Flying with buckets of paint

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flybill

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Flybill
Anyone ever fly with buckets of paint in their pressurized aircraft? We need to bring some paint to a second home and there aren’t any paint stores nearby. I didn’t have any reservations about flying with paint on board as the plane is pressurized at 5,000msl. The guy at sherwin Williams told my wife it’s “very dangerous” to fly with paint. Not sure why he said that...but figured I would ask and make sure I wasn’t overlooking something.
 
I wouldn't think the liquid would expand much and they seem to fill the can leaving very little air remaining. I have no experience with this, but I'd probably put each can in a sealed trash bag inside a sealed plastic bin. When I do a BBQ run I put the sauce in a bag inside a small cooler, but I've never seen a sauce container explode at 10,500 MSL.
 
flybill said:
The guy at sherwin Williams told my wife it’s “very dangerous” to fly with paint.
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What’s his flying experience like? :rolleyes:

I can’t see how it would be a problem, other than the fact they might be flammable. Just make sure the lids are tight and you might consider packing them into a sealed container as well.
 
Ever seen any warnings on the interstates that climb over mountain passes? Non-pressurized might concern me more than pressurized but not at altitudes I’d fly at.
 
He probably read something about paint being a hazardous material for transport purposes due to it's flammability. I like the trash bag idea as a safety measure.
 
The only problem I had is spray bottles will empty themselves.
 
Gases expand a lot more than liquids. Unless you have carbonated paint, I'd think you'd be OK. I guess in a vacuum a liquid could change to gas/boil off. How high are you flying?
 
I’d get a plastic tote to carry it in just in case you have a leak- that way it’s contained.
 
Bottom-line the way I see it, up to 10,000 feet unpressurized:

Full and/or new cans of paint - zero issue. There's very little gas inside a full can of paint, and the standard paint-can seal should accommodate the pressure differential with no difficulty.
Half full or better cans of paint - hammer the lid down fully, and I believe you should be fine - if you can - put 'em in a trash bag. Wanna be 100% sure? Use an ice pick and make a small hole in the lid.
Less than half full? #1 - why are you doing this. #2 - definitely consider poking a small hole in the lid of the can #3 - use a trash bag
 
Just put them on the floor of the baggage compartment with the lids off. It'll force you to step up your game, remain coordinated in flight, and not bounce the landings.

:)
 
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Paint shop owner likely had his mind on paints such as used in automotive and industry ..... they are flammable , poisonous , and large shipments fall under the transportation of dangerous goods category ..... plus when you have paint you also have cans of reducers and thinners that can be more volatile than gasoline.

A lot of the suppliers will not even sell it over the counter to the public .... you must first verify you are a professional painter .

Even local delivery drivers have to take a full day of classroom training and testing to get a certificate .... and it is only good for a year. Many other products such as farm sprays and chemicals are getting more and more regulated .... even dry fertilizer requires a placard on the truck and a certificate for the driver.

.
 
I supposed subjected to enough heat, VOC based paints could pop lids at altitude.
 
I live at 5000 feet and shop at 7000 ft. I've never seen a paint can blown open.
 
I would put the cans in bags and the bags in totes. But I would do that in my car too.
 
Definitely put paint cans in a plastic tote bin. The risk of the lids popping off is pretty low unless the paint cans are only partly full, but it's still better than having paint everywhere. It's the pressure differential between the trapped air and the atmospheric pressure at altitude that is the potential problem. If a paint can with oil based paint popped open at altitude, you might very get unpleasant and toxic paint fumes in pretty small space. Latex paint may smell slightly unpleasant, but is not likely a health issue. If you seal the whole shebang in a plastic tote bin, you eliminate pretty much any risk, especially if the paint cans are full.
 
Be sure to carry many different colors of paint so if you crash folks will look inside the plane and go, ''WTH was this guy doing...??'' :lol::lol:
 
Does beer explode at 14,500? NO, not from my experience. Do water bottles explode that high? NO.

Fact is, I have taken lots of stuff up to 14,500 in the plane, and far more stuff up to 12,500 and higher on my back. Its not that high. I have seen potato chip bags all puffed up and I heard that in the trip to get here it was common for bags to pop open. I would put paint, or anything else I don't want in contact with the airplane in bags or plastic totes.
I have carried chainsaw and gas can, backpack sprayer and herbicide, its not going to "blow up", but I don't want that stuff in the belly of my plane.
 
Paints are flammable. As such I believe HAZMAT. Even water based paints. So probably not a problem if you don't loose pressurization, or have a flashpoint issue, and probably other things I don't know about. that said, most paint companies can deliver. Could be an option.
Something on the subject of painting. Ever consider the effect on paint drying (or setting up) under low partial pressure conditions. Something to think about next time you paint at high density altitudes. Even worse (just like wind shear) at low humidity.
 
MauleSkinner said:
I think even latex paint falls under the umbrella of “hazmat”.
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Paint is considered hazmat and I’m guessing the paint stores thinking in terms of airliners. Paint is trucked, and it’s trucked over the mountains at 9000-10,000 feet should be fine in the back of a GA aircraft from an altitude hazard perspective.
 
NordicDave said:
Paint is considered hazmat and I’m guessing the paint stores thinking in terms of airliners. Paint is trucked, and it’s trucked over the mountains at 9000-10,000 feet should be fine in the back of a GA aircraft from an altitude hazard perspective.
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Hazmat rules don’t just apply to airliners.
 
Honey, why is the inside of your airplane covered in paint???

Because I was inverted.
 
NordicDave said:
I wouldn’t hall paint in my plane, nor was I recommending it. Just notating it’s probably truck over an altitude that his plane my be flying at.
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I don’t think altitude is a factor at all, other than reducing the chance of fire.
 
Oldmanb777 said:
Paints are flammable. As such I believe HAZMAT. Even water based paints. So probably not a problem if you don't loose pressurization, or have a flashpoint issue, and probably other things I don't know about. that said, most paint companies can deliver. Could be an option.
Something on the subject of painting. Ever consider the effect on paint drying (or setting up) under low partial pressure conditions. Something to think about next time you paint at high density altitudes. Even worse (just like wind shear) at low humidity.
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I'd love to see you light a can of Latex (water-based) paint on fire... It's pretty non-flammable.
 
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