You are now ready to inspect and repair your steel gutter.
How to paint galvanized steel gutters.
The acid in the vinegar will act to etch the metal and help the paint adhere.
Scrape off any flaking paint with a plastic putty knife.
The secret to painting galvanized steel is white vinegar.
They are usually lightweight and malleable.
Galvanized metal is steel with a thin outer coat of zinc to prevent rust.
Move the stepladder as necessary and continue scraping the old loose paint from the entire gutter system.
Use a large cloth and sponge and apply a copious amount of water based cleaning agent.
If you have galvanized gutters and downspouts iron or steel with a thin coating of zinc here are steps you should follow to get a paint job that lasts.
Fixing cracks are the easiest.
After your done washing you need to rinse the soap off with your water hose.
The first step in preparing galvanized gutters for painting is to clean them thoroughly.
Once the metal has dried dampen a cloth with white vinegar and wipe the surface down.
When painting treat galvanized metal as non ferrous.
Both the downspouts and gutters need to be painted on outside and the gutters on their insides as well.
In many cases that means painting the gutters and downspouts particularly if they are badly weathered or suffering from an earlier paint job that has seen better days.
Before you paint your steel gutters you want to repair any holes or cracks in them.
Preparation is key to preparing metal for paint adhesion and long lasting protection.
Make sure you spray at a downward angle and rinse thoroughly.
White vinegar is both effective and non toxic so it is much safer to use than your average industrial solvent.
Use the extension ladder to gain access to the gutter which needs to be painted.
Both types of material can be painted.
Clean new galvanized metal surfaces with a water based cleaner degreaser to remove any oil or and contaminants.
On average you should paint aluminum gutters every 10 years and steel gutters every three or four years.
Go over the galvanized steel thoroughly applying more mineral spirits as needed.
If you have a kitchen then you probably already have this handy solution.
The plastic putty knife does not scratch aluminum like a metal putty knife or steel wire brush.
Think ladders and gutters note.
All you have to do is simply apply the vinegar to a clean rag and then wipe down the galvanized surface.
Position a stepladder under the gutters.
To ensure an even paint job it s important that it come into contact with every part of the exterior.