Painting inside of RV-9

mtown52 · #1 02-18-2007, 05:51 PM

OK-which is best for inside painting? Gloss or semigloss? No doubt that will cause trouble. Mike In Tasmania...

db1yg · #2 02-18-2007, 06:05 PM

Mike,

Use either satin or semi-gloss. I used satin. You probably don't want reflective surfaces inside the aircraft.

Best Wishes,

Dave B.
RV9a/ECi0360/James cowl/Catto prop--110 hrs and a permanent smile!!!

Scott Will · #3 02-18-2007, 06:41 PM

Have a gloss finish on mine. Thought it would be a big deal but it really isnt because once you get everything in there, a lot of the interior is hidden by either seat cushions or people in those seats. Mine interior is the same color as Van's powder coat.

I would do gloss again. You want a finish that is hard and easily cleanable and resistant to most solvents.

ClayR_9A · #4 02-18-2007, 09:24 PM

I used gloss automotive paint (Acrylyd) for my interior and it was the worst month of the entire build process. As a first time painter, getting it to lay down flat and smooth with no runs, drips, errors, dust, etc. was way more difficult than I thought it was going to be.

If I ever do it again, I'll seriously consider something flat or maybe satin. Shooting primer was a breeze. Shooting this stuff was like painting with milk.

Make sure you spend a little time with someone who can show you several types of paints, how to apply them, and what the result is going to look like.

-Clay

airguy · #5 02-19-2007, 11:59 AM

What about powder coating the interior surfaces? Aside from the obvious cost issue, how much weight does powder coating add?

fehdxl · #6 02-19-2007, 12:05 PM

I don't think it would be the weight, but rather the logistics of baking the powder coated parts for 20 minutes at 350* ... that would be one big oven, or an expensive IR light. -Jim

Jekyll · #7 02-19-2007, 12:08 PM

Not to mention the heat treatment of the metal!

Jekyll

Quote:

Originally Posted by fehdxl

I don't think it would be the weight, but rather the logistics of baking the powder coated parts for 20 minutes at 350* ... that would be one big oven, or an expensive IR light. -Jim

Finley Atherton · #8 02-19-2007, 02:13 PM

Mike,

I used automotive gloss paint with the same brand ?flattening additive? for the instrument panel and interior and I am very pleased with the result.

Fin 9A
NSW Australia

airguy · #9 02-19-2007, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jekyll

Not to mention the heat treatment of the metal!

Jekyll

Hadn't considered that - definitely a showstopper.

gvgoff99 · #10 02-19-2007, 08:01 PM

Somewhere I saw an informed answer to the powder coating heat issue and it was not a factor. Van's powder coats the engine mount (not very well in some cases because they rust) but still he is subjecting them to the powder coat heating process. I doubt that he would if it were to induce significantly earlier failure from some heat related change. Chrome is a different situation and I believe it does cause a potential problem.
As for the interior paint........I have a light color and it is a problem with reflection on the canopy when the sun is behind the plane.

So if I had it to do over (and I just might because it is really a nuisance) I would go with a darker color or even a flat black. Mine is glossy. Maybe a flat would have been less annoying.