Painting Helmet

[DeeJ]

Am I ok rubbing down my helmet and spraying it with rattle cans. Will the paint react with fibreglass?

[Bogof]

Am I ok rubbing down my helmet and spraying it with rattle cans. Will the paint react with fibreglass?

 

Not to be recommended at all. Not ever!

Refer to the specific manufacturer for guidance. Use of any solvent based product can compromise the integrity of the helmet.

[rennie]

don't do it!

[Guest]

your helmet is probably now an expensive ornament.. never paint a helmet, if you want a one off, get a professional to do it..

[DeeJ]

your helmet is probably now an expensive ornament.. never paint a helmet, if you want a one off, get a professional to do it..

 

Its just my old open face CHIPS style helmet, its scratched and scuffed now and has some magnolia paint marks because of getting too close to a newly painted wall.

[PhatDad]

But do you intend on wearing it after spraying it. If you want a helmet that may not protect your head because the paint causes the helmet to soften or crack etc then fine, go ahead, kill yourself. If however you want every chance you have to survive an accident then don't do it.

[Guest]

But do you intend on wearing it after spraying it. If you want a helmet that may not protect your head because the paint causes the helmet to soften or crack etc then fine, go ahead, kill yourself. If however you want every chance you have to survive an accident then don't do it.

and if its as scratched and scuffed as you say, then you need a new one anyway...

[Guest]

your helmet is probably now an expensive ornament.. never paint a helmet, if you want a one off, get a professional to do it..

 

Its just my old open face CHIPS style helmet, its scratched and scuffed now and has some magnolia paint marks because of getting too close to a newly painted wall.

 

I do hope your not wearing that when riding

[beefy505]

Some people seem to have gone off on a tangent here, he only asked if the paint would react with the fiberglass, nothing about wearing it or using the helmet after painting.

[beefy505]

Hmm, after looking at it again the wording in the original post does look like it is his only helmet.. Apologies.

[DeeJ]

I've got another helmet aswell, and going to buy a brand new open face next week.

I only wanted to know if it was possible to paint it without any effects

[Pete]

With a plastic shell helmet I wouldn't touch it. Being fibre glass I still wouldn't touch it with spray cans, because of the reasons others have mentioned. If you did want to do it the best thing to do would be to look into what paints work well with fibreglass. There are specific paints so that it won't damage the fibres or resin. If it's an all over colour pigment is normally added to the resin. If there's a design to be added they'd either use special paints or apply a vinyl graphic.

Bear in mind that it will invalidate any warranty left on the helmet, and may also invalidate your insurance, were you to be involved in an accident whilst wearing it.

[blakeatron]

Sorry I am going to go against the grain here - painting a lid is fine as long as it is done properly.

If you were to careful 'scruff' the original finish (NOT REMOVE THE PAINT) then use a decent plastic primer, lightly mist coat a colour and then clearcoat - the original palstic/fibreglass would not actually be touched by the new paint.

And I have a lot of experience in painting before anyone starts BUT personally I would not do it.

[Pete]

Sorry I am going to go against the grain here - painting a lid is fine as long as it is done properly.

If you were to careful 'scruff' the original finish (NOT REMOVE THE PAINT) then use a decent plastic primer, lightly mist coat a colour and then clearcoat - the original palstic/fibreglass would not actually be touched by the new paint.

And I have a lot of experience in painting before anyone starts BUT personally I would not do it.

 

But surely over time the solvents in the paint could (and I'd think would) seep through the underlying original coating?

Either way I think everyone's overall opinion is not to do it! But it's your helmet, and if you've got another one on the way then like Frankie says you could just make it into an ornament.

[blakeatron]

With a 2 pack paint there is a posibility of solvent seperation - but you would be very unlucky for this to happen. However the correct plastic primer will prevent the solvents reaching the original 'skin' of the lid.

A primer is not just a key for paint it is also the first barrier protection.

Rattle cans like they sell in halfrauds are a cellulose based precatalysed paint that dont seperate once applied.

[DeeJ]

Once painted I doubt I will wear it now, just going buy a new one in the colour I want.

[Guest]

Hi everybody!!!

I was a go-kart driver and now i'm illustrator and my wife is lawyer!

From my little experience, about Painting Helmet, there are two point of wiew:

one technic >i work with water-based colours wich give a very high probability that don't reduce the helmet's strenght.

Other kind of colours have major risk.

So it's possible to work on an helmet, but...

one legal> In case of accident (and this you have to consider !!!) an insurance company wiill look after everything for NOT paying, and even if there is a far far probability that it could be related to the helmet... pay attention!!!

My case: when the helmets is done, the owner have to sign a "legal paper" (i don't know how to translate in english -liberatoria-) in wich he declares that perfectly knows that the helmet now is "transformed" into an "art piece" and if he wants to use it like a "traditonal" helmet he can do it at his own risk.

I use painted helmet only in meeting... sometimes also on the streets !

[Guest]

Specialist painters that work with painting helmets know the different types of paints and coatings to use which would not affect the integrity of the material.

Some helmet shells are plastic, others are fibre glass and the underlying paint is also a factor.

If you wish to have your lid painted, go to a specialist. A mate of mine is a specialist bike and lid painter and his creations are a work of art, but he never compromises the integrity of the material. In fact he wears his own creations all the time and I know a few bikers, especially a bike mechanic who has had his own and his girlfriend's lids done by my mate.

He even will tell you whether it is a good idea on a particular lid or not, so if you want yours done, make sure you go to a reputable and specialist painter who will consider the material and advise you accordingly.