My Gutters Are Old and Worn Out – They Are Ugly and Tarnished

Well, unfortunately, from time to time things change. Gutters are absolutely no exception. If you have aluminum gutters, chances are they are new and fresh or your wondering how you can get them to looking new again. These things do have a lifespan. The paint is no different. If they are rusted out or falling apart it may be time to consider gutter replacement or new seamless gutter installation. However, if you choose to refinish them on your own we have you covered.

First, before you get started, you need to make sure you have your tools. Time to get the ladder out and power tools to unzip the screws and pull those crusty old gutter troughs down. You’re also gonna need some primer, new paint of choice (weather resistant), old rags, abrasive pads and cleaning solution.

1. Time to pull them down. Make sure your downspouts are disconnected and either laid aside for prep or unattached. Grab you drill and unzip the screws. Gently lift them down to the ground and leave the hangers directly below where they went so you can easily remember where they went later. You may want to recruit some help if you have long runs.
2. After you’ve got them down, set them upon something waist-high such as a bench so that you can work on them. You’ll now begin the process. You need to clean them and prepare them for priming. This involves willpower and a bit of elbow-grease.
3. Begin by cleaning the gutters free of leaves and sticks and any trash or debris that has gathered over time. Let’s face it – this needed to be done, anyway.
4. Next, take your water hose and spray it down and rinse it out. You may want to wipe it out with a rag. Be sure by now you have some gloves handy as not to cut yourself.
5. Then, take your rag or old shirt and cleaning solution and get after it. You’ll want it very clean before the painting begins. It may take an abrasive pad or brush to get some of it to come off.
6. Now that you have them all cleaned up, it’s time to let them dry. This is time for rest and reflection. Don’t give up!
7. Okay, so you’ve recovered a bit and are now ready to put some primer down. Make sure you’re not around anything you don’t want painted the same color in case of over spray. Be leery of temperature and wind – this plays a great role in the dry-time and ability of the paint to overall adhere to the aluminum. Adhesion is key. Keep the nozzle about 6-8 inches away. Practice on some wood if you’re not ready to test your skills on the actual canvas.
8. Spray even fans along the entire gutter channel covering and coating most areas.
9. Wait ten minutes to dry.
10. Repeat with another coat ensuring that all areas are covered.
11. Let dry again and get ready for the actual paint coat.
12. Using your paint of choice, start out the same way that you did with the primer. This is where you earn your stripes. Hopefully, you’ve gotten better since the primer and it will look professional. Don’t sweat it!
13. Repeat with another few light coats to get uniformity.
14. You’re done with the paint application, now let it all dry.
15. Reapply the same steps to the hangers and downspouts and you’re all set to reinstall.
16. Gutter Installation can be tough to do if it’s a new install, but luckily you already know where everything is located. Time to just button it all back together; with the hangers lining up in the same holes, the pitch should be exactly the same and allow the water to flow toward the downspout like new.
17. You’re all finished and set to kick back and admire you’re newly refinish gutters and handy-work.

Now, hopefully, if you came here for ideas to clean those gutters up and make them actually match your house again, you paid attention and had great success. It’s awesome to not have to always hire a professional. However, if your gutters were the aforementioned “rusted out” and past repair then you’ll want to get a trusted gutter service out there to put some new shiny ones up.

This time just make sure to regularly clean your gutter system and treat them if necessary. It’ll help you out in the long run. Thanks for stopping by and God Speed to all you home improvers!