Best paint for painting helmets?

[Jdmtuner13]

Have researched and there’s a lot of kinds being used. Automotive, appliance white. Ect. What’s the consensus on the best paint and color to use? Also does everyone clear coat aswell? 

[Dart]

It really all depends on your climate. You're in Florida, so you're gonna have no major issues, but I'm guessing humidity may be an issue.

Automotive paints generally do a better job but they take much longer to dry and cure and are also more sensitive to humidity.

Considering the scouts in the movie had glossy white helmets, you're gonna want a glossy white paint.

Also make sure you use a good primer coat to make sure the paint sticks and has a proper base coating to ensure you get a more even colour.

You can do a clear coat, just make sure you're using a brand that's compatible with your white coat and make sure your paint is fully dried/cured.

I'm in the process of this myself but I think I'll probably see if I can get my bucket painted at a shop, but that's mostly because where I live, it's just too cold right now to paint and I also don't have anywhere to actually do it.

[Jdmtuner13]

7 minutes ago, Dart said:

It really all depends on your climate. You're in Florida, so you're gonna have no major issues, but I'm guessing humidity may be an issue.

Automotive paints generally do a better job but they take much longer to dry and cure and are also more sensitive to humidity.

Considering the scouts in the movie had glossy white helmets, you're gonna want a glossy white paint.

Also make sure you use a good primer coat to make sure the paint sticks and has a proper base coating to ensure you get a more even colour.

You can do a clear coat, just make sure you're using a brand that's compatible with your white coat and make sure your paint is fully dried/cured.

I'm in the process of this myself but I think I'll probably see if I can get my bucket painted at a shop, but that's mostly because where I live, it's just too cold right now to paint and I also don't have anywhere to actually do it.

I was also thinking of a shop once I’m done with sanding and primer. Haven’t looked into it but I don’t think the cost would be crazy. Just fitting into there schedule for such a small piece might be the issue.

[Chopper]

I used rustoleum painter's touch 2x ultra cover on my RS helmet. Flat white for primer and gloss white for finishing coats.

If you want to do weathering, I used tamiya matte black spray cans. The spray is finer and closer to an air brush, which is the effect you're looking for. 

As Dart said, start with a flat primer and wet sand any imperfections. After you've finished with the primer, clean it and make sure it's thoroughly dry before adding any additional coats. 

Spray paint can be finicky wrt temp and humidity, so check the instructions. 

Pro tip -- go ahead a get one of those  plastic spray handles to attach to the rattle cans. It helps with laying down even coats. I also built a lazy susan spray stand, so I could rotate the helmet while painting. 

Clear coat can yellow over time, so I opted not to use it on my helmet. 

[Jdmtuner13]

6 minutes ago, Chopper said:

I used rustoleum painter's touch 2x ultra cover on my RS helmet. Flat white for primer and gloss white for finishing coats.

If you want to do weathering, I used tamiya matte black spray cans. The spray is finer and closer to an air brush, which is the effect you're looking for. 

As Dart said, start with a flat primer and wet sand any imperfections. After you've finished with the primer, clean it and make sure it's thoroughly dry before adding any additional coats. 

Spray paint can be finicky wrt temp and humidity, so check the instructions. 

Pro tip -- go ahead a get one of those  plastic spray handles to attach to the rattle cans. It helps with laying down even coats. I also built a lazy susan spray stand, so I could rotate the helmet while painting. 

Clear coat can yellow over time, so I opted not to use it on my helmet. 

Great suggestions there chopper. I like the idea of the lazy Susan a lot. 

[greenyone]

Most rattle can paints perform just fine if you follow the suggested instructions on temperature, re-coat times and etc.  You may want to consider testing some different brands and shades of white to find one that most closely mimics the shade of your armor.  I used a Krylon gloss white over white primer on mine.  It is ever so slightly more yellow than my SC armor.  I'm probably the only one who would ever notice such a minor difference, but if you're the OCD type you may want to do some test spray outs and compare the different paints to your armor.