What is the best kind of paint to use on aluminum siding?

The Paint Quality Institute and Today's Homeowner both agree that 100 percent latex paint is the best kind of paint to use on exterior aluminum siding. They both also note the importance of properly cleaning the aluminum siding to allow it to take paint correctly.

One of the most common mistakes people make in painting aluminum siding is to apply an ordinary latex primer. The ammonia in these latex primers reacts with aluminum, causing bubbling. Today's Homeowner recommends an oil-based primer intended for metal. The Paint Quality Institute states that a latex corrosion-inhibitive primer also works as it is intended for metals, including aluminum.