DIY plastic bumper repair and painting

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Do-it-yourself bumper painting requires adherence to certain rules in order for the result to be long-lasting. In this article, we will consider how to properly prepare a plastic bumper, what paints and varnishes to use so that the paint adheres well and does not crack when using the bumper. We will also analyze how the process of creating a structural surface on the bumper is correctly carried out.

So, let's start with the very important process of preparing the bumper for painting.

Consider the different options for the bumpers that you want to paint.

New bumper, not covered with soil

New bumper covered with soil

Here the situation is similar to painting new metal parts covered with primer. It is not known what kind of soil the part was covered with. It is also unknown if the bumper was coated with adhesion promoter prior to application of this primer. It is necessary to conduct a solvent test. If the soil does not dissolve, then it can be prepared for painting by grinding. If the soil dissolves, it is better to remove the soil and prepare the bumper for painting in the same way as a new bumper without soil.

New bumper covered with paint

Such a bumper requires preparation for painting by sanding and degreasing. No adhesion promoter (plastic primer) is required.

Used bumper covered with paint

• It is necessary to carefully examine the used bumper. Is there any damage to it. Even if there is no obvious damage, the paint may have small, barely visible cracks that will be visible after new paint is applied. Any damage must be repaired before painting. If there are small cracks, then the paint in this place of the bumper must be sanded to plastic and primed first with a primer for plastic, and then with a filling acrylic primer. When repairing a plastic bumper, you need to use special elastic fillers (you can read more in the article “Technology of filler and painting of a bumper”).
• If the old paintwork is not damaged, then it must be prepared for the application of the new paint by matting and degreasing. In this case, the adhesion promoter (primer for plastic) does not need to be applied.

Video (click to play).

Unpainted, used plastic bumper

• As in the previous version, the bumper must be checked for damage and repaired, if necessary.
• Painting such bumpers requires thorough washing, since it is not known what agents could be applied to it for protection.
• As in the case of a new unprimed bumper, before painting you need to apply an adhesion promoter (plastic primer), wait a few minutes, then paint.

• There is a special bumper paint, textured coating. It is sold both in cans, for use with a spray gun, and in aerosol cans.
• To obtain a coarse texture, the paint is not thinned and is sprayed through a 1.8 mm nozzle. To achieve a medium texture, thin the paint as directed (usually 25% thinner). The nozzle should be 1.3 mm.To obtain the finest texture, the paint is thinned 50% with thinner. The nozzle size is also 1.3 mm.

• The spray pressure is set at 2.75 bar (it is better to check the instructions). Lower air pressure results in a coarser texture. As the pressure increases, the texture becomes finer.
• Before applying the structure coat, the adhesion promoter (plastic primer) must be applied to the “bare” plastic.
• In total, you need to spray 3-4 thin coats to get the desired textured plastic effect.

Such an additive can be added to a primer or varnish to increase elasticity. Also, it increases the resistance to cracking during deformation and also improves the resistance to chipping. It is necessary to add no more than 30% of the total amount of the product with a hardener to primers, varnishes and two-component paints. It is better to check the percentage of addition on the container of the product. The primer or varnish must first be mixed with the additive, and only then with the hardener. A coating with such an additive will take longer to dry. Can be used when painting plastic bumper. In addition, the additive can be applied to other body parts (hood, fenders) to increase chip resistance. Many people successfully paint bumpers without such an additive, but if you want to paint a bumper, following all OEM recommendations, then such an additive is required.

The process of painting the bumper itself is no different from painting other body panels. You can read more about this in the article “car painting technology”. Also, it is quite possible to paint a plastic bumper with an aerosol can (see the article “painting a car with a spray can”).

The most common way to repair a bumper is painting it. You can do it at a service station, or you can do it yourself. We will tell you how to solve this problem on your own and what you need for this.

You can paint the bumper yourself, saving a lot of money.

Most often, it is required to paint the bumper in the following cases:

1. The most common reason for this procedure is that the car is no longer in the best condition, it is outdated. The age of the vehicle affects the overall paint finish, including the aforementioned unit.
2. The second common problem occurs when collisions and bumper damage - in general, this is the part of the car that suffers the most. But painting will be required if the bumper is not badly broken and it is suitable for this.
3. After buying a brand new car, drivers do not notice the quality of painting on the purchased car. After some time, the paint begins to flake off, which indicates a third reason to paint on your own - negligence in painting at the factory.

Here you will learn how to proceed if a creak is heard when turning the steering wheel.

There are several types of bumper paint:

• Cheap procedure using paint brush... This option is suitable for motorists who do not have a compressor, spray gun at home, money and the desire to take the car to the workshop. This method is better suited for painting small areas rather than completely. The quality of the result of this method is the worst, more suitable for cheap cars.
• Spray painting... Also a simple method, but of a better quality than using a brush. Cash costs for spray paint are also not very high. Ideal for painting small areas of damaged bumper and full-scale painting.
• Painting with high-quality paints using a spray gun... This method is the best, it is used mainly in high-quality auto repair shops.The costs for it will be rather big, but the quality will be at the highest level. It is the most common and well-known method. More suitable for full bumper painting.

In terms of painting the bumper, the preparation of tools and materials plays an important role.

Here's what you need for the work ahead:

• Various degreasers;
• Primer (primer);
• Putty (the presence of fiberglass in it is better);
• "Sandpaper" is used before and after the primer. Markings - 120,220,500,800;
• Grinder, any bar;
• Spray gun (spray gun) or paint can;

We will tell you in stages what you need to do to paint the bumper on your own.

Bumper preparation. It is necessary to clean the bumper from various dirt and tar. For this, ordinary water is useful with some household product, for example, soapy water, or with washing powder - you can think of further. For best results, chemical materials should then be used. White - Spirit or Thinner # 646 is ideal. Dried tar is carefully removed from the bumper - this process is necessary to minimize the likelihood of contamination of the grinding wheel with resin. Further, without much fanaticism, the old coating that has come off the surface is peeled off with a sharp object.

If you do not want the result of painting to please you, try to forget about the rush.

It is better to repeat this procedure until the perfect result, it implies the removal of visible and felt defects.

This is followed by matting, to prepare the bumper before using an acrylic primer, sanding the surface after coarse sandpaper. Used sandpaper with a grain of 240. Absolutely the entire surface of the bumper we grind, using either hands or a grinder. Do not work with the rough sole of the machine, as a result, you may get an uneven edge on the bumper. To avoid such problems, foam rubber is used, which sticks to the sole, holding the circle (a sandwich in the common people).

Further, with the help of a compressor, the entire bumper is blown, while omissions must not be allowed. Using chemical solutions, we degrease the treated area of ​​the bumper and treat it with anti-silicone. The preparation of the bumper is now complete.

1. Acrylic primer. First put on a breathing mask and goggles. Then we process the bumper with several layers of soil on the plastic. During its short drying, we rinse the gun and prepare the consistency from acrylic primer.

We start priming. The application of the primer takes place in stages. Initially, we apply one layer of primer to the surface of the bumper, then several more times to level the wrong places, using drying between processes. Each coat should be applied after matting the previous application.

Fill the bumper already primed with several layers with the final layer. The primer for the last pouring should not be thick, with the help of a solvent you can fix this. When the last layer dries, the coating will not be rough and easier to work with.

1. Grinding the primer. It costs a day to wait for complete drying. If you have a device with infrared heating, it will be done in 3 hours. Waiting all day is a waste of time, which means it is better to purchase the necessary equipment. A huge positive effect of infrared drying is the complete warming up of all layers of the coating.

Next comes the grinding of the soil. A machine, sticks and paper with a fine coating 320-400 will come in handy. When using a developing powder, the result will be better.

When sanding, we remove the bulges, compare the gaps in the putty, make the surface smoother after abrading by 400.

After that, there is a re-priming, followed by processing with 500 abrasive paper, blowing and degreasing.

1. Painting directly. First, the bumper is treated with several layers of pigment, while drying is not forgotten.Perhaps small debris and dust will get to the surface. Then the dry surface should be wiped with interlayer paper. After the varnish is used, a couple of layers are applied and dried. Painting finished.

Remember to take care of your protective equipment before painting.

The process also takes place after the aforementioned procedures. Shake the can thoroughly for at least 3 minutes! Determine the best spray distance and apply layers. Wait about half an hour before applying another coat.

Peculiarities:

• Don't overdo it with a sander!
• Avoid smudges when painting, a thinner layer is better.
• Use a variety of preparations to add to the soil.
• You can't overdo it with the soil, it's not plasticine!
• Perform painting in a ventilated area and wearing a mask.

This video tutorial may also help you:

The price of painting the bumper will depend on:

• Type of painting
• Paint quality
• Bumper condition (full or partial)

Every day in the world there are accidents, various emergencies, after which you need to repaint the bumper, which took the whole blow. With the help of these instructions, the quality of the new bumper is guaranteed.

One of the most frequently broken parts of a car is the front or rear bumper. In modern cars, bumpers are very fragile, so these are the most protruding parts, it is enough to hit lightly into hard snow, chips and cracks already appear. Someone installs kangaroos (kangaroos), which creates protection for the car body, but harms either the driver himself, since such pipes withstand a strong blow and do not crumple, as a result of which the driver receives a blow, or the kangaroo causes severe damage to another car in the event collisions. Therefore, the installation of kangaroos is prohibited.

The bumper has to be painted in the following cases:

• The car has been for many years, although plastic bumpers do not bloom and do not rust like the metal of the body, but over time, paint begins to fly off them in pieces.
• Bumpers suffer the most in collisions. In such a case, they either buy a new one and paint, or restore the old ones, if possible.
• Even having bought a new car, some drivers have noticed that the paint from the bumpers begins to peel off. This is most likely due to non-compliance with the technology when carrying out paintwork or the quality of the paint itself.

Independently, in artisanal conditions, bumpers can be painted in several ways:

• brushes (can be used for invisible areas, because stains are visible);
• a spray can (one of the popular and easy ways to apply paint material);
• spray gun (compressor, hose and paint spray gun required).

In some large enterprises in the automotive industry, there is a method when parts are dipped in a bath of paint. This method is used by manufacturers of expensive cars (Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc.). And, even AvtoVAZ, they say, those cars that were exported to India were painted in this way (dipped in a bath). For the domestic market, vases are painted using the application method.

Work such as painting, tinting the rear window with your own hands does not in any way affect the operation of the engine and other parts, so an inexperienced beginner can do it. It is clear that a beginner should not get involved in the repair of an engine and other complex technical products alone. In order for the result to be of high quality, the technology should be followed and the following materials and tools should be used:

1. Personal protective equipment (PPE). These are gloves, respirator or gas mask, overalls (robe).
2. Degreasing liquids.
3. Primer.
4. Putty. It is desirable that the filler contains fiberglass.
5. Sandpaper. It is necessary to sand with sandpaper before and after the primer work. Sandpaper markings: P120, P180, P220, P500 and P800.
6. Electric sander.
7. Depending on what method you paint, you will need a can or a spray gun.

Painting is not a job that can be done at random, although many people think so. In order for the paint not to fly off afterwards, a certain sequence will be required:

1. Preparatory work.
2. Grinding work.
3. Putty (putty).
4. Primer application.
5. Sanding after priming.
6. And finally, paint application.

• After dismantling, if we paint the old bumper, proceed to a thorough washing with the addition of a cleaning agent (Fairy, Drop, etc.). If there is tar on the surface of the old bumper, which cannot be washed, it must be carefully torn off with either a knife or a chisel.
• After washing and mechanical cleaning of dirt, we use a solvent, preferably WHITE SPIRIT or 646 solvent. Tear off old paint with a spatula. If it does not come off well, then by buying a special remover, for example, VIKA 0.5 l, the process of stripping off old paint, even with an anti-gravel coating, will easily be peeled off. It is necessary to apply this solution with a brush several times, then wait about 10 minutes and it will also be easy to come off with a spatula.
• Such special substances for removing old paint, for example, VIKA or BODI, must be handled with care. Namely, to work in rubber gloves, because it burns the skin and smells terrible.
• After all the old paint has been removed, it is necessary to clean it from the wash with dry rags and, only then, rinse everything with a solvent.

• Some people just use a mechanical method to remove old paint and old primer. But using a drill or screwdriver with an emery nozzle spoils the plastic itself. Therefore, it is better to use chemical agents to remove old paint.
• Whoever wants to use the mechanical method will need a sander. First of all, we grind with coarse-grained sandpaper 120. If there are scratches, smooth them out with a bar, remove all burrs.
• If medium and microcracks are found, you can weld them with an ordinary soldering iron. Large cracks are welded on both sides with elongated electrodes.

• After complete cleaning, degreasing and sanding, they begin to putty. Scratches appear during the sanding process. The putty will fill them in and the surface will become smooth. The putty with added fiberglass has the advantage. Such a putty does not settle and, when it dries, creates a reinforcing layer.
• After the filler is completely dry, sand this layer with 120 sandpaper.
• After passing with sandpaper, again apply a finishing layer of putty. We grind the finishing putty again, but with fine-grained sandpaper, P220. We grind the entire surface either with a grinder or by hand.
• At this stage it is necessary to blow through the entire surface with a compressor and degrease the entire surface. After degreasing, we treat it with anti-silicone. The preparatory work for the application of the primer has been completed.

• We put on a respirator or mask and goggles before priming. We take a primer over the plastic and apply it to the entire surface of the bumper. Typically this primer dries quickly. Therefore, we immediately prepare the spray gun, rinse it from the first primer. We prepare acrylic primer.
• Apply the primer layer by layer, in stages. After applying the first layer, you need to wait until it dries, then apply again, level the wrong surfaces. And so several times. Each subsequent layer is applied as the previous one will become a matte color.
• Apply a finishing coat of primer. If the primer is thick, thin it slightly with solvent.

• After applying the last layer of primer, wait 1 day. If there is a device in the garage that emits infrared rays and heats them up, it can dry out in 3 hours. With the help of such a device, all layers of the primer are dried.
• For sanding, you need a sander and sandpaper P320-P400. After sanding with fine-grained P400, all the unevenness of the primer will be removed.
• It is advisable not to grind from the ends of the bumper with a machine, but to do it by hand. The machine can damage the layers of the primer.
• After sanding, apply the primer again and, after drying, sand with P500 sandpaper. After that, it is necessary to blow off with a compressor and degrease.

• Painting is carried out in several layers.
• If debris gets in, rub the surface with a dry cloth or interlayer paper.
• Next, we apply the varnish, also, in several layers and wait for it to dry either by natural drying or with the help of heaters.

The new bumper also needs to be prepared for painting, especially since new products are covered with various protective oils that must be removed. They may also be partially damaged during the delivery of the goods.

1. Step # 1. We take sandpaper number P800 and start sanding. New products have burrs that need to be cleaned.
2. Step # 2. We degrease the new grinded bumper from the factory transport oil.
3. Step # 3. We start priming with a 2-component acrylic primer. After applying the first layer, wait until it dries. Proceed with the second coat after the first coat is matte. It is recommended for beginners to purchase ready-made diluted soil, since strict proportions must be observed for breeding.
4. Step # 4. We take sandpaper (skin) from P500 to P800 and rub the primed layer. Thanks to this grout, the primer is thoroughly glued to the plastic.
5. Step # 5. Blow off crumbs with a compressor.
6. Step 6. Degrease with solvent.
7. Step 7. Apply booze and paint in layers. Wait 15 minutes between layers.
8. Step 8. Glossy coating.

Quite a popular way of applying paints and varnishes using a spray can. All procedures for preparing a part, etc. are also performed before using the spray can.

Shake a can of paint for at least 3 minutes before use. The paint is also applied in layers. The distance from the spray can to the surface to be painted is selected empirically, usually 20-25 cm. Before applying the second layer, you need to wait about half an hour.

In order to stay satisfied with the work done with your own hands, here are some tips:

• It is necessary to paint in a moderately warm room, where there are no drafts. If there is a draft, there will undoubtedly be sand and dust on the parts to be painted, which will greatly complicate the work.
• Regardless of whether the new bumper needs to be painted or the old one, it must be washed and degreased. If you do not degrease, the fatty film will not adhere firmly to the plastic and very quickly the new paint will crack and burst.
• Degreasing requires wet and dry wipes.
• Do not use a hair dryer to accelerate the drying of the applied layers of primer, paint and varnish. Drying naturally is best.
• Read instructions and recommendations for working with varnish and paint. So, as a rule, contains useful information, especially for beginners.
• If a smudge suddenly appears, then it must be removed. Clean with a moisture-resistant sandpaper and polish this area.

Depending on the geographic location, make and model of the car, the cost differs by region. On average, for 2018 for medium-budget cars, the price of painting is 4-10 thousand.

Restoration of the old bumper. Happy viewing.