Aluminum Composite Material (Dibond®, E Panel®, Alucobond®, AlumaComp®, etc.)

Aluminum composite material (ACM), popular in the sign painting industry, is comprised of two prepared sheets of aluminum with a solid core typically made of polyethylene. Many surface finishes are available. We only recommend painting upon the polyester coatings found on interior or “signage” grades of ACM. The coatings on exterior grades of ACM often have non-stick attributes that will not permit adhesion of primers or paints, regardless of your preparation methods.

Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended preparation for the best results.

Before painting, degrease the surface with isopropyl alcohol and lightly scuff-sand the coating to improve adhesion. Clean again with isopropyl alcohol to remove the dust from sanding.

When painting with any acrylic, oils, watercolors, or dry media, we recommend a commercial bonding primer or gesso as a base coat. Oils and acrylics can be painted directly on this base coat. Any of our Gesso & Grounds, Gels & Pastes, and most of our Fluid Mediums can be applied to alter the absorbency, durability, or texture of the surface. For watercolors, we typically recommend applying Gesso followed by one of our three QoR Watercolor Grounds for a bright white absorptive surface. For dry media like PanPastel, we recommend applying a textured ground or paste for improved tooth. Article: Painting on Dibond Article: Painting with Oils on Non-porous Substrates

Note: ACM is now available from many brands at many quality levels. We recommend testing the adhesion of the primer to the panel whenever working with a new type of ACM. For our recommended adhesion testing protocol, please see our Just Paint article: Will It Stick? Simple Adhesion Testing In Your Studio

Article: Painting on Dibond