Peeling window paint

So I got a wild hair and started peeling some of my flaking window paint off. Some of it flakes right off with a razor blade very easily, but much of it is surprisingly still stuck on pretty good.

I'm wondering if I should stop flaking it off where it's still stuck good and try to "blend" the new paint in somehow.





Would it hurt the underlying aluminum if I got my little finishing sander after some of this stuck on paint? I did a little hand sanding and it scratches up the aluminum pretty easily so I stopped.

Sorry I forgot I had already started a thread about this.

Aluminum window frames peeling
http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28133

Having tried this job in the past, I suggest a few things: (1) I would complete the removal because chances are the old paint will continue to flake under the new paint (2) After removing with your sander, you need to use really fine grit (800+) wet and dry paper wetted to finish the preparation (3) paint with zinc chromate x2 coats (4) ready to apply 2x coats of your preferred finish paint. I use spray cans but it is difficult to control over-spray, especially if there is any wind at all. I think if I ever tried this job again, I would brush on and probably use a water-based aluminum paint. Unfortunately, even with all this prep, repainted aluminum does not stand up as well the original finish. Good luck!!

Thanks. I will start sanding.

Instead of painting this aluminum, what do you think of just polishing it up a bit and leaving it like that?

cardude01 said:

Thanks. I will start sanding.

Instead of painting this aluminum, what do you think of just polishing it up a bit and leaving it like that?

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If you polish it out, I'd coat it with a clear ceramic coating.

Definitely sand to bare metal. Make sure after you complete your prep that you use a DTM(direct to metal) primer and compatible paint. Brands are personal choices I avoid but making sure it is DTM rated is vital.

After sanding a bit with 120 grit paper on a little black and decker sander. This paint is surprising thick. Takes a long time to get it off.

Could I go with a more aggressive paper?

I actually don't think the bare aluminum would look bad with a little polish. But I'm probably just being lazy.

Greetings,
Mr. 01. I think more aggressive paper might introduce deep scratches that will be hard to get rid of. Patience grasshopper...

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. 01. I think more aggressive paper might introduce deep scratches that will be hard to get rid of. Patience grasshopper...

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This

Dammit. Patience is not one of my virtues.

Gel coat does not like to be sanded, just FYI.

[emoji25]

cardude01 said:

View attachment 58491

Gel coat does not like to be sanded, just FYI.

[emoji25]

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Slow down there turbo or your going to wind up with the largest window painting job in history

I would try a heat gun.
Or Citri-strip.

sdowney717 said:

I would try a heat gun.
Or Citri-strip.

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What if the Citri strip got on the gel coat?

I do feel like I'm sanding away quite a bit of window frame here.

CPseudonym said:

Slow down there turbo or your going to wind up with the largest window painting job in history

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This is why I can't have nice things. [emoji23]

cardude01 said:

I do feel like I'm sanding away quite a bit of window frame here.

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Switch to 220 grit

I would try a heat gun.
Or Citri-strip.[/QUOTE]

As sdowney suggested use stripper. Tape off the fiberglass then tape plastic to the tape to catch the drips. Rinse with water to neutralize whenever you stop.

You can get scotchbrite type polishing pads that will go on your grinder or polisher. Much quicker than various grades of sandpaper.

Rob

I might polish it up a bit and leave it aluminum.

My guess is those windows are powder coated. That's why is was do hard to sand it off. And you saw no primer under it.

If you are going to polish it out, there are no short cuts.

It's a multi step process.

I actually used the Criti-strip stuff on the top section and that came out better. Plus it's more my style--apply stripper, drink beer, check stripper, drink more beers, etc.

I don't think I need a super high gloss finish on them. I don't mind the flatter look whatever that's called-- brush finish? Just need to get all the oxidation and scratches off and make the frame look even.

I realize the aluminum window looks a little silly next to my painted door but I really don't care. It's a manly window. Not a fussy, glossy, high maintenance pretty-boy window.

Think the paint dust got to me...

cardude01 said:

What if the Citri strip got on the gel coat?

I do feel like I'm sanding away quite a bit of window frame here.

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Tape it so it won't.
I used Citristrip to strip the gray epoxy coating from the back of a mirror.
It is something I would try. You might need to put a cereal bag over top and let it work for a day, I did that with the mirror.

If your bold and careful, you can use a propane torch and a scraper.
It would probably work, but the risk is how is this frame bonded to the boat? Too much heat might be bad.

I stripped gelcoat off an old 1966 fiberglass boat hull using the torch and scraper and it worked very well. Under that hull was woven roving, no matt. Today's boat, who knows what they put right under that gelcoat.

The citri strip was a good idea. Let it sit two hours or so and the paint peeled right off. It's so thick it didn't drip anywhere.

Thanks.

cardude01 said:

The citri strip was a good idea. Let it sit two hours or so and the paint peeled right off. It's so thick it didn't drip anywhere.

Thanks.

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Excellent! Citristrip is powerful. And it takes a very long time to dry.

Does Citristrip get old after opening it? Reason I ask is on the first window the CS worked after two hours-- all the paint had released. On the second window I did I left it on overnight and it still didn't release the paint, just made it kind of gummy. I did the two windows about two weeks apart.

However, on the first window I sanded some of the paint off first so maybe that's the issue. I didn't do that on the second window.

I've been known to leave the swirly pattern made by a palm sander as the finished appearance. Looks nice to (lazy) me.

The catch is, of course, that the scratches attract the attention of corrosion. On stainless or aluminum.

Priming aluminum really is not as hard as the various instructions say. And it's a matter of attitude. You'll never get the edges and corners adjoining the boat w/o removing the window so continual and on-going corrosion is your fate. All the stuff about zinc chromate (yellow, like the inside of aircraft) is correct. However, Primocon spray primer for underwater aluminum will work just fine above water. Interlux won't admit it, but it does. I used it on my aluminum mast for touch-up priming bare spots before topcoating with Brightside Polyurethane. 10 years, looks fine (they told me I should have removed it). Spray or in cans: http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/diy/products/primers/primocon.aspx

Your window was powder coated, likely the aluminum was sandblasted before powder coating. If you leave it bare it won't stay shiny it'll oxidize and end up looking like all the bare aluminum work boats you see around. You can spray clear coat on the shiny aluminum which will keep it shiny until corrosion gets under the clear coat just like it did with the powder coat.

Citristrip stays good after opening.
It worked better the first time since you had sanded the surface.
When I uses any chemical stripers, I find I have to scrape the surface with a blade razor blade etc... And recoat more stripper several times.

sdowney717 said:

Citristrip stays good after opening.
It worked better the first time since you had sanded the surface.
When I uses any chemical stripers, I find I have to scrape the surface with a blade razor blade etc... And recoat more stripper several times.

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That must be it. I guess I knocked off more paint than I thought with the sander on that first window. I started sanding it then got tired and used the stripper.

cardude01 said:

That must be it. I guess I knocked off more paint than I thought with the sander on that first window. I started sanding it then got tired and used the stripper.

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Yes, the sanding also opened-exposed the interior surface of the paint which allowed he stripper to get in there easier. You can cover the surface with saran wrap after putting on a thicker coat of stripper. That will let it work longer before drying.

I did that on the back of a mirror which is sealed with grey epoxy. After 2 days it was completely softened and came right off with a razor blade.