Oil Based Primer For Aluminum Awnings. Unfortunately aluminum and ammonia have a chemical reaction which is corrosive to the metal. This exceptional level of versatility has made this type of primer the number one choice of many woodworkers making it an industry standard. However these often contain ammonia. Extending the Life of Fabric Awnings. Aluminium can be painted but youll need to clean it first and get rid of the oxidation.

Apply self-etching primer let dry then sand again. With a powerful water-based stain-blocking formula it uniformly seals any and all surfaces. Painting - at this step you can use an oil or acrylic latex based paint. Now is the time to paint. You could use latex primer and top coat but it probably wouldnt hold up well on a flat surface like an awning.
Sand the metal surface with coarse- then fine-grit sandpaper.
2 scrub boat with soap and water and rinse well. Always prime first - use a good aluminum oxide primer to get the surface ready for your paint. With a powerful water-based stain-blocking formula it uniformly seals any and all surfaces. First oil-based paint adheres better to metal surfaces and second unlike latex paint its not based on water suspension so there is no potential of developing rust. Spray Metal Primer. Kilz 10902 Multi-Surface Oil-Based Primer. How to paint metal. Only use acrylic based paint designated for outdoor use.