DA40 Paint Repair

Any DA40 related topics

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Roxi5m9
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DA40 Paint Repair

Post by Roxi5m9 »

Wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge on fixing the coating on a DA40. Mine is a 2004, and if I understand it correctly it has a gel coat, and needs to remain white. I’m looking to refinish the top half of the engine cowl due to a burn mark from polishing (long story, watch out for a traveling nomad paint polisher named Cordell, he DOESN’T know what he’s doing :scream: ), and refinish the wheel fairings that have some scraping on the bottoms of the fairings I’m sure from hard landings (prior to current ownership :D ).

Thanks much in advance to any info you have on doing it properly and shops that do this work. I am located in KY, and would like to stay in this general region, but thanks anyway in advance to folks who have great west coast shop recommendations.
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JohnLand
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by JohnLand »

When i got my wheel fairings repainted last year i just took them to a good local boat repair/ painting shop since they do a lot of fiberglass repair work. They matched the paint color prefectly. Turned out pretty good. Glenn lawler in SC who is a diamond service center also does pretty good paint/composite repair but for me alabama to sc is just too far. Hope this helps
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Lou
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by Lou »

Here is the exact paint spec from Diamond. I used this to repair a scraped wingtip and the result was perfect. The message from Frank at Diamond was:

“Hello, below are the items we use for the aircraft. Paint is a polyurethane base. The small area requiring paint, you could have a panel color matched for the application. Anti static primer is not mandatory for replacement due to the location and small size of the damage. Fillers can be any high quality automotive product as long as they do not contain silicone or teflon. Please let me know if you have any questions.”


Hope this helps. Good luck with your repair.
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Lance Murray
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by Lance Murray »

Boats have a gel coat. Airplanes do not.

Your airplane is painted with anti-static primer and polyurethane paint.
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Roxi5m9
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by Roxi5m9 »

Thanks guys. Awesome info.

Lance, there are so many places on these forums where people reference us having gelcoats. Good to know the actual products before I start treating the plane.

Do you guys use any specific waxes, or has Diamond issued any guidance on this newer than what’s in the POH?
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Lou
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by Lou »

It’s very important not to use a wax with silicone or Teflon and most of them have that. I use Zaino’s wax based on the recommendations of others on this site and it works really well.
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Roxi5m9
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by Roxi5m9 »

JohnLand wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:37 am When i got my wheel fairings repainted last year i just took them to a good local boat repair/ painting shop since they do a lot of fiberglass repair work. They matched the paint color prefectly. Turned out pretty good. Glenn lawler in SC who is a diamond service center also does pretty good paint/composite repair but for me alabama to sc is just too far. Hope this helps
Did they use any type of paint, or the polyurethane paint that diamond specifies? Also, did they put a clear coat on it? A local place I’m trying to use is trying to convince me to clear coat it but I’m apprehensive.
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mdieter
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by mdieter »

For wax I've used Rejex for several years and like it. I even put it on the windshield. http://rejex.com/rejex-high-gloss-finish-that-protects/
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Davestation
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by Davestation »

Roxi5m9 wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2020 4:29 pm Thanks guys. Awesome info.

Lance, there are so many places on these forums where people reference us having gelcoats. Good to know the actual products before I start treating the plane.
I think this is just a lazy assumption being made - since it's a boat hull made into the shape of a plane it must have a gel coat like a boat...

The biggest issue with the paint is that they are base coated like a car, but not clear coated like a car. However, even the nastiest oxidized yellow paint can often come back to looking like new with a thorough compound buff and polish (silver lining).
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caseyayers
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Re: DA40 Paint Repair

Post by caseyayers »

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but figured here was more appropriate than on the flight school DA40 thread that spurred the question: does anyone have a recommendation for a detail shop that does good work bringing old paint back to a nice sheen? I'd be interested in getting a quote on a really proper buff and restoration that might take some years off the look of my paint. I'm located at KCRG (Jax, FL) so anywhere in FL or nearby would be particularly appreciated.

(PS: huge bonus points if there's anyone who buffs/polishes the canopy plexiglass, though I don't know how possible that is... :scratch: )
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