What Do You Use to Make Acrylic Paint Adhere to Aluminum Screens?
Screen painting is a kind of folk art that was developed to decorate screen doors and also provide privacy. According to John Cain of the Canton Community Association, it was originated by William Oktavec in Baltimore, Md. You can still see designs painted on screens in many of the row houses in Baltimore that define its architecture. Whether painting a screen for privacy or for craft, the technique for painting aluminum screens is simple and no special tools are necessary, just be sure to clean and prepare the screens.
Preparing
Cleaning of the screen is the most important part of the process. Scrub it with a mild dishwashing liquid, rinse, and allow it to dry well.
Painting
Screen paintings have been done with every kind of paint, from household to craft to artist colors. You can use what you have stored in the garage or splurge on artist colors, but don't use a paint that is too thin or watery as it will not stick to the screen. Artist acrylics will weather the elements better, and can be more vibrant. They are also more expensive. Artist paints are usually thicker, thus adhering to the aluminum screen more easily.
Apply the paint with a brush. For acrylics, synthetic bristle brushes are better; natural hair brushes are more suited to oil paint. To work the paint in, push the brush with stabbing strokes into the screen as opposed to using a sweeping stroke of the brush.
Other Concerns
If you have trouble covering areas due to the viscosity of the paint, thin with either a bit of water or an acrylic medium. This will not be an issue if you are using latex house paint. Add just a little at a time so the paint doesn't become too watery. If that happens the paint will run. Be aware of clogging the screen. The reason screen painting was invented was to let in ventilation in a way that blocked the view of the interior from outside, so keep the holes open. If they become blocked, clear the holes of the screen with a toothpick or similar tool, being careful not to rip the screen.
