Now that we are getting into the summer holiday season many people will be thinking of painting the outside of the home. In the past we have looked at the basics of house painting so I thought that in this column we could look at some of the surfaces other than weatherboard that you may need to paint. A good example would be the aluminium frames used on the ranch sliding windows fitted in one of the rooms of my home. They have been there for twenty odd years and, believe me, look their age.

In my experience, whatever the manufacturer`s claim the outdoor surface life is, all outdoor surfaces will eventually require some sort of restoration. Aluminium frames usually have an anodised finish. This is a surface coating plated to the metal by an electrolysis process. Other aluminium frames are painted or powder coated but all of them can be repainted. The real secret is preparation of the surfaces before you paint.

Preparation

Preparation involves removing any loose oxidation that may have formed on the surface. Do this by scouring with very fine wire wool (000 grade is ideal) but don`t scrub too hard. There is no need to remove the finish. Now dust or vacuum the surface to get rid of the fine dust you have created by scouring. Finish off by washing down with warm water. Wait for the surface to dry completely.

While you are waiting, pop down to the local store and talk to the expert in the paint department. You will need a chemical metal cleaner, these are usually alcohol based; some chromate metal primer paint and some top coat paint suitable for the metal frames you are painting. If you do not have any good quality brushes I suggest you invest in some at this stage.

When Dry

When the window frame is dry, wipe all over with the metal cleaner (following the instructions for the brand that you have purchased). The idea here is to get rid of any surface contamination that may prevent the paint sticking to the metal. The biggest culprits here are your own sticky fingers! Small traces of the oil on your skin transferred to the metal frame will be enough to cause a problem, so once you have used the cleaner the rule is simple: "Keep Your Fingers Off".

It`s now time to prime the surface using your chromate primer, once again following the instructions on the can. Carefully apply a couple of thin coats of your finishing paint. Do not be tempted to apply thick coats as they will only peel off very quickly. Leave to dry completely and you will be amazed how good it will look.

A word of warning! Before you even think of protecting the outside of your home with paint, protect yourself from the sun! When working outdoors for long periods of time follow the well-published instructions about sunburn just as you would when lying on the beach.

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