It is important to go for a primer that will be compatible with your paint and the surface if you want a professional look – and that’s why I’ve reviewed the Rustoleum Galvanized Metal Primer below.

If you are a pro, you will clearly understand the challenges of painting non-primed galvanized metal. After drying, the paint easily peels off when subjected to adverse weather and direct sunlight.

In brief: Rust-Oleum (e.g. Rust-Oleum 3202) removes rust easily by creating great adhesion on galvanized surfaces and aluminum – it’s also simple to clean using water + soap. But the surface must be prepared, cleaned – including spot-welded and unpainted sheet metal. 

Ses Also: Swing set or Playset Stains

Details: Rustoleum Galvanized Metal Primer

1. Rust-Oleum Flat Aluminum Primer-8781502 – Corrosion-Resistant 

For the best Galvanized Metal Primer, the flat aluminum primer will be a great deal for you.

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What’s fascinating about this primer is it’s resistant to corrosion and tough weather. This is to means that you can use it on both interior and exterior surfaces. It also works best on all galvanized steel and aluminum metals.

Being a water-based primer, it leaves behind both a protective and long-lasting coat that keeps your surface rust-free.

This is only achievable through the excellent adhesion that makes it hold strong for longer no matter the condition it is exposed to.

The gray color and flat finish will give your surface an incredible look. From its formulation, this primer has a low odor but that does not limit you from using protective gears when doing your spray.

This primer will take approximately 1-2 hours for it to dry and ready to touch. And one quart can cover a range of 55-90 square ft. but that depends on the surface texture.

Being a latex-based paint, it means you can use this primer on most surfaces that are incompatible with latex paints. Did I mention that this primer also helps make your surface withstand flaking and blistering and even prevents the paint from peeling off?

In case of spillage, you can easily clean-up the primer with water and soap without necessarily rubbing off the paint. You can use a brush, a roller, or a sprayer to apply this primer but you may need to do thinning if you want to achieve a professional finish.

See Also: Grit Sandpaper for Primer before Paint?

2. Why do priming on the galvanized surface before painting?

As a painter, you can carry out the painting with or without priming and it will still hold, but how durable is it?

If indeed you want the paint to adhere to the galvanized surface well, then priming the surface will be very necessary.

Additionally, you may also need to clean-up the surface thoroughly from dust, rust, and any other dirt just for the primer to adhere well.

3. Prime & paint aluminum and galvanized metals with Rust-Oleum

You can apply this primer by either spraying, brushing, or rolling. However, spraying remains the most appropriate method of application.

You can also find this primer in two forms either a spray can and in liquid form.

Before application, you may need to do thinning if you really need to achieve a professional finish. How do you do thinning? Well, a recommended ratio of 2:1 for primer and thinner respectively is advised.

In case you are using the spray gun, a 1.4 nozzle tip is the most appropriate if you target to achieve a professional finish.

You can use any thinning material but I can recommend you use acetone for much better results. 

See Also: Deck Stain for Pressure Treated Wood

i. Cleaning the surface

Cleaning the surface is not necessary but driven by need.

For a surface with rust, old paints, dust, and other dirt cleaning are necessary for proper surface adhesion.

You can use sandpaper or any other cleaning agent and clean the surface before priming.

ii. Priming the surface

As earlier discussed, a sprayer is the most appropriate for use in priming aluminum and galvanized metal surfaces.

To avoid clogging use a 1.4mm spraying nozzle tip and ensure the primer is well thinned before application.

Get a good sprayer that should be able to spray all patterns to minimize wastage of paints and primer. 

See Also: Using a Wagner Paint Sprayer

iii. Painting the primed dry surface

Getting the right paint for the primed surface is very important. This is because some paints might be incompatible with the primer and therefore rendering the whole process futile.

However, top of our recommendation is Rust-Oleum Flat Aluminum Primer-8781502 primer that is incredibly compatible with most paint whether water or oil-based.

iv. Painting the galvanized and primed surface

When you have done proper priming, painting becomes an easy task for you, and you are only left with deciding the choice of color to go for.

A well-primed surface will pave way for easy painting with either a roller, brush or even a sprayer depending on the surface and your objective too. 

See Also: Deck Sealer for Treated Wood

Can this primer work on any metal?

This primer is specially designed for aluminum and galvanized metals.

To qualify the metals for application of this primer, you may need to galvanize the first for later priming.

Galvanizing the metals is done to make them rust-proof which makes all metals qualify for this primer.

Conclusion

It has been a pleasure going through Rust-Oleum galvanized metal primer review together. I hope it was informative enough and has given you the courage to buy it.

With nearly 69% of metals recycled each year in the US and Rust-Oleum Flat Aluminum Primer-8781502 becomes a very great product to this effect.

You are guaranteed both durability and quality that gives you the confidence to use this primer.