Painting Plastic Interior Trim Parts

Bonchie

Bonchie

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Bonchie
We are replacing some broken plastic pieces in the 182 and are talking about repainting all of it, as the older stuff is badly discolored but otherwise not cracked or brittle. From what I understand, the FAA is fairly lax about interior upgrades as long as there are no structural changes (and you have a burn cert for fabrics).

I tried googling and didn't find much in the way of resources specifically dealing with interior painting (plenty dealing with exterior). Can you just spray the plastics and seal them with whatever you want, or are there required types of paint to be used?

I'm sure homebuilders would have the most personal experience with this stuff, so please chime in.
 
Clean the parts very well. I used Comet cleanser which is slightly abrasive. Clean, clean clean, rinse rinse and dry well. Then Rustoleum, as mentioned earlier. Let dry longer than on the can, overnight is best for good adhesion. Did mine almost 20 yrs ago, still looks great.
 
The best paint for plane plastics is lacquer. It's naturally UV protected and spray on very easily with Harbor Freight's cheapest small sprayer. Super pro finish. Stay away from rattle cans, though that's what everyone does.
 
Do it right and use the SEM products.

I've used this stuff and it works better than anything else. It's designed to fuse right to the plastic and becomes part of it so it doesn't flake off like so many other paints will. The process involves getting the part clean (you wouldn't believe the scum interiors collect, most of it skin oils and so on) and the loose dust that is degraded plastic from the part. Primers soften the surface so that the paint bonds tightly with it and never lets go. Nothing worse than an interior with paint peeling off.
 
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I did my 150 interior with Rustoleum and it looks great. Took a few tries to find a color and sheen I liked. I cleaned them with a good cleaner and scuffed them with a scotchbrite pad.
 
Regular old Krylon works better than Krylon's plastics paint from my personal testing prior to painting a new Plane Plastics interior.
 
Save you money, the cheap Walmart paint works really good on Cessna plastic.
 
I just recently completed the refurbish of my Mooney's interior, including patching cracked plastic panels, re-painting, redo the edge trim and installed with all new sheet metal screws. I also replaced the carpet and replaced the seat cover from fabric to Vinyl leather, as well as replace some side windows. It took me about 3 months ( less than 10 weekends) including took them off, planning, waiting on goods, patching and painting plastics and installation.

Bruce Jaeger from jaegeraviation.com helped me greatly. Without his help and some of his unique products, I don't think I would be able to successfully accomplished all by myself. He answered all my questions from numerous emails tirelessly (even if you don't order his product). So feel free to give him a call and emails.

I used some of his unique products that I was not able to find anywhere else (and reasonable priced):
(1) silicon edge trim and adhesive -- very beautiful and replace my old, stiff edge trims.
(2) color match painted sheet metal screws -- I use them around the windows.
(3) Mooney ceiling vent louver rebuild kits -- without that, my project will be a total failure since I broken them when I removed the headliner and no one else sells any replacement parts.
(4) Thick 3M alumina tapes and plastic panel patch pieces -- I used them to repair cracks and reinforce the weak area of the plastic panels.
(5) His repair instruction tips PDF (free)

He has other stuffs beside what I've used. Please see his web page and talk to him.

Here is some of my essential repair and painting steps and products that I use.
Clean up plastics:
Remove side padding for upholstery wrap leather. (Mooney has side paddings glue on top of plastic panels)
Scrapping the old glue.
Clean up the remaining glue and dust using 3M 38983 and the following.

Use the following 2 from Aircraft Spruce
Qty Ship B/O Item Unit Price Total Price
1 0 1 09-03575 SEM VINYL PREP 16 OZ AEROSOL 17.850 17.85
1 0 1 09-03588 SEM AEROSPACE SOAP 15 OZ 16.500 16.50

Repair Plastic Panels:
Repair with 3M thick alumina tape (and plastic plates if needed, all purchased from Bruce), reinforce the back of weak area by applying 3M EzSand or USC Flexible Glaze, surface fixed with smearing USC Flexible Glaze, then light sanding after dry. Note that 3M EzSand is a flexible epoxy for bumper repairing (also recommended by Bruce). But I found the USC Garage Flexible Glaze is a better product because it's color is almost white (instead of EzSand dark-grey), and it is much cheaper and much easier to mix. This is the latest epoxy technology for plastic bumper repairs. I believe Bruce now will recommend this one instead of 3M EzSand after read my feedback to him and trial himself.
USC Garage bumper repair instruction video

Parts:
USC Garage Flexible Glaze can be purchased from many online auto-paint stores. About $15 a bag. You won't need more than 2 bags.
3M EzSand price is vary greatly. I purchased 650ml from eBay for only $30 (normally over $100)
Epoxy mixing board - I found the following mixing broad the best one. Clean Sheets Superior Mixing Pad (12x12) - 100 Disposable Sheets For Toughest Job Sold by: MetaRetail (Amazon)
Epoxy Mixing stick: Local Ace Hardware (plastic sticks in a bag 20 for $3.
Flexible Epoxy blazes: you may or may not need them. You can get them from Amazon.
Silicon or Vinyl gloves from Harborfrieght

Painting:
  1. Clean the surface before paint
  2. Bulldog adhesion promoter -- base primer (see instruction on the cane... I start spray the SEM paint 7 minutes after apply promoter)
  3. Apply SEM 39853 (video) (texture or Dupli-Color TSP100 Grey and White Trunk Paint.. https://www.ss396.com/ x2 ) This is for adding texture needed after surface repair because after sanding, the surface of the repaired area is smooth. I have to redo the texture of the entire area. I used Dupli-Color TSP100 (recommended by Bruce) because SEM39853 is black color. According to Bruce, it will be very hard to cover it up.
  4. Dry and sand (pattern table in video) - (skipped sanding in my case)
  5. Apply SEM Super White 15103 (JB Tools x 6 ). Note that Super White is not really white-white but vanilla color (similar to what the original color of my panel)
  6. Protective coat - Dupli-Color HWP106 Wheel Matte Clearcoat. -- for UV protection. It can be optional.
Silicon or Vinyl gloves, from Harborfrieght
Bench Brush from Harborfreight for cleaning (also used pressure air)
P95 Maintenance-Free Dual Cartridge Respirator from Harborfreight.
Mask tapes and work paper roll from HomeDepot

Old Panel Installation Tips:
Get the 2 thinnest drill bit, such as the #6 screws' guide drill bit 7/64 or less. Hold the panel on to the fuselage while use the thinnest drill bit to poke into the existing screw hole on the plastic and find the underlying hole on the fuselage. Once found it, keep the drill bit there and use another drill bit do the same thing on the other side of panel until both are aligned. Now you have easy time to put all the screws into each hole using a electric screwdriver. BE VERY CAREFUL, NOT tight it up too much or it can crack the plastic. I use the electric driver to tight each screw to 90%, then tight it by hand using regular screwdriver.
Screws, donut washers for plastic purchased from Aircraftspruce. I later on found them also at Ace hardware, much cheaper.
Painted screws from Jaeger Aviation (Bruce). Those are specially made and imported from Taiwan.

Carpet
Remove old carpet and need plastic scrapping the remaining glue using Scraper with plastic blades (Amazon), and 3M 38983 adhesive remover.
When put on the new carpet, I use 3M High Strength 90 Spray Adhesive (from HomeDepot) to glue the carpet
Carpet: I got it from https://www.airtexinteriors.com/catalogue/carpets.php Airtex Interios
Plastic scraper: I got it from Amazon. -- 2 Pack Razor Blade Scrapers + 100 Pack Plastic Replacement Blades Stickers Decals Paint Labels Scraper Removal Tool for Auto Window Glass Tint Vinyl Tool NO Scratched

Side Window
I ordered from http://www.glapinc.com Note that windshield can only be installed by a A&P.​

Seat
Replace with Vinyl leather using local automobile upholstery shop. The certified material can be purchased from a online shop or, if you elect to use the materials from a local shop, You can get an instructions from Bruce of how to send to a burn test agency in order to pass FAA requirements.​

The above is a simplified version of my refurbish log. I hope this helps.
 
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Dupicolor fabric and vinyl paint is fantastic, its like a dye so far any vinyl I've done it becomes part of it, doesn't flake off. Not so impressed on fabric but vinyl and trim pieces, yes!
 
So should us certified owners.. Napa aviation has what you need...
 
On a related note, if plastic has warped (glare shield), can it be reshaped, maybe using a heat gun?
 
Wow,
Lots of fantastic information in this thread. Thank you from a new member.
 
Thanks for such a detailed post! Ripping out the yellowed interior of my 1980 piper warrior so your post is gold!
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
On a related note, if plastic has warped (glare shield), can it be reshaped, maybe using a heat gun?
Click to expand...

Yes! I did some signficant straightening on a '77 mooney glareshield that had drooped and warped something fierce.

A couple of notes -- keep the gun moving. The line between "it's not moving yet", "it's pliable", "it's melting!" and "uh oh, it's smoking!" is very narrow!]

Have a flat surface set up, with some spatulas or spackle tools to flatten it out once it's soft. It will cool quickly, so this may need to be repeated.

Also, you will potentially lose some grain definition. This can be restored and texture brought back with some Bruce Jaeger magic (see above) spatter paint.

It's not perfect, but it's far better than it was.

BTW, had come cracking on mine, which I repaired with some flexible bumper epoxy fill.
 
ElPaso Pilot said:
BTW, had come cracking on mine, which I repaired with some flexible bumper epoxy fill.
Click to expand...
That interior stuff is ABS. Same as that black drain pipe in your house. The stuff to glue it is the yellow ABS solvent cement. It fuses it nicely. You can use a bit of fiberglass cloth on the backside to strengthen it. Lay it on with the weave at 45 degrees to the crack so all the fibers are at work. Brush the cement onto the glass.

Nothing else sticks in any worthwhile way. Not even epoxy.
 
Dan Thomas said:
That interior stuff is ABS. Same as that black drain pipe in your house. The stuff to glue it is the yellow ABS solvent cement. It fuses it nicely. You can use a bit of fiberglass cloth on the backside to strengthen it. Lay it on with the weave at 45 degrees to the crack so all the fibers are at work. Brush the cement onto the glass.

Nothing else sticks in any worthwhile way. Not even epoxy.
Click to expand...

I agree -- and on the thin plastic vac-formed stuff that's exactly what I did.

The glareshield is really thick ABS, and I was more interested in cosmetically filling defects on a piece that was structurally sound, with a material that would still be somewhat flexible. For gluing together broken bits with butt joints, epoxy wont work.
 
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