CP
PAINT CALCULATOR

Aluminum Siding paint calculator

Aluminum siding is genuinely paint-friendly once it's clean and the powdery old finish is gone. Most of it dates to 1960s through 1980s homes, where the factory baked-on coating has chalked with age. The smooth panels cover about 350 sq ft per gallon — the most economical siding to paint. The formula is simple: <strong>strip the chalk</strong>, prime any bare or oxidized metal with a bonding primer, and roll or spray two coats of quality exterior acrylic. Done right, aluminum holds paint for 15 years or more.

House perimeter × wall height. Subtract windows + doors.

How much paint for aluminum siding

Aluminum Siding covers about 350 sq ft per gallon for a two-coat job. To find your siding area, multiply the house perimeter by the wall height and subtract windows and doors. For a typical 2,400 sq ft of siding, that's about 13.75 gallons of topcoat plus about 8 gallons of primer. Always round up to the nearest gallon — exterior batches are harder to color-match on a second trip.

In paint alone, that 2,400 sq ft example runs about $481–$894 at $35–$65 a gallon for quality exterior acrylic, before primer and supplies. Enter your real siding area above and pick a brand in the result panel for an exact figure.

Strip The Chalk Or It Peels

Decades-old aluminum wears a thick layer of oxidation — that powdery residue that rubs off gray on your hand. It is a release layer, and any paint applied over it bonds to dust and sheets off within a year. Pressure-wash the whole house with a TSP or dedicated siding cleaner, scrub stubborn chalk by hand, and rinse until a dry-hand swipe comes back clean. This single step decides whether your paint job lasts 15 years or 15 months.

Bonding Primer On Bare Metal

Sound, painted aluminum that's washed clean can take topcoat directly, but bare metal, deeply oxidized spots, and any scuffed-to-shine areas need a bonding or self-etching primer made for non-ferrous metal. Standard wood primer won't grip aluminum. Address any rust-like white corrosion or galvanic spotting, prime those areas, and you give the acrylic topcoat a surface it can actually key into rather than slide off.

Mind Color, Heat, And Fade

Aluminum won't soften and warp the way vinyl does, so dark colors are physically possible — but they still run hotter, fade faster, and show chalking sooner on south and west walls. If you go dark, expect to repaint sooner there. Lighter and mid-tone colors hold up best and keep the house cooler. Use 100 percent acrylic with quality lightfast pigments; cheap paint chalks and fades on sun-blasted metal within a few years.

Spray Or Roll For A Smooth Film

Smooth aluminum shows brush marks badly, so spray for the cleanest finish or use a short 3/8-inch nap roller and back-brush only the edges and channels. Paint on a mild, dry, low-wind day — 50 to 85 degrees, out of direct sun — so the coat flows out instead of flash-drying on hot metal. Two thin, even coats give better hide and longevity than one heavy pass that can sag on the slick vertical panels.

Exterior paint cost by brand

Coverage is similar across the major exterior lines, so the price tier is what moves your bill. Current per-gallon prices for the brands the calculator can price for you:

Brand & linePrice / galCoverage
Backdrop Exterior~$69/gal400 sq ft/gal
Behr Marquee~$52/gal400 sq ft/gal
Behr Ultra~$45/gal400 sq ft/gal
Behr Premium Plus~$33/gal400 sq ft/gal
Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior~$85/gal400 sq ft/gal
Benjamin Moore Regal Exterior~$70/gal400 sq ft/gal
C2 Paint Guard~$65/gal350 sq ft/gal
Diamond Vogel Artistry~$42/gal400 sq ft/gal
Diamond Vogel Palisade~$52/gal400 sq ft/gal
Dunn-Edwards Evershield~$72/gal400 sq ft/gal
Dutch Boy Maxbond Plus~$42/gal375 sq ft/gal
Glidden High Endurance Plus~$28/gal400 sq ft/gal
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams WeatherShield~$50/gal375 sq ft/gal
Kompozit ONE~$40/gal388 sq ft/gal
Kompozit PRO~$52/gal388 sq ft/gal
Magnolia Home Exterior~$50/gal400 sq ft/gal
PPG Manor Hall~$55/gal400 sq ft/gal
PPG UltraLast~$48/gal400 sq ft/gal
Rodda Horizon Exterior~$56/gal375 sq ft/gal
Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior~$86/gal400 sq ft/gal
Sherwin-Williams Duration~$80/gal400 sq ft/gal
Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint~$60/gal400 sq ft/gal
Sherwin-Williams A-100~$49/gal400 sq ft/gal
Sherwin-Williams Resilience~$73/gal400 sq ft/gal
Valspar Duramax~$50/gal350 sq ft/gal

Frequently asked questions

Can you paint aluminum siding?+
Yes — aluminum is one of the most paint-friendly sidings once it's clean. Pressure-wash off the chalky oxidation until a dry-hand swipe comes back clean, spot-prime bare or heavily oxidized metal with a bonding primer, and roll or spray two coats of 100 percent exterior acrylic. Prepped this way, the finish reliably lasts 15 years or more.
Why is my aluminum siding paint peeling?+
Almost always because it went on over chalk. The oxidized powder on aged aluminum is a release layer, so paint bonds to loose dust instead of metal and sheets off. The cure is thorough washing — TSP or a siding cleaner, scrub, and rinse — followed by a bonding primer on any bare metal. Clean, primed aluminum holds paint for well over a decade.
How do I know if my aluminum siding has chalking?+
Run a clean, dry hand or a dark cloth firmly across a panel. If it comes away coated in a fine gray or white powder, you have chalking from the oxidized factory finish. Light chalking is normal on old aluminum; the point is that all of it has to be washed off before painting, because even a thin film of it will undermine paint adhesion.
Can I paint aluminum siding a dark color?+
Unlike vinyl, aluminum won't soften or warp, so dark colors are physically safe. The trade-off is heat and fade: dark panels run hotter and lose color faster on south- and west-facing walls, meaning earlier repaints there. If you want a deep color, use top-tier acrylic with lightfast pigments and accept a shorter cycle on the sunniest elevations. Mid-tones are the durable compromise.
Do I need to prime aluminum siding before painting?+
Not always over the whole house. Sound, well-bonded old paint that's been washed clean can take a fresh acrylic topcoat directly. You must, however, prime bare metal, deeply oxidized areas, repairs, and anything sanded to shine — using a bonding or self-etching primer made for non-ferrous metal, since ordinary wood primer won't adhere to aluminum.
How long does paint last on aluminum siding?+
A properly cleaned, primed, and painted aluminum job typically lasts 15 years or more — longer than most other sidings — because the metal itself is dimensionally stable and doesn't flex the coating. Color choice and exposure set the pace: lighter shades on sheltered walls can go even longer, while dark colors on full-sun elevations fade and may want a refresh sooner.
OTHER SIDING TYPES