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Best Paint for inside of cowl?

rvator51

Well Known Member
Any suggestions for what is the best paint to use for painting the inside of the cowling? I have squeeged on a layer of epoxy to seal the fiberglass and am going to use white paint over it followed by foil in the hot areas but not sure what paint works best for this application.
 
Epoxy

I am planning on coloring the epoxy that I squeegee on the cowling...

Seems as if it would do double duty sealing and coloring...
 
Unless you are looking for cosmetics, you're done. The key issue is sealing the fiberglass and your epoxy did that well. Foil will adhere better to the epoxy than paint.

If you paint, I would go urethane. Rattle can / acrylic paint may not hold up to the heat. I just sprayed the inside of my cowl with a grey epoxy primer.

Larry
 
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If you paint, I would go urethane. Rattle can / acrylic paint may not hold up to the heat. I just sprayed the inside of my cowl with a grey epoxy primer.

Larry

I used white epoxy primer so I didn't have to look at the pink color...:)

White also makes it look brighter and shows up oil spots/leaks better.
 
You dont need to paint it unless you really want to, tho you do need to do the epoxy step to fill any pinholes, as youve already done. Obviously epoxy primer checks both squares. I used Akzo cause thats what I had, and still have. Then I scuffed it and squeegeed West Marine epoxy over it as I have it left over stuff from fiberglass work and its just going in the garbage otherwise. Dont over think it; you'll see oil stains (and therefore dirt) no matter what you seal it with.
 
Finish the inside just like the outside...epoxy seal, epoxy primer, two-part urethane paint. I like white because it shows the location of air and oil leaks.

Sure, nobody sees the inside of the cowl..until you try to sell it. Finishing details make all the difference.
 
I used Azko heat reflecting paint. Supposedly keeps top surface cooler and is easy to detect maladies.
 
I filled the pinholes in the top and bottom cowls with a 50/50 mix of epoxy and acetone. It goes on really thin and I used a 3" wide high nap roller to apply it. It took about four coats (and rollers) but sealed it well.

Then the bottom cowl was completely covered with a thin layer of aluminum contact heat shielding. it has held up well for 11 years.

As for painting the inside, I didn't bother. Nor did I paint my baffles. My thinking was that if I were to have a fire, the fewer paint fumes coming from the engine compartment the better. Truth is, this may never be an issue because I would suspect I couldn't smell the paint fumes over the oil and gas.
 
I used the same paint and process - Sherwin Williams Acry Glo -- that I used on the outside. It has held up well for 13 years.

Chris
 
I used Petit EZY Prime and Petit topside polyurethane paint over it on my RV8. I’ll try to attach a couple pictures, but if that doesn’t work, send me a message and I’ll email them to you. I got these products at my local boat store and they have held up very well so far - 66 hours, so not conclusive - but it still looks shiny and new with no delamination or bubbles. I can easily wash off oil drips, etc with soap and water. It’s a shiny, glassy white, that’s easy to see any drips, etc. I did a coat of the primer, squeegee in to fill pinholes, sanded when cured (cured quick), applied a second primer coat with a high density foam roller and then sanded that after cure. Then two coats of the the topside paint, sanding between coats (cured for one day). It looks great, especially for the inside of a cowl!


https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/se...25/media/64065549329/small/1536587550/enhance

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/se...25/media/64065549751/small/1536587573/enhance
 
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pics from above

pics from above.
enhance
enhance
 
+1 for epoxy with white pigment. works great to show any leaks, easy to clean.
 
I am planning on coloring the epoxy that I squeegee on the cowling...

Seems as if it would do double duty sealing and coloring...

I tried that, unless you thicken the epoxy and put it on really heavy it won't cover the pink. I am going to shoot the inside with a coat of white paint still....
 
I used Stewart Systems EkoPoxy in Smoke Grey. Very easy to apply. Very durable, so far (80 hours on the clock at the moment). The EkoPoxy won't kill you when you apply it, which is kind of a nice feature... :)
 
I did the simple way on the last two planes, a couple of coats of white primer (PPG DP-48LF). Looks good, seals, is very durable and the stick on aluminum radiant heat shield stuff from Van?s stays on.

Carl
 
I sanded and filled just like the exterior composite surfaces. I painted it white with regular automotive catalyzed paint. It’s been very durable and I’m really happy with my decision to finish it to a high level. I chose white for the same reason as DanH... you can see every little drip or exhaust leak or fuel leak or whatever. Very easy to clean with mineral spirits.

I’m referring to my Midget Mustang, but it makes no difference in this discussion.

cowling.jpg
 
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