# AL Threshold Paint Recommendation..????



## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Hi...

I need opiniom and paint recommendation in regard to painting a front door aluminum sill/threshhold plate.

It is aliminum, and obviously the paint requires strong wearability.

I would like to avoid replacing the threshhold with a factory finished product.

Any ideas/recomendations.

TIA

Best...


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

There is no paint that's going to stay stuck to it in that applacation.


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

I agree that this ISN'T an application for paint. Paint would wear off in a matter of weeks, leaving a big mess.

I'd look under "Industrial Coatings" in your Yellow Pages phone directory and ask around about having that aluminum threshold Powder Coated, or even Porcelain Enameled.

Powder coating is a process where they electrostatically spray very hard plastic (usually polyester) powder onto a metal object to coat it, and then bake it at about 350 deg. F for a half hour. During that time the plastic powder melts and all the plastic flows together to form a smooth coloured film over the metal. When that coating cools it is about 3 times as durable as field applied coatings like epoxy paints.

Porcelain enamel is very much the same process, but items that are baked at below 750 deg. F or so are generally considered to be "powder coated", whereas plastics that are baked at higher temperatures than that are considered to be Porcelain Enamel. Generally, the higher the baking temperature, the harder the coating. The hardest porcelain enamel in your house is the blue/grey coating in your oven that was baked on at about 1300 deg. F.

I'd say a porcelain enamel coating on that aluminum would last better than anything else.

The melting point of aluminum is 660 deg. C. or about 1220 deg. F, so you should be able to have this threshold porcelain enameled if the cost is acceptable to you.


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

You might be able to have the aluminum threshold anodized to a different colour, but I don't know anything about anodizing aluminum.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Joe and Nestor...

Thank you for the recs/opinions. 

(I'm kind of skeptical about finding a paint/coating that I can apply in place also.... but I'm hopefull there is something I don't know about.)

I'm still going to fish for any possible ideas... but I think you two are right.

Best

Peter

(I might add that the front door is not directly exposed to the weather... it is under a entry deck.... I could probly entertain some kind of coating that I had to touch up once in a while.)


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Would a gold or a bronze color work for you?
Not that big a job to remove what's there and replace it without removing the door.


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## klaatu (Mar 9, 2015)

You could paint that, if you had access to an automotive type etching primer, then an acrylic floor enamel would stick fairly well. You would need to do touch-ups occasionally, and I would have some concerns about using an acrylic over an etching primer, but that is about the best I can come up with if it must be painted.

You definitely shouldn't use any kind of oil (alkyd) paint or primer on aluminum with out the etching product first.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

joecaption said:


> Would a gold or a bronze color work for you?
> Not that big a job to remove what's there and replace it without removing the door.


Joe... Yes a dark bronze (NOT GOLD) is what I'd be looking for.

AND yes... I might have to just replace it.... but need to find exact matching sill because I do not want to risk removeing door for any height adjustments because the stained glass insert has desecant in it's chanel... and my stops and trim are all nailed/caulked in nicely...probably have to buy new trim and fit... the sill meets inside tile grout... have to find matching grout....and it is still cold around here with door open... probably not worth effort/time if I can't find a in place finish for it.


Not the end of the world... but PIA removing/replacing it.

Thanks


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

What ever you decide, do not have it anodized. An anodized aluminum threshold will be slippery, even when dry.


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