How to repaint chipped metal door frames?

[kemkem]

Hiya,

I was just looking for some advice regarding painting the (what I think are) aluminium door frames in the house we just bought. The door frames are significantly chipped all up the sides, so I’m wondering if it will be easier to remove all of the paint and start from scratch or if sanding would be a quicker process. Given then extent of the damage, I’m not sure which the better option would be. 

Thanks in advance for your help!!

[EricL]

Hello @kemkem 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about paint stripping metal door frames.

Generally speaking, when using paint stripper parts of the paint sometimes stays attached to the surface of the frame. This is why even after using paint strippers the surface still needs to be sanded in order to remove those stubborn parts of that just won't come off. the advantage of using paint stripper is that it expedites the removal of the paint and you don't spend so much time sanding the surface. the drawback of course is that it is messy, and disposal needs to be done properly. 

However, sanding on the other hand creates a great deal of sanding dust and noise. It will be necessary to seal of sections of the room so that the dust does not travel all around the house. This is accomplished using painters drop sheets taped to the frame of the doors.

If you are looking at paint strippers, I suggest Poly 1L Polystrippa Paint Stripper - 1L it has excellent customer reviews. Please remember to wear personal protection such as appropriate clothing, gloves, goggles and a paint rated mask when using the chemical stripper. Should you decide to sand the surface instead, I suggest investing in a Ryobi 100W Palm Sander With Bag RPS100-S. this will greatly shorten the sanding time and provide a uniform finish.

Here is a link to our best advice: How do you paint metal door frames? 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric