Roller Coaster Painting Contractor | RayAccess, Inc. 

Proudly Serving Los Angeles, Orange County, and Surrounding Areas

RayAccess is proud to support amusement park owners, ride manufacturers, maintenance teams, and general contractors on roller coaster painting projects. Repainting a roller coaster adds color, vibrancy, and excitement while protecting this complex metal structure from corrosion. Not only does roller coaster painting enhance the park experience but it increases the functional longevity of the ride.

A major concern regarding painting roller coasters is attraction downtime and loss of revenue. Roller coaster painting is a major undertaking, therefore it’s important that the most efficient equipment and contractors are used to perform the job. 

The team at RayAccess is uniquely skilled & equipped with accessing and painting roller coaster rides of all kinds. Since we employ certified industrial rope access technicians, we can minimize downtime and maximize safety (see industrial rope access section below). 

Our crew will fulfill your paint specifications while staying on schedule. Contact RayAccess to help with your next roller coaster painting project. We can support the entire process from conception, renderings, surface preparation, and final coating.

Types of Roller Coasters We Paint:

We repainting old roller coasters and painting new ones. Whether you need a complete repaint for an old-style side friction coaster made of wood and steel or touch up some scratches on a brand new giga coaster that has recently been assembled, RayAccess can help!

For brand new coasters, we collaborate with the ride manufacturer to use the same paint overcoat product used at the manufacturing plant.

Some of the roller coasters our crew is equipped to paint include cyclone, diving coaster, dueling coaster, euro-fighter, floorlessf flying seats, hypercoaster, giga coaster, and freefall.

Common Roller Coaster Painting Challenges: 

Being able to navigate and safely access over 3,000 feet of twisting and turning steel track is no easy feat. Painting crews need to be comfortable working on high platforms as coasters can reach over 300 feet above the ground. That is equal to a 20 story building. 

Weather conditions can vary from working in intense heat to working in much colder conditions. Many roller coasters are painted while the park is closed, one must be able to sustain lower temperatures while working nights or during winter months.

Some roller coaster painting projects require working in tunnels or painting indoor roller coasters, also known as dark rides. Although technicians are equipped with headlamps, working 12-hour shifts in the dark is not for everyone.

Painting while the park is in operation or alongside an inspector requires great focus. Painters need to be focused on the project with great attention to detail instead of being distracted by a busy and loud environment. 

Theme parks are for-profit businesses with high operating costs. For a theme park to maintain profitability the park needs to remain open to the public. If painting a rollercoaster requires the park to be closed, it’s important that the planned duration is achieved.

Industrial Rope Access For Roller Coaster Painting:

Roller coasters are complex metal structures featuring death-defying drops. Perhaps the most challenging part of painting a roller coaster is safely accessing the high areas. Most painting contractors primarily use scaffolding, spider staging baskets, and man lifts. These contractors are missing a safer and more cost-effective access method called industrial rope access.

Industrial rope access has been employed all across the world with over 15 million hours of labor recorded. Perfected by the oil exploration industry, industrial rope access is the preferred method for cleaning and repair. It involves the use of anchors and two-line rope systems to access hard-to-reach areas. RayAccess technicians use industrial rope access equipment and protocols to access the extreme heights of a roller coaster. Rope access can even save up to 40% compared to traditional methods.

Industrial Rope Access is governed by international bodies including SPRAT/IRATA that enforce strict safety procedures. RayAccess employs SPRAT/IRATA certified rope access technicians at level I, II, III accreditation. 

Other Painting Equipment & Tools:

Besides industrial rope access, RayAccess is trained to use the complete spectrum of access equipment. Additional access methods include suspended scaffolding, swing stages, hydraulic man lifts, and ladders. These aforementioned fall-protection methods enable our crew to safely reach and paint virtually any part of an attraction.

RayAccess is also equipped with small tools and supplies to perform the entire painting process. Supplies include: steam cleaners, industrial-grade pressure washers, airless paint sprayers, brush and rollers, respirators, harnesses, PPE, and degreasing & cleaning agents. 

Roller Coaster Regulation:

There are no federal regulations for the investigation or inspection of “fixed-placed amusement rides.” Routine inspections that keep a close eye on general wear and tear including surface film thickness are subject to state and local laws. In California, rides are inspected annually by Cal-OSHA state inspectors.

Choosing the Colors:

For a theme park owner, choosing a noteworthy color palette is an important part of creating a great fan experience. Branding needs to be consistent and colors help support this goal.

RayAccess is proud to support the color selection process. We work with general contractors, park owners, paint manufacturers, providing both renderings and adhesion testing. The same vibrant colors need to be on every part of the ride to demonstrate assurance and brand consistency.

Threats to Color Fading & Paint Chipping:

Millions of people are attracted to theme parks annually, general wear and tear can impact the many surfaces along with environmental conditions.

Coating issues such as paint chipping, peeling, blistering, and delamination must be repaired. Routine cleaning can maximize a ride’s coating life but sometimes the paint selection or application is at fault.  Leading theme park operators curate various paint products based on the surface that needs coating. Regarding application, it’s important that no step is neglected.

The Roller Coaster Painting Process:

The professional way to paint roller coasters requires a 3-step process: pre-paint inspection, surface preparation, and painting. 

Pre-paint Inspection:

A complete inspection of the substrate is required. An adhesion test is performed to determine the requirements for surface preparation and selection of paint system. RayAccess uses drone technology and industrial rope access to visually inspect roller coasters.

Surface Preparation:

Thorough cleaning and removal of grease, dust and loose contaminants should be completed before any paint is applied. To remove old coatings back to bare steel, the surface gets a high-intensity pressure wash up to 4000 psi. Lastly, surfaces that shouldn’t be painted need to be masked from accidental paint dripping or overspray.  

Painting:

Finally, paint is applied which may require several coats including a primer, intermediate, and overcoats. Theme park owners can look forward to many years of protection and brand consistency.

Alternative Services:

• Industrial Painting
• Cell Tower Painting

The RayAccess Difference:

Cross Trade Experience:

Our expertise in cleaning, painting, and inspecting various substrate materials help identify problems including corrosion.  

Less Cost & Disruption:

Oftentimes it is more cost-effective to employ rope access methods compared to the use of scaffolding or spider staging baskets. In addition, rope access is less disruptive than bulky machinery that can block foot traffic. 

High Rated Project Management:

We hire experienced operation managers that provide a high level of communication with all stakeholders. Don’t take our word for it, see what people are saying about RayAccess. 

RayAccess, Inc. provides Amusement Ride Painting Services at the following areas: Los Angeles County (including Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Glendale, Santa Clarita, Burbank, Encino, San Fernando, Pasadena, Culver City, Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, El Segundo, Long Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, City of Commerce).