Trying to paint roof vent turbine with Rustoleum.

Paint does not stick well to galvanized surfaces. There are primers made just for galvanized (zinc chromate?)steel though. Another alleged trick is to wipe it down with vinegar, but I've never tried it. You can also let it age for about 6 months.

Sometimes customers want to paint the galvanized steel surface. The first question to ask is if the galvanized is new. If it is, the surface needs to be checked for passivators or stabilizers. Many galvanized metal manufacturers, knowing that an item may be stocked or stored in humid conditions, will apply an "after galvanizing" treatment or "passivator" which will inhibit wet storage stains ("white rust"). Most sheet metal or coil stock, from which decking and curtain walls are fabricated, receive this treatment. The passivator treatment is clear so it's not readily detectable, but the Steel Structures Painting Council and the American Hot-Dipped Galvanizers Association both state that this pre-treatment prohibits adhesion from taking place. It must be removed before painting

It's about adhesion to galvanized. If you etch the turbine with acetic acid or white vinegar, then rinse and dry, you should be OK. I've done that many times with galvanized ductwork and been ok.

months.http://www.benjaminmoore.ca/howto/problems_details.aspx?problem=poor_...>

Thanks, this is very helpful.

Kind regards.

Lewis.

Can anyone here confirm that this only occurs if you use oil based paints? Meaning that latex will stick to galvanized fi you just clean it.

Having said that, I thought that cleaning and sanding (more like scuffing) is what one needed to do to get (oil based) primer to stick to new galvanized steel.

I posted two links with information from paint manufacturers. You can either trust them, or someone's opinion on a newsgroup. Get back to us next year with an update of how well it is working.