Excitement mounts as we progress in our building or restoration journey. We see the machine coming together. We visualize that first flight. We go to sleep at night and take off into the landscape, rising higher and watching the fields, roads, and houses under us getting smaller as the sky gets bluer. The incarnation of our dream is here, just as we planned.

The details unfold in the workshop. We know the hours are long and that there will be surprises along the way. We’re ready.

We also know that we have some important choices to make outsourcing some of the specialty jobs. These can include avionics and panel wiring, engine hookups, welding, upholstery, and painting.

Some builders love the detail and challenges and want to do it all. Some builders would rather pay someone else to do the complex jobs and get in the air faster.

Should you paint the airplane yourself? Here are the pros and cons.

Why You Should

It’s part of the building experience. If you love the intricacies of building and love following directions, all the jobs completing your aircraft are within reach. You may need to borrow some equipment, get training, and practice. If learning new things excites you and you have plenty of perseverance, then painting your airplane can be the capstone of your project.

You’ll save money. Paying a professional to paint your airplane is expensive. Even if you have to rent a booth and equipment, you’ll save money in labor. My first airplane was composite construction. Filling the pinholes alone was a major accomplishment. One builder’s group blog post said, “When you’re up to the point of filling your fiberglass pinholes, you will have completed 20 percent of the build.” I thought seriously about applying the final finish but didn’t get the nerve until my second airplane.

You can design and execute any scheme you want. It’s all yours. You know exactly what the scheme should look like. You can adjust and make changes right up until you fire up the paint gun.

You’re in training for your next project. Obviously serial builders love the tools, the accomplishment, and the details. If this describes you, painting your aircraft will train you to paint the next one.

Why You Shouldn’t

It may be a much bigger undertaking than you thought. As I was filling the pinholes on my first project, I thought I could paint the airplane. Then I talked to the pros at the airport. They were helpful, but when their questions flew over my head (“Which HPLV gun are you getting?”), I began to have doubts. As I watched them paint from outside the small misted window of the booth, I realized I would be in over my head.

You may end up spending as much or more money than paying a pro. Redo’s are a part of building. Usually they are small, without a lot of backtracking. But they can be big. It’s not always because of inexperience either. Last week in the restoration shop, we finished the final coat of wing paint when we realized the color was slightly different. We couldn’t see the difference until we had the wings side by side. The paint supplier had mixed it incorrectly in the second can. It ended up being an expensive and time-consuming correction.

The quality of the final product will affect resale value. If you think you will sell your airplane at some point, think about the resale conditions. The buyer will want something that is flawless. While you don’t mind the runs on the belly of the fuselage, it may bring down the price on resale.

It may delay your project at a time when you really want to get in the air. You have already discovered that things take longer than they are supposed to. Painting the airplane is detail intensive and time-consuming, and you may face do-overs. This is not the time to get anxious about getting in the air.

Are you working on a certified aircraft restoration? The FAA says you need supervision from an A&P mechanic if you perform any disassembly/reassembly (think control surfaces). Plan this out before you begin.

If the Answer Is Yes

If you decide painting is for you, consider these tips.

The type of airplane is a factor. A single-place tube and fabric ultralight will be small on fuselage area and big on wing area. This may make it easier to paint. If it’s a composite low-wing two-place, prep for paint will be labor intensive. Check in with the builder’s group for advice on the size of the job. Your EAA technical counselor can also weigh in, helping you determine where to get training and tools for painting.

If you’re restoring a certificated airplane, you’ll be working under the eye of a supervising A&P mechanic. They will be able to advise you on methods, materials, and finding or setting up a booth for the final coats.

It’s not just the painting; it’s the preparation. You already know this. If you’ve delighted in painting a room in your home, spending 70 percent of the job time sanding, repairing, and masking, then you’re perfect for painting your airplane. Just triple the preparation factors. While others may not walk into your painted room, many people will see your airplane.

Although you can make your own temporary paint booth (see the links at EAA.org/Extras), or even paint small parts outside in the shade if the windsock is limp, you would be better served to rent space and time in an industrial paint booth where air is controlled, lighting is great, and dust is filtered out. It’s discouraging to get through painting a part and then see that grit and debris got into it.

What are you painting? While fabric systems may be more forgiving on repairs and redo projects, composites can be more demanding. Understand that the systems you use for each material are different. For example, coatings for fabric have flex agents built in. If you use a paint designed for metal on fabric, it may develop cracks. Color choices are also important.

Material types (fabric, composite, aluminum) will have recommended paint systems so the chemicals are matched for the best possible surface adhesion and finish. You should follow the recommendations the aircraft manufacturer gives you. An example is Poly Fiber or Ceconite systems for fabric aircraft. You can use either one but do not mix between them since they are chemically different (the fabric itself is the same).

How much do you care about a perfect finish? If you’re comfortable with some orange peel and some runs, others are unlikely to see them as they look at the beauty of a finished and flying aircraft. If these things bother you, then think about getting more training or getting help on final coats.

Consider your tools. The quality of the spray gun and the nozzle you use are critical. Reading and following all directions that come with the paint and tools is also critical.

Technique can only be acquired through practice. I recommend reading both of Ron Alexander’s articles on painting via EAA.org/Extras. They are dated, but they are still accurate and informative. Using this knowledge, you can find a facility for practice and training.

If the Answer Is No

Take the time to find the right pro. Check with others on your airport and surrounding areas. It’s also possible to talk an automotive paint shop into painting the parts and pieces of your airplane. The caveat is finding out if it will use the system you specify, exactly how it will apply the coatings, and how many. Cars and trucks can be heavy with shiny coats of paint, and it doesn’t matter. Every ounce matters on your airplane. Also, be Bondo wary. Supply them with the filler recommended in the system.

If you take your airplane to an automotive shop, caution it on how to hang the parts for spray. When my first airplane was in the shop, I visited and was shocked to see the wing spars leveraged horizontally with bolts through the spar pin holes. Fortunately, the painters had just finished hanging them this way, and I was able to run in shouting hysterically. No damage was done, but this could have split the fiberglass spars since they are engineered to be mated vertically for wing loading. It also could have ruined the spar pin fit.

Get a clear price and written contract. At a time when excitement levels are high, you may be so delighted to find a good pro that you slide past the details. Don’t. Get everything in writing.

Alternatives for builders. You do not have to be conventional in your choices. I won’t go into the technical or legal aspects here, but if you want to roll latex on to your homebuilt, or use an already colorized pull-on cover, there are systems and instructions for both. I would make sure the kit manufacturer and your designated airworthiness representative are happy with your plan first.

Whatever you decide, realize that preparation, following directions, and using the right space and tools will make the difference between a mediocre and a quality finish. If you decide to have a professional painter do the job, know that you thought it all through and made the right decision for you. People won’t ask you if you painted the airplane; they’ll ask you if you built it. Yes!

Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911, is a manufacturing engineer, A&P mechanic, EAA technical counselor and flight advisor, and former designated airworthiness representative. She built and flew a Pulsar XP and Kolb Mark III, and is researching her next homebuilt project. Lisa’s third book, Dream Take Flight, details her Pulsar flying adventures and life lessons. Write Lisa at Lisa@DreamTakeFlight.com and learn more at DreamTakeFlight.com.