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Aviation Paint vs Automotive

What are the differences between aviation paint and automotive? Trying to figure out the pro's and con's.

Everything and nothing. The short answer: it depends on the type paint. Basic enamel is the low end and 2 part polyurethane is the best. Basically, it’s resistance to UV, and to a little lesser degree, abrasion and chemical resistance. If you hanger and routinely wax (or ceramic coat) you can get a pretty decent lifespan from enamel or it’s upgraded cousins for less product cost. The polyurethanes retain their gloss MUCH better and have a longer lifespan with less maintenance.

You can actually apply and get a good finish with most polyurethanes yourself, without spraying, by using the “roll & tip” method - if you don’t mind spending a little more time. It’s typically done on boats, but the surface/vehicle is really irrelevant. I’m going to use a similar technique when I get to that point (Alexseal with roller additive).
 
Well, I learned something today: the meaning of roll and tip.

But after watching a video from Epifanes paint company showing how it's done, I'm going to pass. Sanding the entire airplane 4 times between coats is my chiropractor's dream but it's my nightmare.
 
Well, I learned something today: the meaning of roll and tip.

But after watching a video from Epifanes paint company showing how it's done, I'm going to pass. Sanding the entire airplane 4 times between coats is my chiropractor's dream but it's my nightmare.
Yeah Bill, that's why I'm going to try the Alexseal in general, and with their roller additive in particular. Unlike most (all?) the other poly's, you don't need to sand between coats with Alexseal if you keep inside their re-coat window. I rolled-n-tipped my 38' sailboat with Awlgrip and it works like a charm. The downside, as you noted, is having to sand the whole thing after each coat :( I figure worse case with the RV - if there's too much orange peel, I'll just color sand and buff the final coat. Some spray guys do this as a routine part of their spray job because they just can't get a nice smooth wet-out.
 
Aviation paint has better chemical and UV resistance and is more flexible. It also takes longer to dry due to the size of many planes. Can you get good results on your plane with automotive paint? Yes you can. The product is just tailored for a different market.
 
Apart from Aviation paint and Automotive paint there is also Industrial paint.
The expert at the paint shop, which sells all three, told me that there is not much difference between what's in the can for 2-pack polyurethane. However, the labels on the can and the price stickers differ.
I know several people who have successfully painted their metal aircraft using Industrial polyurethane, without any problems. The paint seems to be limited to solid colors and not pearlescent, metallic and other special effects.
This test piece (of a Toyota) has been sprayed with Valspar TB-520 Industrial polyurethane in 1.5 coats. It resists solvents including fuel, alcohol and acetone. I'd be happy to use it on my plane. Another option that I am aware of is Nason Industrial 610 or 620 and I've sprayed the cockpit using the 610 (adjusted to semi gloss level) with good results.
These paints require good respirators and protective clothing.
 

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The term "auto paint" ignores the wide range of products available. Some of it is formulated to meet a price, some for application ease, some for show.

FWIW, at 10+ years and 1000 hours, PPG Deltron has held up really well, notably the DCU2021 clear. Tough stuff.

I tell folks to go with whatever brand they sell at the friendliest auto paint shop in their town. For the novice, local help can be a big deal.
 
The term "auto paint" ignores the wide range of products available. Some of it is formulated to meet a price, some for application ease, some for show.

FWIW, at 10+ years and 1000 hours, PPG Deltron has held up really well, notably the DCU2021 clear. Tough stuff.

I tell folks to go with whatever brand they sell at the friendliest auto paint shop in their town. For the novice, local help can be a big deal.

^^^^^^^^^^^
This X2!

FWIW I had great success with PPG delfleet on the boot cowl of my cub which was recommended by my friendly local PPG dealer after struggling with stewart systems garbage (never again!).
 
Once again - Dan is spot on.

When I finished our RV7 10 years ago, I went to the local auto paint supplier that had been recommended, he was brilliant because he was totally enthralled about the aeroplane thing and sat me down with plenty of coffee and gave me "Painting 101".

I still use his place for my supplies, although Brian has now retired. They still offer great advice, as does the local WhatsApp group that I am in with Brian.

I use a basic 2 part (not 2k)- 50/50 primer and activator/thinner (splash of celly) which is super easy to apply and is very tough.

Originally, I used stock car 2k paint, colours were fine - white was a bitch because it is loaded with heavy pigments.

Over the years, I have modified things and now use base coat and lacquer.

The base coat is a 1k product thinned 50/50 with appropriate thinners - it shoots great, any gilberts can be flatted and melted back into the base coat.

Then 2k clear lacquer.

Interior, it is flat - goes on super easy in a flash coat then fill coats.

Outside - gloss lacquer - again a mist coat....wait....wait then further fill coats.

Get advice, get good quality gear, shoot an HVLP gun at say 40psi so little overspray and practise with the primer - get your gun skills up to scratch and you will be fine.
 
I tell folks to go with whatever brand they sell at the friendliest auto paint shop in their town. For the novice, local help can be a big deal.

^^^^ this.

The local Dupont / PPG shop staff were....well....let's just say not friendly.

The Sherwin-Williams auto paint shop was just the opposite. Even set me up for a discount, which is always welcome. And SW has great tech sheets. I went with their top end product, Ultra7000 BC/CC and it was really nice to use.
 
Kirker

^^^^ this.

The local Dupont / PPG shop staff were....well....let's just say not friendly.

Snip...

Exactly why I use Kirker. They always answer the Tech line and have advise even when it doesn't sell product. I use 2K EnduroPrime and UltraGlo single stage urethane.
 
The Stewart system is on my list of possible paints. What is it you didn't like?

^^^^^^^^^^^
This X2!

FWIW I had great success with PPG delfleet on the boot cowl of my cub which was recommended by my friendly local PPG dealer after struggling with stewart systems garbage (never again!).
 
The Stewart system is on my list of possible paints. What is it you didn't like?

I have known only one person that has liked it. I found it kinda difficult to lay down nicely. Also the ambient temps have to be over 70 and the humidity has to be low.
 
Probably at least as important as which paint to use, "auto" or "aircraft," is picking the person who will apply it (assuming you're not doing it yourself, that is). Choose wisely: Application of paint to an airplane done the same way many paint shops typically apply it to cars can result in a HEAVY airplane!
 
Probably the worst combination would be an auto painter shooting 'aviation' paint. They tend to have a very high solids content and film thickness. They are also designed to be sprayed electrostatically, which none of us can do.

I used solid 2k for many years but have switched to base and lacquer. It goes on easier and seems to use less product to get a very good finish.
 
Probably the worst combination would be an auto painter shooting 'aviation' paint. They tend to have a very high solids content and film thickness. They are also designed to be sprayed electrostatically, which none of us can do.

I used solid 2k for many years but have switched to base and lacquer. It goes on easier and seems to use less product to get a very good finish.

How do you find the lacquer for durability (chipping) and resistance to solvents? I always considered it to be a fairly "fragile" and short-lived type of coating, albeit quick and easy to apply. I painted my first motorcycle with a metallic green lacquer (a long time ago!)
 
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The Stewart system is on my list of possible paints. What is it you didn't like?

To get any kind of descent results you need to mix and shoot the stuff in a laboratory. I spent (no kidding) the better part of 3 months trying to figgure the stuff out. I had a climate controlled booth, different guns, etc.etc. The biggest problem was what looked like solvent-pop. Called and sent pics several times (no help). Finally switched to PPG Delfleet and the first time I shot it it layed down like glass. I couldn't believe how easy it was to work with.

The ability to wash your equipment out with water is nice with Stewarts and I had moderate success with a few of their single-part coatings but for what you pay for the stuff I really expected better results and better support.
 
I painted my -7 with PPG single stage auto paint with no clear coat and cut and buffed per Dan's excellent instruction article on this site. 14 years later it still looks decent and I can get a color matched aerosol from the friendly local auto paint store for $40 for touch up work. Mine is a simple paint scheme so it was easier. Seems like a very tough paint and you can adjust for temperature and flash off time (painted mine in the hangar in the winter). The local auto paint store was a veritable fount of information as were the PPG instruction sheets, and you get a complete compatible system from filler/primer through finish coat for both metal and fiberglass.

I am painting my low cost Champ project with Stewart systems paint using the roll and tip approach mentioned earlier and learn more with each piece I paint. I found out quickly that having a smooth primer/fill coat is key as the finish coat does not flow as much as I thought it would so irregularities show through. The paint is also VERY glossy which tends to show problems. I tip with a high-quality foam brush rather than the recommended badger hair brush and the end result is not bad (5 ft paint job) but certainly not as good as a sprayed show quality effort. The good thing about the Stewart system is the ability to paint without all the protective breathing equipment.
Figs
 
Delfleet

I stopped by my local automotive paint supply store and they recommended Delfleet paint. Said a aircraft paint shop buys it from them occasionally.
They had some "blow out" paint and bought a gallon for $40. I'm going to see about getting a hood/trunk from the junk yard to start practicing on.



To get any kind of descent results you need to mix and shoot the stuff in a laboratory. I spent (no kidding) the better part of 3 months trying to figgure the stuff out. I had a climate controlled booth, different guns, etc.etc. The biggest problem was what looked like solvent-pop. Called and sent pics several times (no help). Finally switched to PPG Delfleet and the first time I shot it it layed down like glass. I couldn't believe how easy it was to work with.

The ability to wash your equipment out with water is nice with Stewarts and I had moderate success with a few of their single-part coatings but for what you pay for the stuff I really expected better results and better support.
 
How do you find the lacquer for durability (chipping) and resistance to solvents? I always considered it to be a fairly "fragile" and short-lived type of coating, albeit quick and easy to apply. I painted my first motorcycle with a metallic green lacquer (a long time ago!)

No issues, but as lacquer is fairly light, I do put a few mist layers on before the flood coat.

Never had chipping issues.
 
Practice

I stopped by my local automotive paint supply store and they recommended Delfleet paint. Said a aircraft paint shop buys it from them occasionally.
They had some "blow out" paint and bought a gallon for $40. I'm going to see about getting a hood/trunk from the junk yard to start practicing on.

It's good to practice on a car panel first to work out gun settings, technique, colors etc. One thing you can do for added health safety is to omit the polyurethane hardener (which is the component that contains isocyanates) and just spray using the base paint and thinner. It will still dry OK, though it probably won't be as durable, which doesn't really matter for practising purposes.
 
I appreciate the tip, I'll take all the advice anyone has.
The salesman said I didn't need to add anything, to just spray it. I haven't read up on the literature he gave me yet.


It's good to practice on a car panel first to work out gun settings, technique, colors etc. One thing you can do for added health safety is to omit the polyurethane hardener (which is the component that contains isocyanates) and just spray using the base paint and thinner. It will still dry OK, though it probably won't be as durable, which doesn't really matter for practising purposes.
 

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Single component paints can easily be removed with thinner and scotchbrite. Not the best for durability. No need to be worried about 2 part paints. A respirator, paint suit, and eye pro will cost less than $100 and last a good long time.

I’ve sprayed Delfleet a few times. It’s bottom of the barrel as far as PPG goes. If you want to save some money and stay with PPG then look at PPG Shop Line.
 
Alkyd enamel

I appreciate the tip, I'll take all the advice anyone has.
The salesman said I didn't need to add anything, to just spray it. I haven't read up on the literature he gave me yet.

Oh I see from the photo that the paint is alkyd enamel, I'd wrongly assumed that it was polyurethane! There is normally no hardener required for alkyd enamel but you can add enamel thinner to make it easier to spray (the datasheet will advise what % thinner to add).

It would be worth reading up on the different paint types, whatever the brand, to understand their performance and characteristics before actually painting the plane. My personal preference is single stage 2K polyurethane, versus 1K alkyd enamel or acrylic enamel. The thing I like about polyurethane is that it can be color sanded and/or spot repaired soon after spraying. This is an advantage when dealing with potential dust, which is hard to avoid without a professional paint booth. Polyurethane is also more resistant to fuels, solvents and fluids than the other paint types above and it can be applied relatively thin without needing a clear coat, to save weight.

Happy spraying!
 
I'm not set on Delfleet, it's just what was recommended today. I know they offer different Delfleet paints, this was the Evolution FDGH. What didn't you like about it? What single stage is your favorite?

Single component paints can easily be removed with thinner and scotchbrite. Not the best for durability. No need to be worried about 2 part paints. A respirator, paint suit, and eye pro will cost less than $100 and last a good long time.

I’ve sprayed Delfleet a few times. It’s bottom of the barrel as far as PPG goes. If you want to save some money and stay with PPG then look at PPG Shop Line.
 
Don't go cheap on paint. In the big picture, better paint adds a tiny fraction to the cost of an RV, but it's the first thing everyone sees. Think of it as investment with a very good return.
 
Single component paints can easily be removed with thinner and scotchbrite. Not the best for durability. No need to be worried about 2 part paints. A respirator, paint suit, and eye pro will cost less than $100 and last a good long time.

Paint respirator filters have a time from opening and number of hours used limit. Read the filter information very carefully. You will be thankful you did as you get older.
 
I'm not looking for cheap paint. I'd like a quality paint that's suitable for a RV-12 that will be hangered and flown about 50 hrs a year in fair weather. I don't feel I need a paint that can handle 350 knots in a ice storm.
But the #1 feature I'm looking for is the paint that a novice can get good results from if that even exists.

Don't go cheap on paint. In the big picture, better paint adds a tiny fraction to the cost of an RV, but it's the first thing everyone sees. Think of it as investment with a very good return.
 
Paint respirator filters have a time from opening and number of hours used limit. Read the filter information very carefully. You will be thankful you did as you get older.

I always store my respirator filters in a Zip Lock bag to extend their useful life when not in use.
 
A 3M 4251 respirator is around $20 on Fleabay or Amazon.

It is a top quality organic vapor mask.

I change mine every 6 months and yes - keep it tightly sealed between uses.
 
3M P100 60928

I use 3M P100 #60928. Filters get dated. Mask goes into a sealed bag with dessicant packs. I can pull usage from my blog. Retired filters go on my backup mask and used for sanding on yardwork.
P100 is used for paint handling and mixing.
HobbyAir is used for spraying.
 
ppe

I use 3M P100 #60928. Filters get dated. Mask goes into a sealed bag with dessicant packs. I can pull usage from my blog. Retired filters go on my backup mask and used for sanding on yardwork.
P100 is used for paint handling and mixing.
HobbyAir is used for spraying.

Much the same here. As far as I am aware the organic filters do not stop the isocyanate vapors, hence the Hobbyair style fresh air mask. My mask is full face because iso vapors can be absorbed through eyes and skin.
 
I'm not looking for cheap paint. I'd like a quality paint that's suitable for a RV-12 that will be hangered and flown about 50 hrs a year in fair weather. I don't feel I need a paint that can handle 350 knots in a ice storm.
But the #1 feature I'm looking for is the paint that a novice can get good results from if that even exists.

Most damage probably occurs on the ground and in the hangar and from people actions, and a 2K paint will be more durable. The 2K polyurethane that I'm using is only 20% more expensive overall than 1K enamel.

A novice can get good results, but success depends mostly on preparation and technique. If those aren't correct then it doesn't matter what paint is used!

A bad paint job could include runs, dry patches, orange peel, fish eye, dust, ragged masking, overspray, flaking off, even if done by a pro.

If you select a paint type that can be wet sanded and spot repaired, then you can recover from runs, dust and orange peel. Paint that is applied too thick may look good, but it will be heavy and affect performance.

I suggest as follows:
Pick a good brand paint e.g. PPG, Dupont, Valspar, DeBeer etc. that is popular where you live.
Prime with etch primer, it is light and it sticks well to properly cleaned aluminum.
Use 2K polyurethane, it is easy to apply and is forgiving and gives a glossy durable finish.
Invest in a good spray gun for the top coat and a separate spray gun for the primer.
Use a compressor that can keep up with the spray gun, likely 3 hp or bigger.
Install filters and dryers in the compressed air line.
Borrow or build a paint booth that has an exhaust fan and filters for the incoming air.
Install plenty of good lighting.
Invest in good PPE to protect your health.
Practice spraying test pieces, horizontal, vertical, upside down. Put on too much paint to see when it runs.
Pick a paint scheme that will allow you to paint the plane apart and in sections so you don't need to spray the fuselage all at once.

I'm sure others will have suggestions. :)
 
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Painting costume. The hard part was keeping the hood out of the paint!
 

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Painting costume. The hard part was keeping the hood out of the paint!

When I started painting we used electrostatic paint guns. They are the best for transfer efficiency but you could not wear a hood like that. Paint would totally obscure your vision in about 30 seconds.

My respirator is stored in a sealed bag when not in use. The cartridges get changed every 30 days no matter what. On big jobs I wear a fresh air mask.
 
I'm not set on Delfleet, it's just what was recommended today. I know they offer different Delfleet paints, this was the Evolution FDGH. What didn't you like about it? What single stage is your favorite?

JetGlo is my favorite. Looks great, lasts a long time. A close second is Alumigrip.
 
I am reading all of this intently. We're about to begin priming the interior and Grove gear legs with 2-part Rand-o-plate. Top coating of these will be some single stage acrylic from Summit Racing. The question is the exterior.

I'm trying to re-do a military camouflage scheme. I have the official colors in the FS designation. Does anyone know if any of the paint sources mentioned are able to do custom colors to match Federal Standard colors?
 
paint selection

OK this is not telling you what paint is better, best, good, or anything like that.
Almost any paint on our hangered RV's will do.
The real consideration is the person applying the goods.
If you do not have experience, Get some..
I have shot thousand of gallons of virtually all kinds of paints and last year I was going to go to a three day work shop on the latex Stewart Systems paint.
It was going to cost $500.00 plus travel, motels, and time ($1,500.00) and it was in Montana in December.. Think FREEZING cold temperatures and lots of snow. BRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!
I bailed and just ordered $450.00 worth of paint and decided to practice with this NEW to me vehicle paint.
So that said::::: Get some paint and practice on something more than once, to get the handle of it. Then go for it. Just remember, you only have one set of lungs.
Like I said, I have the gun experience, But still thought the schooling would do me good. But practice and then practice more.
Art
 
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