Painting galvanized metal

[Grump]

I will be starting the prep for painting my house and addition soon. The body color is a medium gray. The drip edges on the roof are all galvanized metal. I would like to paint them white (there are a few other things like the railing system pickets that will also be white). The fascia board they are wrapped on will be dark green, as well as all the other trim.

I think I have a handle on the primer and painting of the woodwork and siding material. The one thing I am not at all sure about is the galvanized metal. What can I do to prep it and prime it before I paint it with the Behr Premium Plus exterior satin paint?

Thanks for any help,

Grump

[Rich]

This article suggests sanding it down then priming it, etc. I can't say I've ever run into this before. I've aged metal roofs before by pouring muriatic acid on it and then washing off - but never painted.
http://www.ehow.com/how_14414_paint-galvanized-metal.html

[roger g]

God I feel old when I keep saying this but years ago we used to wash the metal down with vinegar which is an acid. I think it used to work but if nothing else it made you want a salad. I really would ask a paint store because they now have all sorts of very sticky primers that are even good for tile and glass.

roger

[linear]

I just painted some galvanized farm gates. I skipped the vinaigrette but I did sand them down. I was using spray paint, Rustoleum clean metal primer and white gloss enamel, but I got great adhesion after just a mild dry sanding with some 220 grit wet/dry.

http://linear1.org/i/gate1.jpg (800x600 JPEG, 80kB)
http://linear1.org/i/gate2.jpg (800x600 JPEG, 30kB)

[Grump]

Thanks ever'one. I don't know why I didn't think of the metal primer before. I have some cans of etching paint I use on aluminum computer cases that works great. Linear made me think of it when I saw the links to his pictures. I was half way expecting to see your ugly mug reflected in the gate like your case mods. Nice looking gate -- and no reflection. ;)

I'll do a light sanding and then a coat of etching spray. I don't want to have to get up a ladder or the roof for a very long time. I chose a career in flooring because I hate heights. :lol:

Thanks again, you guys.

Grump

[sunhiker]

A year later, how is the paint holding up on your galvanized drip edges? We have to paint a new galvanized gutter and downspout. The general contractor thinks it's no longer necessary to acid-wash new galvanized before painting. The local paint store says sand, then use an oil-based primer, then paint.

--C