How to Cover an RC Model Airplane With Canvas

Inspect the entire body of the airplane to ensure the wood is smooth. Sand away any burrs or rough edges with 400-grit sandpaper.

Blow excess wood dust off the frame with an air compressor while gently brushing the wood with a brush. Do not use the air compressor on its full setting, which could be powerful enough to damage the airplane's fine points.

Unroll a section of the canvas-style heat-shrink material and place it on a large table. Set one of the airplane's wings onto the canvas. Measure a distance of two inches out from the wing and cut the film with scissors or a hobby knife.

Plug in a hobby iron and allow it to heat to the proper temperature. The temperature at which you'll set the iron is dependent on the temperature indicated in the heat-shrink material packaging. While every product is slightly different, most canvas-style heat-shrink material requires two different settings on the hobby iron -- one for tacking the cover into place and another for shrinking it. Your first setting on the iron should be for tacking.

Hold the covering against the airplane wing and ensure you have about two inches of excess material on every side. Touch the iron to the covering over the corner of the wing. You'll only need to hold it against the covering for two or three seconds, which provides ample time to tack it into place.

Allow the first tack to cool for several seconds, then gently stretch the covering taught and tack the opposite corner of the wing into place. Continue tacking around the perimeter of the wing, usually with tacks spaced an inch apart. For your initial tacks, secure opposite ends to ensure an even finish. For example, top right corner, bottom left corner, top left corner, then bottom right corner.

Adjust the hobby iron's heat to the shrinking temperature setting, which is higher than the tacking setting. Give it several minutes to reach desired temperature.

Hold the hobby iron one inch away from the wing and slide it along the edges. For this step, you do not need to touch the wing. Once you get the iron close enough, the wrap will shrink and affix to the wing. Shrink the wrap onto the wing around its perimeter.

Slide a hobby sock over the iron. If your hobby iron wasn't sold with a matching hobby sock, you can buy one at any RC airplane store.

Move the covered iron around the wing in a circular pattern. In this step, the iron is placed directly onto the wing and the hobby sock prevents the wrap from burning. It is important, however, to keep the iron moving to avoid heat buildup. Continue moving the iron around the wing until the wrap has successfully tightened.

Cover the remaining body panels of your RC airplane using the same steps.