Painting with latex house paint

[cdlwingnut]

I have decided to use a quality latex house paint on my airplane.
If any of you have used this for yours did you use any fabric sealer or primer first or just start applying coats of paint?

 

[Pilot-34]

I’m kind of interested in why you chose to go this route?

I have done this on a couple of four-wheel-drive‘s before with the object of the game was to make it all one color and attract less attention from the cops. I was surprised at how well it worked with proper surface preparation.
I found brushing cracks crevices and corners first and then finishing the larger areas with a roller to be the optimum method on a auto.

 

[TFF]

Look for the Flybaby article and update using latex.

 

[radfordc]

My Eindecker has Behr latex. No primer, just rolled on the paint.

 

[Mcmark]

Wienerdogaero.com has a complete process. If you want shiny, you can get there, just elbow grease.
I’ve done the wings on my Tailwind and a bunch of patches and pieces on the Cuby I had.

 

[Wanttaja]

Look for the Flybaby article and update using latex.

Painting a Fly Baby With Latex Paint - Fidoe

Drew's got about twelve years on the latex paint on his plane, and is still happy with it.

Ron Wanttaja

 

[Daleandee]

I have decided to use a quality latex house paint on my airplane.

Mine is rolled on but I didn't use latex on the aluminum.

I noticed you called it latex house paint but I see it the other way around. When people ask why you painted your plane with house paint ask them why they painted their house with airplane paint ...

 

[rv7charlie]

I followed the Wienerdog aero processes fairly closely on a 1st gen Kolb Twinstar; rolled the primer and with very little sanding, sprayed the gloss yellow. Came out looking about the same as 'traditional' finishing processes on a yellow Cub. It's about 3 years old now, and while it's spent most of its life in an open hangar, it still looks pretty decent.

edit: After priming with self etch primer and Rustoleum for the steel, I even painted the steel & aluminum stuff with the yellow 'latex' (actually, acrylic, if you read the labels).

Charlie

 

[dino]

I've found looking for the labels "100% acrylic" on house paint have helped avoid old style latex emulsion paints. The new generation house paints have far superior performance.

 

[Yellowhammer]

I have decided to use a quality latex house paint on my airplane.
If any of you have used this for yours did you use any fabric sealer or primer first or just start applying coats of paint?

If you want to make the brush or roller marks lay down and disappear, use an additive called Flowtrol. They make one for oil base and latex so make sure you get the correct type. You will be glad you used it.

 

[BBerson]

I used Acrylic on the deck last week. Thinned it 1:1 with water and no brush marks after it dried. Sprayed it with a $7 weed sprayer and brushed it in. The spray was more like splatter but worked. Used PPG lifetime deck stain from Home Depot. Very thick so must be thinned but directions said do not thin.
I wanted a thin coat that doesn't crack and flake off. Same for fabric.

 

[Pops]

I used Acrylic on the deck last week. Thinned it 1:1 with water and no brush marks after it dried. Sprayed it with a $7 weed sprayer and brushed it in. The spray was more like splatter but worked. Used PPG lifetime deck stain from Home Depot. Very thick so must be thinned but can said don't thin.

Thanks. I have 2 decks that needs help. I'll check the PPG out. Wife's honey do list.

 

[ToddK]

I used multiple coats of thined Gidden Gripper as a primer to fill the weave, then thinned Sherwin Williams Duration for the color coat on some repairs. Worked pretty good.

 

[crusty old aviator]

The late Brian Austein used SW exterior latex over Stewarts System primer on his Woodpecker.

 

[crusty old aviator]

Thanks. I have 2 decks that needs help. I'll check the PPG out. Wife's honey do list.

I’d recommend the Behr deck stain over the PPG for decks.

 

[Insect]

Some questions on latex housepaint for AC:
1) Can we go full gloss? In my housepainting experience full latex tends to be more cohesive than adhesive, and balls up, so I typically use eggshell, but for aircraft I prefer full gloss if it's OK
2) Can we use interior latex? The aircraft doesn't see enough UV to matter, and interior is thinner/lighter + I've used it on exterior fixtures before, no issue to me.

My AC design has wood leading edge, which I wish to latex paint, to accept tapes on top for either tedlar or mylar covering. I am also considering spar urethane, that one in particular I have never used. My goals include a smooth light surface, and easy cleanup, it will be in prop wash, etc.

 

[rv7charlie]

No idea on the UV resistance of interior acrylic (most 'latex' these days is actually acrylic), but don't kid yourself about UV. Does the hangar have windows? Does it have a door? Then the plane will see a significant quantity of UV. I've had plastic stuff decay into shreds in a few years in completely shaded areas of my hangar/shop that had one end open and glass windows on two other sides.

I used high gloss exterior paint on the Kolb, and no work on the final coat after spraying, I got a finish with a bit more shine than traditional fabric finishes. No issues at all with laying it down over the Glidden Gripper primer. As stated earlier, I followed the Wiener Dog Aero processes, except I put no effort into sanding beyond the primer coats.

 

[TFF]

Is the leading edges going to be wrapped in the covering or covering butted up to them? It’s usually better to wrap around. You would paint after covering; never glue to paint.

 

[Insect]

OK, so exterior worked for you. I know people refer to 'housepainting' aircraft so much, I just didn't know.
My wing section (pictured) will be using 0.9mm 2 ply birch veneer on the LE. The LE may end up with tensioned mylar as well, or if painted well, it will just be bare. I am using certain 3m tapes: 355, F9473PC (2 sided film) and 468MP (same but weaker), plus BradyID polyester floor tape located between the wood LE and the other tapes. While my description may be elusive, it will bear similarity to the Lazair ultralight.

My main reason for considering wrapping the LE in mylar as well, is to not have a leading region exposed to peel tendencies. But, if the surface energy works out right, I may be able to not mylar the LE. I.e. automotive paint has very strong adhesion to tapes, and is acrylic or urethane... If the high gloss housepaint comes out similar, then I can trust it for the floor tape to engage to.

I am leaning toward high gloss Sherwin Williams interior/exterior paint + floetrol + sanding sealer

The model below has mylar over the LE and has a few techniques experimented with in one model, plus lack of compression prevention bracing, so there are wrinkles, nonetheless it is representative of the picture below.
Thanks!

 

[karmarepair]

OK, so exterior worked for you. I know people refer to 'housepainting' aircraft so much, I just didn't know.
My wing section (pictured) will be using 0.9mm 2 ply birch veneer on the LE. The LE may end up with tensioned mylar as well, or if painted well, it will just be bare. I am using certain 3m tapes: 355, F9473PC (2 sided film) and 468MP (same but weaker), plus BradyID polyester floor tape located between the wood LE and the other tapes. While my description may be elusive, it will bear similarity to the Lazair ultralight.

My main reason for considering wrapping the LE in mylar as well, is to not have a leading region exposed to peel tendencies. But, if the surface energy works out right, I may be able to not mylar the LE. I.e. automotive paint has very strong adhesion to tapes, and is acrylic or urethane... If the high gloss housepaint comes out similar, then I can trust it for the floor tape to engage to.

I am leaning toward high gloss Sherwin Williams interior/exterior paint + floetrol + sanding sealer

The model below has mylar over the LE and has a few techniques experimented with in one model, plus lack of compression prevention bracing, so there are wrinkles, nonetheless it is representative of the picture below.
Thanks!View attachment 116079

I would never be happy with that mylar unless I had some way of shrinking it or mechanically tensioning it.

On my experiments I mostly followed WeinerDogAero's advice. I used two coats of water based primer thinned 25% with water (WDA tried both windshield washer fluid and Floetrol and did not see any advantage to either over water) direct to the shrunk dacron, followed with about 4 coats of water based Rustoleum Gloss, rolled and tipped. I tried various brushes, and settled on foam brushes, cleaned with water between coats. I alternated the direction of brushing, and sanded a little between coats, but the "emulsion" paint doesn't sand too well. I ended up with a "five footer" finish. I used a "nib file" to dress down the runs and drips.