What makes for a great quality paint job?

When you check out an RV, or any other plane for that matter, what are the things you look for that separates a "good" quality paint job from a "great" quality paint job?

Thanks,

In my opinion, one of the things is a clear coat where you can't feel (or can barely feel) the lines between colors. They usually have to lightly sand the lines before the clear. I think that's what separates the good from the great.

Are you looking for a work of art, or protection for the metal? If the latter, it's the prep work that counts. Find a plane that the same paint shop did 10 years ago, and see how it's holding up. No matter how great it looks new, there's nothing as frustrating as having a $10K+ paint job peel after 5 years.

BobTurner said:

Are you looking for a work of art, or protection for the metal? If the latter, it's the prep work that counts. Find a plane that the same paint shop did 10 years ago, and see how it's holding up. No matter how great it looks new, there's nothing as frustrating as having a $10K+ paint job peel after 5 years.

Click to expand...

Excellent advice and I'd pay particular attention to rivet heads and seams. If you can still clearly see the form of the rivets as well as clean seams, that'll be a good indicator the paint wasn't loaded on-excess weight. If the prep work was shoddy, pealing and flaking usually begins along edges and seams.

If you want the edges af colors to be sanded prior to clear coat, you can't use metallic colors. I just finished painting my -10 with four metallic colors, silver, red, black and gold. If you do anything but look at them before clear it can be seen. Learned some lessons, like never again!

Started assembly today.

I wonder if there is any data on base/clear vs single-stage paint jobs? What percentage of RVs have which system?

Prep and experience

David_Nelson said:

When you check out an RV, or any other plane for that matter, what are the things you look for that separates a "good" quality paint job from a "great" quality paint job?

Thanks,

Click to expand...

The answer is YOU! As my professional painter-brother will tell you, "Paint will cover no less than perfection." Rosie

Paint my Michael Rosales and Mike "Hot Lines" Fowler:

For some details on the practical issues around base-coat-clear-coat vs. single-stage, see this thread.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=67760

Learn to cut and buff. It's almost like cheating, but not quite

www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=60631

Thanks guys for the replies. In reading your responses, I realize now that I should have put a little more context around the question and I possibly shouldn't have posted in 'Painting your RV' forum as I have no desire to personally paint the RV. So, to put context around the question, I sometimes hear/read that so-and-so painter did a bad/fair/good/great job or to stay away from so-and-so. I'm pretty sure I could tell the difference between bad/fair/good but didn't really know if I could distinguish between good and great; I've now got a better idea of what to look for - at least on the surface.

Thanks,

David, in the context of pro painters, it's very important to have a clear understanding about surface finish work prior to the application of any paint.

A lot of builders assume "Awww, the painter will take care of that". New builders in particular don't realize how much time can go into details. Painters sell time; they can't give it away and still make a living. In reality, there are three choices; (1) You do the prep, (2) they do the prep and you pay generously, or (3) the prep doesn't get done, but it gets painted anyway.

I've seen some very nice paint jobs over bad cowling gaps, unfilled fiberglass edges, proud rivets, rough canopy fair-ins, etc.

As a pro painter, I would agree with what Dan said.
We make multiple livings off of "let the painter fix it" !!!

Keep in mind that a simple, light colored paint job usually does not demand the higher end prep work that would be necessary to make a metallic, flame red and black and silver job look great.

There is some truth to the other saying I hear frequently; "The painter is going to sand it all off and do it again anyway." It's hard for me to warrant my work beyond what I did, so I have to have a pretty good feeling about what I am covering up. Also, considering that weight is a factor, I can't just apply more layers of filler or primer over the top of whatever I start with in order to get something smooth/flush/flat/etc. Well, I can, but I won't...

Keep in mind that it's all a function of time in the end. If you hire a trim carpenter to finish out your kitchen in your new house, the abilities of the foundation guy, framer, sheet rock applicator and finisher, etc. are all going to have a bearing on how much time he take to do the job. If you are installing multiple layer crown molding in natural wood (no ability to caulk and paint over problems), and elaborate cabinets, this will just complicate matters...

Good, fast, or cheap: pick any 2, but you can't get all 3... ;-)

Brad Simmons
Airframes Inc.
Milan, TN
www.airframesinc.com
[email protected]