Updated info on treating new paint

[bkspero]

Searching the archives for threads on dealing with new paint gave me a fair number of hits, but none newer than 2013 (I apologize in advance if they are there and I missed them in my search). With the development of new products I am wondering if thinking has changed since then. So I am asking for current recommendations.

The subject is a small airplane that I purchased in 2012 and let the old paint die a graceful death while keeping it outside in the New Jersey weather. In January/early February I had it stripped and repainted with Dupont Imron paint. Matterhorn white base with trim in Ward red and Castle tan. These are non-metallic and non-pearl paints, and there is no clear coat. Photo below.

It's about 90 days and the shop says that I can (and should) seal the paint to protect the finish (I already had to have them compound out a stain that was too deep for me to remove from where a temporary fuel leak left blue dye on one of the wheel pants). The plane has only flown in good weather on paved strips. It has been kept in a hangar since the repaint. So except for loose dust the finish is good.

So, with that background, what would you recommend to seal and protect the paint? I was thinking of a waterless wash followed by a polymer sealant. Does that make sense, and, if so, what products are best?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Barry

[Nick Winn]

Re: Updated info on treating new paint

Hi Barry,

Welcome again, & nice looking plane.

First, it wouldn't hurt to contact the manufacturer of the paint used & aircraft for their proper care recommendations. Secondly, yes, a good waterless wash product would work great for maintenance. A good example would be our Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax (old name/same product = Ultimate Wash & Wax Anywhere). This product provides a good amount of cleaning & lubricating ability to remove dirt & grime. Along with quality microfiber towels like our X2020 Supreme Shine Microfiber Towels & good technique, you can safely clean the exterior surfaces without introducing any swirls/scratches. This product also has some of our hydrophobic wax technology as well. This will work to provide added gloss, slickness, & protection.

There are really three main types of protectants we offer you can choose from:

Cleaner Wax: Cleaner waxes are great because they provide mild cleaning, polishing, & wax protection in one easy step. Many users will use these on planes & for daily driver vehicles. Also any situation where a one step application is preferred. If you are trying to obtain the absolute best results, it is better to separate out the cleaning, polishing, & waxing steps. For maintenance of a plane, it might be what you are looking for. More information in our 5 Step Paint Care Cycle Article.

A synthetic based "wax", "protectant", or "sealant" is essentially a man made, polymer based wax. These will provide more protection, durability & longevity than tradtional carnauba based waxes. Examples include Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax, Ultimate Paste Wax, & NXT Tech Wax 2.0. Many users will say they provide just as good of gloss than carnauba based waxes. Many users will say carnauba based waxes provide more gloss on darker colors.

A carnauba based wax or "protectant" is semi-natural based, including carnauba wax which is the natural ingredient. Carnauba Waxes have been used for decades and are known for their good protection, & great gloss.

Whichever you choose, with most all of our protecants, we recommend applying them at least 3 - 4 times a year. With so many variables which affect durability, this ensures you will have even coverage.

Hope this helps! I am sure others will chime in. Feel free to post further questions.

Nick

[bkspero]

Re: Updated info on treating new paint

Thanks, Nick. Hard to tell that it is 41 years old. This model was ahead of its time when it was designed.

I already have a tin of cleaner paste wax and a bottle of liquid cleaner wax. I find I waste less product with paste than liquid, so I will try Ultimate Paste Wax after the waterless wash step for the durability.

This is all based on the belief that 3 month old paint that has never seen rain and which still seems smooth after I clean the dust from an area) doesn't need a clay bar or polish. Just something to clean off the dust (plus a special aviation product to clean oil off the belly), and something to seal and shine the paint.

Thanks again, Barry

[bkspero]

Re: Updated info on treating new paint

Well, I had my first session yesterday and got the top of one wing done in a couple of hours by hand. Washing using the waterless wash was quick and easy. There was nothing stuck to the surface (the plane has been hangared when not flying and hasn't been out in the rain). Mostly I was removing pollen (and was careful to keep the surface wet and the cloth clean).

Polishing with Ultimate Paste Wax was a different story. It was about 75F in the hangar. I applied UPW with a hand applicator to two 4x5 ft sections, and then removed it from the first one using a microfiber towel. Then did a 3rd section, and removed the wax from the 2nd. And so on. I had 2 problems. First, I couldn't tell if I had applied enough product to the surface. If I applied sparingly and looked at the surface at an angle, it seemed like subsequent passes of the pad would remove wax from areas that had a coating from a previous swipe (as if the pad was wiping away the wax). So I started applying more. Doing that, however, led to the second problem...if I applied the wax heavily enough that I could see the whole surface was coated, then it was really hard to remove the dried wax from the surface later on. Simple wiping the surface didn't work. I would wipe, then look at the surface at a low angle to find lots of spots with residual wax, try to rewipe the spots, look again at a low angle to find most of them remained, and on and on like that (the light all comes from the open hangar door, and the only way to see the residual wax is to crouch behind the wing looking low at the surface into the reflected light).

I could use any help you can give me. I am hoping that sparing application is actually ok, and that one wax has been applied to the surface enough remains there even after it looks like I've wiped it away with a subsequent swipe. By the way, since the paint is new and still very shiny on its own, I can't really tell the waxed areas from the unwaxed, so that isn't a good way for me to tell if an area has been uniformly waxed. I could also use guidance on drying time. I did the finger wipe test. Areas where the wax was thinly applied came clean with my finger. Areas where the wax was thicker (and coverage was visibly complete) never came clean with my finger unless I really pressed down hard and did multiple passes. Would more drying make removal of those thick areas easier?

Thanks again in advance for your help. Barry

[Murr1525]

Re: Updated info on treating new paint

Yeah, real thin application is what you want. Thats often why 2 coats is recomended, just in case you miss a spot. If you apply a little too much, I give a light mist of water to help remove from a spray bottle.

For spots that are still just a little smudgy, I find it evens out pretty quick, esp in the sun.

As a little side note, I just did my car with Ult Liquid wax, and had a couple smudges. I then went over it with the new Ultimate Fast Finish for the second coat... and that was amazing. Just spray on a towel and wipe, then wipe with the dry side... seemed to clean up all smudges, left none itself. You might love that, and would be super quick as just wiping....