One time y'all've generously applied the oil-based primer, we recommend letting it dry for several hours. I normally permit our favorite primer to dry for 6 hours earlier applying any paint.
  3. Utilise topcoat of 100% acrylic paint
    A nice topcoat of acrylic pigment will perform well in the elements, and it tin can last for many years without discoloring or fading. We've written an entire guide on the best paint for awnings or y'all can become our pinnacle paint option for aluminum awnings here.

FAQ – Painting an Aluminum Canopy

This is our Q & A section for canopy painting. It'due south nothing fancy, and we do not merits to be experts. We are not licensed contractors and so this does non represent any class of communication, only rather us sharing our opinions as home owners who have researched and written a lot about awnings over the last iv years. Your private situation may exist dissimilar so please use our site but as one possible resource when doing abode improvement projects.

How much paint is needed?

.One gallon of paint will cover around 350 foursquare feet. A quart of paint should be enough to encompass an 8'x10′ awning.

How much does acrylic paint toll?

We normally buy the paint in the ane-gallon bucket, and information technology costs around $45.

Can I pigment over the white chalky material on the awning?

No. The white chalky substance is the aluminum corroding, and information technology needs to be fully removed. Nether no circumstances should it be painted over. If the cleaning guide above didn't have intendance of information technology, nosotros recommend using trisodium phosphate (aka TSP). This is a chemical compound that is specifically designed to get rid of this chalky material. Just be super cautious around plants and follow the manufacturer's directions.

How do you lot use the pigment?

Nosotros prefer an airless sprayer. Brushes and rollers require more than time and the pitch of the awning tin can lead to unsightly drips. Nosotros do not recommend ownership an airless sprayer if you don't own i. About local home improvement stores such as Lowe's or Dwelling Depot volition rent the unit of measurement.

In what direction do I spray?

We advise starting at the top and spraying side to side. You never want to begin a row in the middle so but begin at the very upper left-paw corner and continue back and forth until the entire awning is painted.

How many coats of pigment?

We usually employ 2 coats of paint, but we live in a dry, hot expanse that doesn't become a lot of snow or rain.

Helpful Videos

Right now, our team doesn't take a video creator and so we scoured Youtube for the nearly helpful videos on the topic. We hold with most things in these two clips, and nosotros think they tin be of great help when a abode possessor is starting out and wants to see how others take cleaned or painted their awning.

Decision

Do y'all accept any questions about cleaning, painting or polishing an awning? Have y'all tried our recommendations? We'd dearest to hear from y'all, and we'll happily include your before an subsequently pictures in our gallery.

If you want to accomplish out with either good results, problems, or just want to become our opinions on something ship u.s. a tweet @newawning . Also, exist sure to follow united states to get updates when we post each new article.

Author:
Wilson Smythe
Date Published: 6/2/2017
Appointment Revised: 10/23/2018

Last Updated:February 20, 2022