Can I Paint An Aluminum Topper?

I managed to score a newer ARE brand aluminum work topper off Craigslist for $100 and I'm wondering what my options for painting it are?

I stopped by a couple paint shops with it and have been told they won't do it because it is aluminum and they couldn't guarantee the job, plus they'd have to charge me $400 to 500 to do it.

I'd like to do a funky digital camo pattern in grays and black but I'd definitely settle for flat black. Anyone see a problem with hitting this bad boy with some spray paint? And do you recommend any certain brands and/or product? Thanks ahead of time.

 

People paint their aluminum wheels all the time, I don't see why you couldn't spray a less complicated surface with black. I would recommend doing black though, that way touch up is easy. Just remember to prep your surface like any other material, sand, primer, paint.

 

The shops said they wouldn't do it because the aluminum is quite flexible and the flexing might cause problems with adhesion down the road.

I figure it has been painted white already...it's just a matter of putting something on top of that. The white is essentially my primer.

 

You could always plasti dip it

 

consider vinyl wrapping it in digi camo?

 

Vinyl wrap it.

 

That's what I would do. Fast, Ez and not as much as much work as painting!

 

I did but where's a good place to get it and would it stick very well? The surface is textured. It isn't a flat aluminum, rather it kind of looks like a knockdown texture on drywall. Lots of irregular little divits.

 

The texture of it won't matter, it will just feel the same. It will stick just fine, some vinyl is better quality but basically the same as what race cars drivers use. If it was me I wou start by checking with some with a dirt track car (if you know anyone) and ask who does their graphics

 

Didn't even cross my mind, that's a great idea!

 

Vinyl wrap would probably be cool. If you paint it I would not go with black, especially flat black- it'll be hot as hell in the summer. Honestly it doesn't look that bad as it is.

<----- Drives a black Tacoma with a black camper shell; next truck will probably be white.

 

aircraft are made of AL and they are paint... sand it down find a good primer and paint it... polyurethane is your best bet

 

The key to painting bare aluminum is to use either a self-etching primer or zinc chromate primer. If you wanted it to color match your truck, you could probably wet sand the existing paint/texture finish and paint over it.

 

Id still would wrap it but if I painted it I would just wet sand it and paint.it already has a finish so really no need for any primer

 

It looks like crap no matter what you do sorry to say. Man, that belongs on a POC work truck with no soul. $100 down the drain.

 

Strip the trim off and blast it with bed liner!

 

Use a 3m pad to ruff the surface and paint it with rustoleum paint in color of your choice, you'll be fine let the haters hate.

 

Agreed. No hate but paint won't help a 100 dollar topper on a 30k truck.

 

I like it and nice score for $100. Just rattle can it the way you want.

 

You must be broke. $100 is nothing now a days.