Can you paint an aluminum threshold?

[jplasater]

We ordered some doors for our house. We specified dark bronze hinges and threshold. They arrived at the job and were installed before we were able to check them. They arrived with silver aluminum or stainless thresholds and brass hinges. I contacted the door mfg and they can send me the bronze hinges to subsitute. However, since they are installed, the thresholds can't be changed without removing the doors and trim. Can I paint the thresholds and, if so, what kind of paint will stick to the aluminum?

[David]

A painted threshold isn't going to last long, regardless of the quality of the substrate-to-paint bond. The paint will wear off due to foof traffic.

Dave

[David]

Damn typos! "foof" should be "foot".

Dave

[Lew Hodgett]

You have to etch the aluminum back to bare metal, then use zinc chromate primer (yellow stuff) followed by paint of choice.

Have done all that, it will probably take less than 6 months to wear the finish off back to bare aluminum, given the application.

Lew

[Robatoy]

Thank you so much for paying tribute to the oft-unheralded foofs. I know you are trying to pass this off as a 'typo'...but we all know better.

Foofs RULE!!

[D. J. MCBRIDE]

How's about an epoxy floor paint?

[David]

ok, I give! what's a "foof"? :) (And don't say $39.99 a dozen, either!)

Dave

[Steve DeMars]

If you are familiar with truck bed coating like RHINO, you know where I am going . . .

You can get any color and it will stand up to foot traffic . . .

Go to a place that does trucks and buy enough material to do your threshold.

Or, go to a automotive paint store and get it there . . . .

Personally, I would pull the door and reinstall with the new trim . . .

Steve

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Right, closer to $60

[CW]

Here I thought you meant hoof.

[Leon]

I have a similar coating on the bed of my truck. IIRC it goes on rather thick and may restrict the way the door closes.

[Lee Gordon]

Several years ago when I last painted my house, about half the storm windows were white and half were bare aluminum, so I painted all the raw metal ones with ordinary white spray enamel from the Borg. The paint job on those has held up better than the paint on the house. Of course, being windows they are not subject to the kind of wear and tear that a threshold will get.

Lee

[Limey Lurker]

Usually, aluminium, when used in this sort of application, is anodized. Coloured aluminium has been anodized and then dyed, usually by a hot process, although a cold process can give a pretty long lasting finish. IIWY I'd try to find a permanent marker of the required colour and coat it myself. I might try it out on a spare piece first. Hope this helps.

[Robatoy]

That would be US dollars?

[Prometheus]

A couple of weeks ago, I painted the fridge that came with my house because it was a hideous 70's green color, but it still works well. I used a couple of spraycans of Rustoelum Appliance Enamel on it after giving it a quick scuff with 220 grit sandpaper, and then wiping it down with TSP. So far, it's holding up well, and looks really good. The fridge is right next to the stove, and it's had three or four dozen meals cooked next to it with all the attendant steam and heat, and so far there's no sign of cracking or peeling. Might work for you as well.

[Upscale]

What colour did you paint it to?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Only options for that model are Harvest Gold and Turquoise.

A new ridge would have paid for itself in electricity savings. I had an old second fridge in the basement. Dumped it, bought a new one twice the size and my electric bill went down $10 a month.

[Prometheus]

Basic white. I think they had a couple of different colors there, but the walls in the kitchen are already a blazing bright mandarin orange color, so white seemed like the best idea. :)

[Prometheus]

I know, but I just bought a new house, washer and dryer (which were actually broken, not just old), and brand new car. Yet another major appliance purchase will not be in the budget for another couple of months, and I couldn't bear to look at that green any longer. :)