Yes. Aluminum gutters take paint well when the surface is clean, dull and primed wherever bare metal shows.
Most peeling paint on gutters comes from skipped prep. The steps below are the ones that make a coat last.
Our team installs and replaces gutters in Chicago and the suburbs. We do not paint gutters, so this guide is for you or the painter you hire.
Can you paint aluminum gutters?
Yes. Aluminum gutters come with a factory finish, and new paint needs that finish clean and scuffed so it can grip.
Start with a clean, dull surface:
- Wash the outside of each gutter with water and a mild detergent, then let it dry.
- Rub the face with a dark cloth, and scrub off any chalk until the cloth comes away clean.
- Scuff the whole face lightly with a fine sanding pad so the primer can grip.
Chalk is a white or colored powder from the old finish. Paint put on over chalk peels.
Then prime and paint:
- Spot prime any bare metal with a primer made for aluminum.
- Brush or spray two thin coats of exterior acrylic latex paint.
Paint on a dry day, inside the temperature range printed on the can. Work from a steady ladder, and have a second person nearby to move it.
Paint the outside face of the gutter and the downspouts. Leave the inside of the trough bare. Water and leaves collect there, and paint in the trough flakes off into the downspout.
Can you paint vinyl, steel or copper gutters?
Vinyl gutters need an exterior paint made for vinyl. Pick a color no darker than the one you have now, because a dark color soaks up sun and can warp the vinyl.
Steel gutters rust where the coating wears through. Sand each rust spot down to bright metal, and use a rust blocking primer before the paint.
Copper turns brown and then green on its own as it ages. Most people choose copper for that look, so a painted copper gutter is rare.
What paint lasts on gutters, and what peels?
These coats last the longest:
- Exterior acrylic latex, which flexes as the metal moves with heat and cold.
- Two thin coats over a clean, scuffed and primed face.
- A satin or semi-gloss finish, which sheds dirt better than a flat one.
These coats peel first:
- Paint over chalky or dirty metal, or over a glossy factory finish that nobody scuffed.
- One thick coat, which cracks as the metal moves.
- Interior paint, or any paint not made for outdoor metal.
Chicago weather is hard on paint. The metal shrinks in the winter cold and grows in the summer heat, and every swing pulls at the coat.
A painted gutter needs touch-ups as the years pass. Check it each spring for chips, and look closely at the seams and corners. Our gutter maintenance tips cover the other checks for each season.
Should you paint your gutters or replace them?
Paint them when they are sound and you only want a new color. Sound gutters hang straight, drain to the downspouts and fit tight against the house, with firm wood behind them.
Replace them when you see any of these signs:
- The gutters sag, drip at the seams or pull away from the house.
- The fascia board behind them is soft.
- They spill over in a hard rain because the trough is too small for the roof.
Paint covers those signs for a season and fixes none of them. Here are the common gutter problems and what each one means.
Paint costs less on the day you do it. A painted gutter needs another coat later, and a new gutter comes with its color from the factory.
If your gutters are past saving, here is what a gutter replacement with us looks like. A new install is also the easy time to add guards, and our post are gutter guards worth it explains when they pay off.
Want a new color on your gutters?
If the gutters are due for replacement, choose the color at the same time. Our seamless gutters come in 21 colors, and the color is on the metal before we form the gutter.
The gutter colors page shows all 21, so you can match your trim or your roof. Every system we install comes with a lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship.
Call us at (866) 488-7776 when you are ready to talk about color. If your gutters are sound and a coat of paint will do, we will tell you that.
