The speed along with the vibrating blades ensure that you get a straight cut.
Best way to quickly sand aluminum siding.
Don your latex gloves again then pull off a small chunk of aluminum repair epoxy from the tube.
Sand should be picked according to how much work needs to be done and how damaged the aluminum is.
The best way to get this siding clean is to power wash it.
Scrub with the length of the aluminum siding starting at the top and working downward.
Mix the two components together thoroughly then push the putty into the hole with your fingertip.
So by increasing dust removal a vacuum improves sander efficiency.
To prevent the surface from drying out and having to scrub the area again work in three or four foot sections from top to bottom and then rinse.
While cutting at the width of the aluminum siding make use of straight tin snips.
Wet sanding with soapy water will help with the loading.
Peel off any excess so the patch is flush with the front of the aluminum siding.
The sand that can be used in a sandblaster comes in many grades which differ in thickness and abrasiveness.
The key to painting aluminum siding is to get it really clean and to use 100 percent acrylic latex paint.
Rinse dirt grime and soap off using your garden hose directing the water stream in a downward path.
In general it s best to sand with the grain of the wood especially for the final grits.
Expect to pay the premium for good paint.
It actually allows your random orbit sander to work faster.
Or you could wash.
Work fast because this stuff sets up quick.
Keep the surface clean.
Use a nibbler to cut in a straight line.
Aluminum is also a very sticky metal and loads up cutting tools and abrasives really quickly.
Check the label to be sure it s recommended for metal siding.
Sandblasting aluminum with fine sand is best for small imperfections while medium is better for larger imperfections.
Over time the aluminum siding builds up mildew and can begin to look chalky or the paint color may fade.
This goes contrary to popular opinion but it s a good method to remove material quickly.
Most sand paper is aluminum oxide grit so expect to use a lot of paper until you remove the oxide layer.
Even with the sander s built in dust collection system the sander rides on a thin cushion of dust that prevents full contact between the grit and the wood.
The best way to address these issues is to repaint the siding.
But to remove deep scratches and stains it s ok to angle across the grain up to about 45 degrees for the initial sanding.
But when vinyl siding arrived in the late 1950s aluminum rapidly fell out of favor in part because it was prone to denting and its color faded relatively quickly.