DaveB

I am almost ready to cover the Sig Citabria I have been building. I am leaning toward Solartex for covering, however I have never used it before and would appreciate any input from anyone who has experience with the product.

My questions are: Can white Solartex be painted or is it preferable to use another roll of Solatex in the second color. For example, the cabin top and upper fuse sides are yellow and the bottom and lower sides are white. In this case a roll of white and a roll of yellow.

If painting is the best choice, what kind of paint? I have been told latex works well, but I would have to brush it on. I'm thinking about Krylon rattle cans or similar.

Can Monokote be ironed on Solartex? For example, strips of various widths on the wings for trim.

I also am aware that Solartex should be clear coated with poly-urethane.

Any and all input appreciated.

DaveB

aerowoof

it is easy to use can be painted but you can have bleed thru under the masking tape as it is a fabric and the paint will weep thru the weave unless sealed along the edge with a clear.lates works fine but if using glow fuel needs to be fuel proofed with poly u

R8893

My Feedback: (20)

Dave, I have had good luck painting natural solartex with rustoleum rattle cans. Most of the Rustoleums are glow fuel proof. I have had bad luck with Krylon and glow fuel. I have put painted roundels on colored solartex and it stuck. The only reason Solartex needs to be overcoated is to make it easier to clean. Oil and dirt get in the weave of the fabric and over time it starts to look nasty. Other than that the stuff is fuel proof.
Chuck

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Solartex takes most any paint very well. Like aerowoof says, it is a fabric, and is more difficult to mask to avoid bleeding under the tape. Some people say to mask it, then spray a clearcoat of the same paint type to seal the tape, and then paint your color coat. An alternative is to use a liquid mask along with tape and masking paper.

I've used latex and clearcoated it with automotive lacquer, and also clear LustreKote, and got excellent results. Be sure and let the latex fully dry before topcoating it.. You can also use Krylon and Rustoleum on Solartex. remember, every coat of paint or clear is adding weight. On a big plane it's not as much a problem as a small plane.

You'll also like how easy Solartex is to apply, goes around curves very well, stays tight when shrunk. BE SURE TO USE CORRECT HEAT, go by the package recommendations.

DaveB

Thanks for all the responses. Another question if I may; when painting a 2 color scheme, would using a base color e.g. white, and painting the second be preferable than using the natural and painting both colors?

Thanks again,

DaveB

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

If you want your base coat to be white, by all means use white Solartex. Less weight and one less color to apply. Unless I were wanting the natural to show in places (like on a WWI bird), white is the best color to use if you're gonna paint over it.

DaveB

Thanks to all for your inputs. I'll be ordering the Solartex from Balsa USA in the very near future.

DaveB

flipstart

I have used the natural and white solartex, ended up priming and painting whole plane, the priming helps solve the bleed thru if you have a lot of trim and diff colors. Get a roll of the 3M trim tape from a good auto store like NAPA, it works well, blue painters tape is next, but for a high visibility part like a cowl, use the 3M. I have used the rustoleum primer, and latex, or more colored rustoleum, all seems to work well.
My choice now is to use the natural solartex, prime and paint, then overcoat. With natural, all mounting holes, ribs, and etc, show thru, with white, its hidden, just a minor nuisance. Good luck, you will like Solartex.