Painting Rockets

Applicable to club or personal rockets

Spray Paint

Rustoleum 2-in-1 Paint+Primer has worked fine in the past; generally people use spray paint to paint rockets.

Always wear a P100 respirator when using spray paint! Spray paint can cause serious lung damage, brain damage, cancer, and more.

Environmental conditions matter when it comes to paint. Ideally, paint on a dry day with no wind and a relatively comfortable temperature. If there is wind, paint such that the part is downwind of the can/you. Colder temperatures may mean you will have to wait much longer for paint to dry. Excessive humidity can also affect your finish; try to avoid painting when it is raining or about to rain.

1. Prepare surfaces for painting. For fiberglass parts, this means clean with isopropyl alcohol / water mixture, sand lightly with 100+ grit sandpaper, and then clean off dust with tack cloth or more IPA mixture.

2. Apply a light coat of "primer" (may also be paint+primer). No need to use the same color that your final coat will be, but choose a light primer color if you want a light-colored part.

3. Apply one to two more light coats of primer, waiting about a minute in between each coat. Do not worry about completely covering all spots, but do your best to apply a thin, even coat. Follow the instructions on the can with respect to distance from the part.

4. Wait the required amount of time (usually 24 hours) for the base coat to dry

5. Apply 2-3 coats of the final color you want, about one minute apart. Do your best to avoid spending too long on one spot; it's easy to apply another coat, but it's hard to undo a puddle or run!

6. Wait 24-48 hours for the outer coat to dry

7. Apply 2-3 light coats of clear coat, moving slightly more slowly on the last coat to achieve a glossy finish. The clear coat will protect the paint underneath.