Ask the Expert Question-and-Answer Archive

by Ron Joseph

February, 2006

Painting Gutters and Downpipes

Q. I live in a condominium association and over the years as a result of replacing gutters and downspouts we now have a variety of colors. Is it possible to paint the gutters and downspouts with a paint that will not peel?

A. Gutters and downspouts can be successfully painted provided that the correct surface preparation is performed. Your contractor should thoroughly prepare the surfaces according to the paint manufacturer's recommendation. The steps taken depend on the type of substrate (aluminum, galvanizing or plastic) to which the paint will be applied. Once the surface preparation has been properly completed, a high quality acrylic latex paint can be applied. Preparing aluminum gutters requires the application of a vinyl butyral wash primer that your contractor can purchase from a local paint supply store (probably not a hardware store.) He/she MUST exactly follow the instructions on the can.

Best wishes,

Ron Joseph