I hear you on the prep—nobody enjoys sanding, but skipping it just means you’re repainting sooner. I’ve seen people try to shortcut with “paint and primer in one” and it never lasts. Curious, did you have to deal with any weird gutter materials? Some of the newer aluminum coatings can be tricky.
I get where you’re coming from on the prep, but I’ve actually had decent luck with some of those “paint and primer in one” products—at least on newer aluminum gutters. Maybe it’s just the brands I’ve used, or maybe it’s because I’m obsessive about degreasing and rinsing before anything touches the metal. Had a rental with those powder-coated gutters once, though, and nothing wanted to stick. Ended up having to strip them down and start over, which was a nightmare. Sometimes shortcuts work, sometimes they really don’t...
Honestly, I’ve never had much luck with “paint and primer in one” on metal, even with tons of prep. Maybe I’m too cautious, but the eco-friendly paints always seem to need a separate primer. Less landfill that way if it peels… just my two cents.
That’s been my experience too—paint and primer combos just don’t seem to grab onto metal the way a dedicated primer does. I’ve tried a few different brands, thinking maybe it was just the product, but the results were always a bit underwhelming. The eco-friendly paints are great in theory, but I’ve noticed they’re even pickier about surface prep. Maybe it’s just the tradeoff for fewer chemicals? Anyway, I’d rather take the extra step and not have to deal with peeling gutters down the road... Learned that lesson the hard way after one rainy season.
Rainbow gutters, huh? That’s a new one for me, but I’ve seen some wild HOA requests over the years. I totally get what you’re saying about paint and primer combos on metal—they just don’t cut it in the long run. I remember a job where the client wanted these bright blue gutters (not quite rainbow, but close enough), and they insisted on an all-in-one eco paint. Looked great for about six months, then the first real storm hit and half the paint was flaking off in sheets. Had to go back, strip everything down, and start over with a proper metal primer.
Honestly, I’m all for using less toxic stuff when possible, but you’re right—those eco paints are way less forgiving if you skip even one prep step. Metal’s just tricky like that. Sometimes folks think it’s overkill to sand and prime every inch, but skipping it usually means double the work later.
Funny thing is, I’ve actually found some of those old-school oil-based primers work best for this kind of job, even though they’re not exactly “green.” It’s a tradeoff between durability and environmental impact, I guess. Haven’t found a perfect solution yet.
Anyway, after seeing how fast those gutters peeled when we tried to shortcut things, I always tell people: take your time with prep or you’ll be repainting before you know it. Rainbow gutters might look cool for the HOA meeting... less so when they’re patchy by next spring.
