# Exterior aluminum awnings--advice? 3 pics



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Power wash with either Tide or TSP. Depending on access to them, you may have to use scaffolding.

Most people have taken down the old overhangs and just started tinying their windows, because they are so 1950's.


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## pjp9543 (Feb 5, 2007)

Thanks, Greg. 
TSP--somehow hadn't thought of that relative to this job. Scaffolding--this gets bigger all the time. No easy way to approach it.

And I hear you--these overhangs are not new! We got in this 1930 house in 2007 and it was a time capsule--just now getting to some of the exterior stuff. We may move on from these if it isn't practical to rehab these.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

The problem with them, is that the best way to have them refinished if you wish to keep them up, is to get them down and take them to a autobody place that can repair any pitting, then clean them up and and repaint with a good paint and clear coat.

Personally I would just take them down and then use something like bondo if you plan on keeping the siding, otherwise if you plan on replacing the siding, just patch any screw holes with caulk, until you get around tearing off the siding to replace.

We only have two awnings left on our place. One on the dining window, due to we had a window unit in that window, and never took it out after we got Central air, so since I have not replaced the window, the awning is still up. The other is our back door awning, since the wife wants to not have to stand in the rain, when getting into the house.

We did go through and put up Reflective UV film on all of our windows, and use darkening drapes on the two bedrooms and the living room windows, to help in the Winter to keep the heat in, and help keep the house cool in the Summer.

The whole idea of those shades, was to keep direct sun out, when the windows were open, to help cool the house. Now we keep our homes closed up all the time, and run the hvac system to keep the air clean and conditioned during heating & cooling seasons.


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## pjp9543 (Feb 5, 2007)

Interesting--auto body shop as an option--that makes more sense than a regular paint contractor and A LOT more sense than me trying to deal with this without the equipment or experience and having it turn out badly. Old as they are, they could look OK with a pro refinish--up to a certain price. At some point, we'd be better off looking at replacement windows rather than putting $$$ into these awnings. 

Point taken, though, about just taking them down and working out something else--we do not have central air so the shade from them works well but they're an eyesore now on the house. 

I'll talk to couple of auto body places--we have some good ones in this area. I'll also look at tinting and try to get them down and see if we can live without them. I'm sort of attached to their funky look (no rational reason for that!) but time moves on. . . . 

Thanks again for the suggestions--


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## KD PAINTING (Nov 8, 2012)

Power wash first, then I would use a quality exterior paint, no primer needed. Not sure if I would spray these, but you sure can if you have the time to mask of the rest of the area. You could rent a sprayer for a day and get it done. I have rolled aluminum before and it doesn't look to bad either. 
Good Luck!


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