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Paint

Steve Lutte

Member
I’m throwing around the idea of painting my 10 myself. The paint shops are years out and the prices keep going up. Does anyone know how much paint it takes to paint a RV10?
 
Primer - 6 quarts

Build - 4 quarts

Base coat - 3 quarts

Clear coat - 4 quarts

All very achievable - have extraction and a good 3M 4251 mask.
 
For metal primer I buy 1 “kit”. With primer I buy that’s 3 quarts of primer and 1 quart of hardener.

For fiberglass primer I buy 1 gallon of primer, 1 quart of hardener, and 1 gallon of reducer when needed. I always have this around so I just buy when the can is empty.

For base color I usually buy 2 gallons of paint, two gallons of hardener, and a gallon of reducer. I will have paint left over in case I need to redo a section.

For trim colors. 1 to 2 quarts of the colors plus the needed hardener depending on how much area I need to paint.

I usually have enough of each color left over for touch up work in the future.
 
Slightly OT. I see your from Montgomery TX. I’ve never been that far south. How is it down there?
 
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Do not paint without a fresh air supply like a Hobbyair with full face mask. READ AND UNDERSTAND all the info on the data sheets from the paint companies. All posted online. Two part paint is poisonous and damages the nervous system. A simple respirator is not enough. I love my Hobbyair and you smell no paint fumes while using it.
 
I'm preparing to paint my RV-6. Haven't done it yet, so we'll see how this works out.

The paint mfg I'm using (Tamco Paint) says 400 sq ft per gallon sprayable per coat. I figure my -6 is about 400 sq ft. Plus waste (there will be some). I'm a novice painter, so will probably put more material on than absolutely necessary.

I bought 2 gallons epoxy primer (with 2 gallons hardener). One gallon might be a little short, wanted to have extra on hand and didn't want to buy quarts.
Base coat 2 gallons, plus 2 gallons reducer. 3-4 coats for my color. Clear 2 gallons, plus 2 gallons hardener.

This was about $2,400. Plus primer filler for fiberglass, already had on hand.
 
single stage PU

I'm using 1.5 coats of single stage industrial polyurethane for my 6A over etch primer on the aluminum and epoxy primer on the fiberglass. Trying to keep the weight down.

Paint coverage is 8 sqm per litre and I estimate 44 sqm to cover, so 5-6 litres plus waste for each of primer and top coat. Total estimated cost for materials a bit under $1000.

I haven't applied it yet but have done tests and done part of the interior and I am hopeful and optimistic that it will work out.
 
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I'm using 1.5 coats of single stage industrial polyurethane for my 6A over etch primer on the aluminum and epoxy primer on the fiberglass. Trying to keep the weight down.

Paint coverage is 8 sqm per litre and I estimate 44 sqm to cover, so 5-6 litres plus waste for each of primer and top coat. Total estimated cost for materials a bit under $1000.

I haven't applied it yet but have done tests and done part of the interior and I am hopeful and optimistic that it will work out.

Generally, the weight difference (painted vs. unpainted) that I have seen on 2 seat RV’s is 19 pounds.
 
Generally, the weight difference (painted vs. unpainted) that I have seen on 2 seat RV’s is 19 pounds.

I will be able to only estimate the actual weight of the added paint, based on how much is used, because the painting will be done before final assembly.

The PPG etch primer has a dry film thickness of 15-20 microns. The paint is about 15% solids by volume.

The polyurethane top coat has a dry film thickness of 40 microns. This paint is 40% solids by volume.

The epoxy primer for the fiberglass has a dry film thickness of 70 microns, so it will add more weight per area than the etch primer, but much smaller area.

Should be able to come in at 19 lbs or less! Otherwise the pilot will need to go on a diet.
 
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