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interior color

klovning

klovning

Well Known Member
What color did you paint your interior/floor? Just grey primer? Matched the outside color? Dark to hide dirt?

I just want a general survey/description of what others have done. I'm thinking of just shooting it with a grey primer color for corrosion resistance and to hide/reduce scuffing. Eventually the exterior will be a green and yellow color.

thanks - Jason
 
Used several shades of gray to accent items. Light gray for most of the interior. All control handles/sticks/pedals got darker gray.
 
I painted mine to match the color of the powder coated weldments, canopy bow and frame, etc. Planning on installing uphostlered side panels and armrests of a contrasting color similar to what others have done which will probably hide most of the painted surfaces.

J. Baker
Finishing Kit
 
Same as powdercoat

I used a color as close to the powdercoating as I could get.
Remember, light colors make a confined space look and feel larger. Dark colors tend to give a "closed-in" feeling to a space.
 
Jet Flex

I am using Jet Flex Water Reducible Polyurethane (single part) P09511 which is a perfect match for the Van's powder coat light gray (RAL 7035 is Cardinal's color code). Very happy with the product, easy to apply and very durable.

The solvent based Jet Flex is L09511. Haven't tried this, the water reducible has lower VOCs.

Nothing wrong with grey primer interior, but check with the manufacturer, primers are not intended as a topcoat. They may not be as durable, colorfast or waterproof as a topcoat.
 
Light Grey

Used rustoleum light machinery gray (rattle cans). Primered the interior
first with epoxy primer, then used the rustoleum. Good hard finish that touches up easily.

156y1wy.jpg
 
Anything but...

WHITE! The RV7 I bought has white paint everywhere inside and the glare is really bad in the sun, and pictures through the canopy always have a major reflection. And, of course, dirt shows everywhere. When flying it home from Michigan to Oregon, we finally broke down and bought some black construction paper to cover the glare shield which helped immensely. On my list of improvements to make is to repaint and/or cover everything a darker color.
 
I have seen a few done with a gray granite color. Rattle can, but still looks good and hides imperfections. I will have slip check on the floor for easier entry and exit from the RV-12 cockpit
 
I went with I guess what you'd call a semi-flat "medium" gray; find a cockpit shot of a B-737 and there ya go. I had a quart of enamel mixed at Sherwin Williams and sprayed it on over a gray primer base. It went on easy enough and looked good, for a while... but after flying it for a year or two the paint was starting to look a little rough. Climbing in and out, seat belt buckles banging around had scratched it up a good bit. The solution? Repaint with rattle can engine enamel; Ford Gray is a pretty close match to the original paint but has a bit more gloss. Looks good and is very tough, no more scuffs or scratches.
 
I powdercoated my entire interior and fuselage with gray powdercoating with a light texture. Holding up great, wont scratch . Marc
 
Valspar - WARNING!

I used Valspar "Pewter Gray".

It has the look like "Chino Tom" as far as color.

It was in the rattle cans and can out very good.

But!

I'm not sure if it ws the QB wash primer or what??? But after I sprayed the entire inside I went back just to touch up a few little area's and it "Bubbled up".

After sanding it down and trying sometimes 3 or 4 times I couldn't get it to stop bubbling up.

Finally I layed down a coat so thin you wouldn't have thought I even sprayed it - had to do 3 coats of very thin and then a normal coat to make it cover.

It did blend in nicely and I do like the look and so far its standing up to the "Beating".

But I really was frustrated with this product.
 
klovning said:
.......Eventually the exterior will be a green and yellow color......
Click to expand...
Consider using easy to apply Akzo epoxy primer. I shot the entire RV8 interior using a tiny primer pistol fitted with a 35mm film canister. Very little waste if you plan properly, and clean up is a snap. Post 13 in this thread shows the gun and most of the disposables needed:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?p=503188&highlight=akzo#post503188

I'm guessing Akzo's very tough scuff resistant finish should compliment a planned green and yellow paint scheme well. For illustration, an image of my Akzo primed RV-8 cockpit shown is shown in post 14 here:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=34075&highlight=akzo
 
color coordination

...should probably ask a GIRL what color it should be.
there are complementary colors for the walls, panels, upholstery that will look good with the exterior, and also hide dirt etc.
...as others have mentioned, dark colors, approaching flat black if possible, will result in the best outward visibility, not to mention less glare in photos.
 
Vintage Mil-Spec

i havent got ANYWHERE near primering or painting anything...actually i dont even have any parts yet..just the preview plans (lol) but, im thinking that when i do manage to get to the decision of interior color, as it stands right now im leaning toward the pea-green color of old school military aircraft interiors. When i was a kid, my dad had his old friend bring up an AT-6 Texan out of Camarillo Ca. and the Confederate Air Force to give my brother and i a ride around the valley. The interior of that old beast was green...i dont know if it was just primer or paint, but it looked so cool..the wear marks on the floor under the rudder pedals...so vintage. I think that green color coupled with some black crinkle paint on the glare shield/panel would look rad.

something similar to this...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Harvard_cockpits-001.jpg
 
Duplicolor self etching primer in the rattle can looks pretty close to the color you are describing. And as far as my experience go's it's as tough as nails for a spray can!
 
Rick6a said:
I'm guessing Akzo's very tough scuff resistant finish should compliment a planned green and yellow paint scheme well. For illustration, an image of my Akzo primed RV-8 cockpit shown is shown in post 14 here:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=34075&highlight=akzo
Click to expand...

Rick, Here is a posting tip...... If you want to copy an address to a given post on a page, Instead of copying the page address, click on the post # and watch the address above change. Copy that address and it will take you right to the post....................

Like this....... http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=255975&postcount=14
 
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gasman said:
....Here is a posting tip....click on the post #....Copy that address and it will take you right to the post....
Click to expand...
Warren,

Thanks for an excellent tip! I thought the way I was doing it was awkward. Your helpful advice will make future posts easier, less wordy, more efficient.:)
 
Duplicolor self-etching toughness

benbell4140 said:
Duplicolor self etching primer in the rattle can looks pretty close to the color you are describing. And as far as my experience go's it's as tough as nails for a spray can!
Click to expand...

I'm also using the Duplicolor self etching primer and am usually very pleased with the results... but on rare occasion I can scratch it off with a fingernail. In these rare cases I'm wondering if there is surface moisture or some other contamination. My workshop (daylight basement) is very cool (where the parts and cans of paint are stored) and on occasion I'll notice condensation on the part when spraying (especially after spraying one side... as if the paint is contributing to the cooling/condensation.) Perhaps the solution is to let the part and the rattle can sit in the outdoor temps for a while?

Stan
 
I also used the AKZO epoxy primer, and followed up with a ("Thunderstorm Grey") Acryglo. It is a really tough resistent surface and I am quite happy with it. Instrument panel will be a much darker grey, or perhaps a dark blue...yet to be determined. My kit website has some reasonable illustrations.
 
Stan, I'm not sure what caused it but I ran into the same problem yesterday. While working on the seat floors I realized I could scratch the primer off with my fingernail. Everywhere else on the plane it is very tough and I can't scratch it. I just plan on scuffing.. Cleaning... And re priming
 
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