About painting a steel sided building

[orezok]

My plan was to paint it like a car. They are metal, the building is metal, why not use automotive paint?

Automotive paint is very expensive vs industrial paint. Up to $250 a gallon for quality paint. Of course, if you want Kubota orange, TSC has that for $40

 

[tpcannon]

Thanks. You definitely have different conditions than I have, but your experience is my worst fear.

 

[Alan W.]

Built my tractor shed with used panels that were white and some places a little rust.
Sprayed it with Rustoleum rusty metal primer followed by New Holland red tractor enamel. Still looks the same. No problems with peeling.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

After thinking about it my guess is a paint contractor would use water base eco-friendly paint. What lasts is oil based.
One way to do it is either paint a scrap panel piece or just one small section, seeing how it looks after a few months before painting the whole thing.

 

[DaBear3428]

I might be painting a metal building some time in the future too. It's that ugly beige color that was so popular 30 years ago. My plan was to paint it like a car. They are metal, the building is metal, why not use automotive paint?

I just need to decide what color to paint it.

cars require wax or the paint will burn in 2 years, building paints do not require wax. auto paint is also very expensive. talk to your local professional paint supplier.

 

[DaBear3428]

Strong panels are coated with the MS Colorfast45 system which is a high quality coating system applied under strict conditions. the chances of getting a field applied paint system to match the fade resistance and durability of that system is pretty much nil, but there are some good coating systems that if used correctly can provide good service but again it will not be as good as the original coating.

 

[jyoutz]

I might be painting a metal building some time in the future too. It's that ugly beige color that was so popular 30 years ago. My plan was to paint it like a car. They are metal, the building is metal, why not use automotive paint?

I just need to decide what color to paint it.

Isn’t automotive paint very expensive?

 

[EddieWalker]

I haven't painted a vehicle in decades, so I don't know what it costs. I was into off roading, so I had Jeeps, a couple Bronco's and a big lifted truck at one time. I was never about a show vehicle, but I did want to make each of them a certain color that looked good from a distance, but I wasn't afraid to go off roading in, or explore a new trail.

In those days, I would use an enamel paint that stuck to anything, and held up good to abuse. It was a cheap paint as far as auto paints go, but it worked perfect for what I wanted.

Yesterday, while I was in Lowes, I decided to buy a gallon of Exterior Valspar Duramax paint to try on my shipping container. I'm about to build a dog kennel next to the container and I decided this would be a good time to cover up the faded red and white paint on it. It's far enough from the house that I'm fine if it doesn't look perfect, I just want it to disappear in the trees a lot better then it does now.

 

[gstrom99]

At my age, the last thing I want to do is to create more maintenance chores. Do I live with ugly or do I take a chance on creating a possible nightmare?

My 54 x 72 Morton pole barn was put up in the 60's and is white, with faded green trim/accents. The green is faded pretty bad and the prior owner let trees grow up and rub the paint off down to the galvanized layer only in spots (I've sprayed touch-up with flat Rustoleum on those spots) but I'm not touching it further.

I did have the roof painted a few years ago. They used a silver Sherman Williams asphalt type paint, sprayed on. Looks great.

IMHO, If the color is the only issue, I'd live with the beige sides instead of spending a ton of money and having to repaint every few (10 if you're lucky?) years.

 

[KennyG]

Automotive paint is way to expensive for anything but vehicles. A good oil based paint (Rustoleum?) is the only real option but it will require careful cleaning and surface preparation. It's all a matter of time and money, but I fixed my faded, rusted old siding by putting on new steel. I know it's good for the rest of my life.

 

[tomplum]

Rustoleum should adhere great. I would be worried about fading, maybe it would be not noticeable in white? I've read where people doctor the paint up for spraying. Anyone done that on a larger project?

 

[tpcannon]

My 54 x 72 Morton pole barn was put up in the 60's and is white, with faded green trim/accents. The green is faded pretty bad and the prior owner let trees grow up and rub the paint off down to the galvanized layer only in spots (I've sprayed touch-up with flat Rustoleum on those spots) but I'm not touching it further.

I did have the roof painted a few years ago. They used a silver Sherman Williams asphalt type paint, sprayed on. Looks great.

IMHO, If the color is the only issue, I'd live with the beige sides instead of spending a ton of money and having to repaint every few (10 if you're lucky?) years.

 

[tpcannon]

Thanks. Good insights. I like the asphalt roof paint tip. I imagine that seals all the screws too?

 

[gstrom99]

Thanks. Good insights. I like the asphalt roof paint tip. I imagine that seals all the screws too?

The painter said the process should seal things. It's always been pretty dry anyway. I had Morton replace the 8 old skylights last year. Wow, what a difference. They were old, brittle, that old green color and pretty dang dark. While they were up there, they secured any nails (I did say this was put up in the 60's, didn't I?). They added screws where needed, and sealed any holes.

 

[Gord Baker]

Get an Industrial Paint supplier to advise you. If it is steel and is rusting, a Zinc Rich Primer and epoxy topcoat would outlast You. Try Carboline Co. A "Brush Off" sandblast spec is recommended. Professional application required. Very expensive. A small rattle can of John Deere green was priced at $20 Cdn this week!

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a 40x60' barn built 60+ years ago. The barn walls were white oak covered with white aluminum which is dented but holding up. The roof is made of corrugated old fashioned steel. 13 years ago the owner pained it light greenish. It started to rust in many patches and got very faded.

Five years ago I pulled all the loose nails and put screws where appropriate. Then I pressure washed the whole thing and washed with a deck wash of some sort. I used Osphro on all the rust spots I could find. Then I spray painted with Rusteoleum Forrest Green paint. It was quick spraying and easy to apply. Over the last 5 years is started to fade but the rust and chipping was held at bay. Roof edging metal that was formed and of the same color and bought new faded a lot less than what I painted. I think it could use a new paint job in a few years, even though I thought the paint was of a good quality.

 

[KingBubba]

It sounds to me that your panel is steel that has been powder coated, which is basically impervious to fading and chipping. If it were mine, I would pressure wash it and leave it be. How powder coat is designed is that it should not need to be painted, ever. The process for over painting is most likely to be very specific, with a very specific type of prime and paint. Powder coat is supposed to stand up to the rigors of being exposed to weather. I would leave it alone.

 

[tpcannon]

It sounds to me that your panel is steel that has been powder coated, which is basically impervious to fading and chipping. If it were mine, I would pressure wash it and leave it be. How powder coat is designed is that it should not need to be painted, ever. The process for over painting is most likely to be very specific, with a very specific type of prime and paint. Powder coat is supposed to stand up to the rigors of being exposed to weather. I would leave it alone.

Yes, although chalky after 35 years, my only problem with it is that the color is hideously ugly and diminishes the aesthetics and therefore the value of the entire property. I’m not sold on painting it yet. I’m just weighing my choices on how to make it look better.

 

[2manyrocks]

Is there room for some kind of vegetation, screen or privacy wall to hide it?

 

[tpcannon]

Is there room for some kind of vegetation, screen or privacy wall to hide it?

No. Thanks for the thought though!