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How To Clean And Maintain Aluminum Diamond Plate Shine

aluminum-diamond-plate-sheet-wainscoting

Whether you work in construction, fabrication, or have a trailer, you are probably familiar with aluminum diamond plate. Other popular names for aluminum diamond plate are tread plate, checker plate, durbar plate, or floor plate. You can find this in all kinds of materials such as steel and stainless steel; however, aluminum is the most popular, and has the least amount of hassle. A lot of people always ask us how to clean and maintain aluminum diamond plate and its shine. Find out more below.

The uses for aluminum diamond plate are endless. You will see it on stairs, food trucks, walls, and floors. This is great for commercial, industrial, and everyday settings. The raised pattern provides great traction so you don’t slip. Another benefit is that aluminum diamond plate makes a great decoration. Many gyms and trailers use aluminum diamond plate as wainscoting, while you will also see the material on the exterior of construction tool boxes. Ambulances, delivery trucks, firefighter trucks, and food trucks always have aluminum diamond plate on them.

How To Clean and Maintain Aluminum Diamond Plate To Keep Its Shine

Like any other type of high-use metal, it’s important to know how to clean aluminum diamond plate to help keep it shining and working great. Because it is used for high traffic applications, chances are that it will get pretty dirty frequently. Here is a basic guide on how to clean and maintain aluminum diamond plate for shine and durability.

Step 1: Cleaners

We always recommend to NOT use harsh detergents or floor soap to clean aluminum diamond plate. If you want to use a cleaner of some sort, test it on a small patch or corner to make sure it doesn’t harm the metal. Don’t allow water or any cleaning products to sit in the surface for a long time–always spray and wipe. We always recommend just warm water and a towel because harsh chemicals will eventually destroy the finish when used improperly. If you want to use a more heavy-duty cleaner, use non-detergent car wash soaps. Wash and then rinse thoroughly right away, so you prevent staining, streaks, or water spots. Learning how to clean aluminum diamond plate isn’t as hard as it seems!

Step 2: Sealing + Protection

An option to consider to preserve your aluminum diamond plate is applying a protective coat of wax. Wax helps the material continue to look new. If you do this regularly, you can reduce the amount of time required to clean it on a regular basis. But like cleaners, you always want to test a patch before applying to the whole sheet.

Step 3: Further Action

In some cases, it can take more than cleaning and waxing aluminum diamond plate to get it to look new. You might need some specialized metal cleaners or polishes and a buffer to get it back to its original shine. You can hire someone that polishes metal or do it yourself. Just keep in mind that buffing and polishing takes a lot of time and effort, so set aside the right amount of time. Always make sure you follow the manufacturer guidelines.

Preventative Maintenance for Aluminum Diamond Plate

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. While aluminum diamond plate is very durable and easy to take care, it’s sometimes the best way to clean the material is to never let it get out of hand in the first place. When you do this, you cut the amount of time it takes to clean and care for the material. It’s sort of like washing a car regularly–you want to preserve the paint, or in this case, the shine. Here are some tips on preventative care for aluminum diamond plate:

Tip #1: Evaluate

Keep an eye on your aluminum diamond plate. Always consider your geographic setting, whether you have more extreme weather conditions or lots of moisture. The East coast a perfect example of a spectrum of weather conditions. Hot sunshine is just as damaging as snow. If something needs to be cleaned, do it! If you take care of your metal, it can last for a very long time.

Tip #2: Be Nice

Don’t go in cleaning with a vengeance. Avoid using harsh chemicals, cleaners, abrasives, and acids. Corrosive products doesn’t work so well on any kind of metal. Warm water and a cloth works great!

Tip #3: Keep It Nice and Dry

Aluminum diamond plate may be great for wet environments, but water can damage it. Water causes spotting and when left in direct sunlight, it can cause etching. Dry the material thoroughly, even if it just gets hit with a sprinkle of rain or sprinkler.

Tip #4: Protect and Prevent

Protect your aluminum diamond plate whenever you can. Keep it out of the elements, and wax it. If you notice, most ambulances and firetrucks are stored inside when not in use. Even if aluminum diamond plate is designed for heavy use, it helps a lot to protect it when you can.

Tip #5: Don’t Forget Your Safety!

Whenever you are cleaning, buffing, or polishing, always make sure to take care of yourself. Have the right eye protection, gloves, and clothing. Also make sure you have enough supplies on hand before you even start. It’s always better to buy more and return the unused than to stop halfway to get more.

Where Can I Buy Aluminum Diamond Plate?

If you are looking to purchase aluminum diamond plate for your man cave or business, visit sizemetal.com. We are the leading distributor of aluminum diamond plate, aluminum sheets, stainless steel, quilted stainless steel sheets, and accessories. We are based in California and ship nationwide to 49 states. Our focus on only these products allows us to provide our loyal customers great customer service, outrageously competitive pricing, and speedy, affordable delivery. We sell full sheets, custom sizes, along with offering custom cuts.

Visit our store here to browse our products!

Questions? Feel free to email us at [email protected] or call us at (800) 935-1973. We are here to help with your project big or small.

Size Metal

[email protected]

(800) 935-1973

1900 Proforma Ave, Unit G-2, Ontario, CA 91761.

6 thoughts on “How To Clean And Maintain Aluminum Diamond Plate Shine

    • admin says:

      Hi Max, great question! It honestly depends on the amount of damage and how deep it is. The best way is to possibly re-polish it.

  1. Western Abrasive says:

    Aluminum diamond plate is more about the function and less about the aesthetics. Therefore it is important to maintain it. To clean it is the tedious and tough job. You have shared very worthful information to keep it clean and restore it back to its original state of beauty.  

  2. easton memmott says:

    I liked your tip to keep your aluminum sheets dry. I did not know before that this will help it last long and keep its shine. I will be sure to keep my aluminum dry to ensure a good, long life.

  3. Easton Memmott says:

    I like that you mentioned that when you are cleaning aluminum you do not need to scrub it vigorously. I have an aluminum grill in my backyard, and I want to know how to clean it better. I will be sure to not scrub too hard while I am cleaning it next time.

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