What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

What paint is suitable for the exterior?

DonaldPeterman

I'm New Here
Hello folks.

I intend to give my RV a look with a new coat of exterior paint. But I'm uncertain about which type of paint is most suitable. Do you have any advice or suggestions?

Thank you so much for helping!
 
It partially depends on how much money you want to spend.
I've seen some super cool auto paint in the $1,000.00 per gallon range.
Speak as to the model and color you want to cover.
You going to do it your self? or have a shop do it?
Art
 
The big names in aircraft paint are Sherwin-Williams Jet-Glo, AkzoNobel Alumigrip, and Axalta Imron. My go to is Jet-Glo.
 
Whatever paint you decide to use, just make sure you rebalance the control surfaces afterwards so you don’t get flutter. Heaps of threads on this forum regarding control surface balancing if you go looking, and the serious consequences of not doing it.
Tom.
RV-7, painted with polyurethane.
 
Your question is sorta like asking "I want to buy a car, what should I buy?".

Many (most?) RVs have been painted with automotive finish systems, with emphasis on systems. It is imperative that compatible components of the finish be used so they will cross-link with each other.

However, if a shop does the paint they will have brands that they are familiar with and will steer you toward them. Be prepared to spend a bunch of $$$$$'s whichever way you go.
 
As Sam said there are a thousand options.

Just as a data point, I always use Polyfiber Aerothane on their white epoxy primer as a base coat. Single stage, light weight, very flexible and fairly priced through aero performance. Price has gone up substantially the last couple of years but white is currently $250 a gallon. Only hang up is you MUST use a hood for outside air. Creates cyanide gas so unmasked can kill you. Check the RVs I built N579RV, N319RV, N269RV on flightaware for photos.
 
I used the run of the mill automotive single stage urathane paint, sprayed over automotive epoxy primer coating and I painted everything in the backyard or on the driveway. I used single stage to save labor. The cost is about $200/gal (after tax + shipping). If I use the two stage, base + clear, the time will be extended by at least 50%.

I am not sure how durable this is compare to the aerospace specific paint but all my cars sit mostly outdoor in the sun and rain for years, with temperature swing from the high 50s to 110s.
 
Some automotive paint systems are just fine, but they are not all created equal.

Airplanes hit raindrops at much higher speeds than a car. Impact resistance to bugs and rain is a factor. Urethanes are tough, and epoxies can be harder (think polishing) Many factors at play including cost and what is on the plane now.

A balance of looks, price, durability, protection and adhesion is usually a personal choice. Talk to a paint professional about the balance.

I looked at a freshly painted plane with debris (like sand) overspray, runs etc at large. It was a decent job, but lacked the labor of detail at the end to make it much better. The painter said, nothing is perfect. "Perfect" is not a specification.

Do your soul searching about what you want so there is a good understanding with the painter. Quality can vary widely.
 
If I use the two stage, base + clear, the time will be extended by at least 50%.

I disagree. When I paint something like a plane, I would estimate that 95% of the time involved is pre-spray or post-spray work and 5% is actually spraying of the paint itself. SS is one spray operation and base/clear is two spraying operations, but there is zero work involved between those two operations, beyond waiting the prescribed number of minutes or hours for flash off of the base coat. I would argue that the time savings with SS paint is negligible in the grand scheme of things. I think I spent less than two hours spraying the base coat on the RV10 fuselage and another 2 spraying the clear. Absolutely nothing relative to the days/weeks of prep and post work.

In fairness, I do think that SS creates a more durable finish that is more resistant to chipping and feel that it is a good system for airplanes. The bond between the base and primer is weak relative to the bond that SS makes to the primer
 
Last edited:
I think in the normal climate controlled paint booth or a professional paint hangar, the time is probably the same for base+clear versus SS paint.

But for a RV painting outside in the patio, I have a 2 hour window just after sunrise to lay down the paint before the sun gets too high in the sky and the temperature exceeds the paint specs. Also, given I work full time, the only painting days are the early mornings on Saturday and Sunday. That is roughly 4 hours of active paint spraying. The hours before sunrise are final prep and dusting, fixing the masking, etc. Also the big parts like the wings sat overnight before, they pick up condensation so the prep is also more involved. the planning for two-stage DIY outside is more complicated and more lengthy because of my available schedule.
 
The big names in aircraft paint are Sherwin-Williams Jet-Glo, AkzoNobel Alumigrip, and Axalta Imron. My go to is Jet-Glo.

I had Jet-Glo on my Cessna, and it still looked nice 15 years later, when I sold the airplane.

If it’s anything like house paint, a-lot has changed. I’m looking into vinyl wraps, but haven’t made a decision.
 
I had Jet-Glo on my Cessna, and it still looked nice 15 years later, when I sold the airplane.

If it’s anything like house paint, a-lot has changed. I’m looking into vinyl wraps, but haven’t made a decision.

I had a neighbor say to me that he could get his plane wrapped for half the money of paint and it would weigh half as much. I found out a couple of years later that I could have painted it for less than he paid. Within a few years he was bringing me parts to strip and repaint because the vinyl couldn’t hold up.
 
Back
Top