Maintenance and Aftercare

1. Clean the Substrate - Remove any grease or dirt which could inhibit the subsequent coating from attaching. Ensure all dirt particles are removed. This can be done either by hand with a sponge and soap, or if the surface has a lot of dirt, pressure washing with an alkaline-based degreasing detergent can be used. Ensure all washing products are thoroughly rinsed off leave the balustrade to dry - 2. Remove Corrosion - If the balustrade is older, the powder-coating on the material may have started to corrode, leaving a small number of corrosion deposits. Ensure your powder coating does not show signs of breaking down if so, the coating will need to be stripped off. A chalky, white residue over the powder coating is a form of rust and must be removed, a nylon scouring pad will work, alternately a power sander will remove any red, white or corrosion, leaving a plain metal surface. Once all rust and corrosive coating has been removed, ensure any dust is cleared thoroughly. - 3. Abrade the Metal Surface - One of the most difficult obstacles in painting over the powder coating is ensuring the new coating bonds to the aluminium. Sanding the substrate removes the gloss from the original powder coating in order to provide a key so that the fresh coating will stick. If parts of the powder coating remain it is important to feather the edges, so that there aren’t any bumps or ridges on the surface. Once this is done, ensure any dust or residue is removed. - 4. Mask off Adjacent Surfaces - Some areas may need to be protected from the primer or paint. Areas can be covered with decorators’ tape, masking paper or sheeting, preventing the surfaces becoming resprayed or over-sprayed. - 5. Prime the Substrate - As soon as the metalwork is cleaned, removed of any rust and thoroughly dried. The areas can be primed and left to cure, it is best to do this as soon as possible, so the exposed areas do not get dirty or oxidised. Certain primers are appropriate for different alloys, ensure the correct primer is used for the different alloys and aluminium. To check if you’re using the correct primer, apply to a small area if the primer smears or can be wiped off with ease, then further abrading is needed. - 6. Spray Apply the Top Coat - There are many top-coats available on the market, ensure you purchase the top-coat designed for the material you wish to paint. A top coat can be selected in a choice of colours and gloss levels appropriate for painting over powder-coated aluminium, but it is crucial to select the right one. The top layer needs to be chosen to adhere to the primer or directly on to the aluminium if a primer hasn’t been used. Again, a professional spray-painting company will ensure the most appropriate product is used.