Reynolds Metals

How do I go about painting cast aluminium?

For a furniture piece I am making, I need to cast aluminium components. I also want to add colour to these components, as I have never painted metal surfaces before, I need to know the process; what kind of paint, surface preparation and how long this process would take to complete. I am looking for a matt finish preferably but information on matt or gloss finishes for aluminium would be very useful...

Public Comments

1. Other than cleaning it really well, i would use an enamel paint and finish it with an oil-based enamel. That should do fine for something decorative and that's not going to get a lot of touching or wear. For something that needs to be more durable, you can look into a powder coating but that's more difficult process. The enamel dries fairly quickly. The process depends on how intricate and how long your paint design is. Here's an article you might be interested in... http://www.pfonline.com/articles/clinics/0603cl_paint2.html
2. First you have to clean it real well with very fine grit emery cloth, then wipe it down with warm soapy water and dry it with a muslin cloth (old bed sheet). Then you MUST etch it with vinegar. Wipe it off and then apply a prime coat specifically for aluminum. Then apply a color coat of oil based enamel. Do not use epoxy, it will crack off in a year or two. When I say color coat, I mean any color you want including white. Also your final or color coat may be either flat or glossy. Whatever you prefer.