Can Body Filler Bondo Be Applied On Plastic Bumper Covers? Q&A

Can body filler aka Bondo, be used to fill plastic bumper covers? In this Q&A video, I am going to answer this question. I was asked about the links to the plastic repair products. Here they are: Adhesive - amzn.to/2ryCkJ6 Adhesion Promoter - amzn.to/2qViB3i Reinforcement - amzn.to/2qOlN2t
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DIY Auto Body and Paint -
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. It is the responsibility of the viewer to First read the Technical Data Sheet, Material Safety Data Sheet, and any other instructions for each product, tool, or equipment used and to follow the safety recommendations of the manufacturer. DIY Auto Body and Paint assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. There are no warranties or guarantees of the results of the viewer after watching this video. The results will vary according to each individual's talents, knowledge, and skills.

[@johnspartan98]

Bondo is plastic. Fiberglass is fiber reinforced plastic. If you have cracks or a rip in your bumper cover you need to build up and reinforce the backside of the bumper cover first. You can also do it with epoxy resin and some cloth, or use long strand fiber reinforced bondo. If bondo won't stick, then neither will anything else.....The only reason bondo won't stick is if your surface wasn't sanded and cleaned properly or your mixture wasn't right.. You can also use fiberglass drywall tape and regular bondo to reinforce the backside. If you use fiberglass tape, I would suggest doing two layers for added strength. Sanding and cleaning is what makes the repair a good bond. Take the bumper cover off and sand the back side with 80 grit (3 inches minimum on each side of the crack and past where the crack stops). Wipe it down with lacquer thinner, acetone, or naphtha. Tape up the front side of the bumper cover to hold the cracks together and to prevent any repair compound from coming out through the cracks. Use Gorilla tape if you need the extra adhesive strength. Wipe it down with rubbing alcohol before applying material to the backside. Mix up some long strand fiber reinforced bondo and spread it over the cracks on the back side and keep the mixture within the sanded area so it won't lift on you later. Wait 30 minutes for it to harden. Remove tape from the top side. Sand the area with 80 grit, then V grove the cracks. Sand again with 220. Wipe down with same solution as used on back side. Fill the V groves with two part epoxy filler. Let cure, sand with 220. Wipe down. Apply thin coat of regular bondo as needed. Wet sand with 200, 400, then 600. Now you are ready to prime and paint. No matter what materials you use to fix large cracks or torn areas it will never be as flexible as it was.....but who cares....as long as it looks good and stays that way. I repaired my 03 Durango. It had ripped from the back wheel well. The tare was 14 inches long. It was dangling behind the back wheel and looked like hell. I taped it up with some clear packing tape and it lasted through the winter like that until it was warm enough to fix it. I reinforced the back side as noted above, then used regular bondo on the front side. It's been years and still no cracks. Good luck.

[@davesaenz3732]

Your approach was much better. Thank you. I purchase regular Bondo for all surfaces and I am patching up an ABS spoiler. Body shop owner told me to use 80 sand paper, apply Bondo, let it dry smooth it out with 80 grid sand paper again. Then smooth out with 180 for primer. What do you think.

[@chickenricesteak541]

Thank you. I plastic weld the back and I also sand it before. Bondo filler stick to it no issues. I was getting worried cause it came out great lol and about to get it painted soon.

[@johnspartan98]

@@chickenricesteak541 Yes, good call. I learned to plastic weld after I did the above repair....it works great to seam up the cracks. I use a flat tip on my pistol grip soldering gun and it works fin....LOL. My Durango repair is still perfect after 2 years.

[@johnspartan98]

@@davesaenz3732 After the 180, if you use 220 or 240 before priming it would be better. 180 can leave deep scratches that paint won't hide too well. But if you are using a filler primer like Duplicolor you will be ok. If you sand the primer afterwards with 400 and then 600 the finished paint will look smooth. I use wet and dry 400 and 600 and gently wet sand. If you don't have tack cloth for wiping use a soft cloth with a little rubbing alcohol to wipe the part before paining.

[@37069345]

Thanks for the tips!

[@andrewgroves8523]

That answers lots of questions. Even some I didn’t know

[@pmiller6067]

Thanks appreciate the information and the way you explain different options from your own personal knowledge from what your explaining! Many blessings brother truly been learning from your videos!! Thanks You!!!

[@davesage9190]

Excellent. I've always wondered how to deal with plastic bumpers since I want to repaint my '77 corvette bumper and wasn't sure how to deal with it properly.I also followed your link to the video on fixing plastic. Thanks for that. Great stuff. I learned something today.Thanks

[@CarAddictGarage]

Thanks for watching. I have a whole lesson on plastic repair you may be interested in at www.collisionblast.com/2013/04/02/plastic-repair/

[@aznnp77]

Thanks, I've actually never used bondo before. I take that back, I used it once for a dime sized chip and it didn't come out very well at all (I was 16). I recently used this 2 part epoxy wood repair by Elmers that worked pretty well. Considering using that on my rear bumper cover. Wonder if it matters if it's intended to be used for wood.

[@DIYApprentice]

3M 05887 Plastic Repair works great on bumper covers.

[@JosephDR]

Hi Donnie. Great content and thanks for all your help. Your videos have helped me in doing a resto-mod on my '64 VW Bug. Now I have a question: Can I use "rondo" on plastic bumper covers? (For those who don't know, rondo is a mix of resin and body filler. I figure I could since the area I'm using it on is fiberglass. Also, rondo seems to be more flexible than just body filler.) I cut out a section of the bumper and modified the shape using fiberglass cloth and resin. I'm thinking about putting a layer of rondo on it to fill in some areas then sand it smooth. Thanks again!

[@indyme2]

Enjoyed the video. Done well and informative. Thanks.

[@CarAddictGarage]

Thank you for watching!

[@alloutofdonuts3998]

Oil, good to know thanks! I was just about to get some bindi to fill some light scratches and dents in some plastic. I have some JB weld I thought might work. I’ll get some adhesion promoter tho before I do any filling or painting.

[@romellyarde907]

Thanks for this, I have been using plastic filler on very flexible plastic bumpers for almost a year now after noticing regular body applied by previous technician cracking through the paint. I assumed it was ideal since its abit more flexible than the body-filler. Occasionally it wouldn't adhere well to the plastic so I assumed to use the promoter to help and it still peels sometimes. How long must the adhesion promoter be applied before applying body-filler over it?

[@mateynine4230]

Answered every question I had thanks

[@flyurway]

If you're on a sharp curved part of the bumper, that area doesn't flex much as opposed to a large flat area. If you're just using a very thin layer of bondo you'll likely be okay. But on large, flat surfaces that flex a lot when you're going down the road, it would have to be paper thin or I wouldn't count on it staying put. The 2 part fillers really are the way to go. I'm not familiar with using adhesives like you were talking about, I'd rather go with something specific for the purpose. Also, polyurethane bumpers ("PUR" on the stamp on the back), you do NOT need adhesion promoter! I searched all over for the answer and finally got one from a lab tech. His response; "Adhesion promoters are designed for use with polypropylene and contain two things that help paint and fillers adhere to PP, chlorinated polyolefin and a carrier resin. The chlorinated polyolefin modifies the surface energy of PP by freeing up the molecule ends of the PP, which makes it more receptive to paint. The carrier resin allows the CP to spread evenly when applied and also provides a base for the paint to stick to. So when working with PP, this is needed. When working with urethane, the Chlorinated polyolefin has no effect and so the only thing left to help paint to stick is the resin, which doesn't give better adhesion than a good primer. So, while it won't hurt anything to use it, it really doesn't provide any real benefit either. Using it does make a lot of people feel better though because they use the logic, "well, if it makes paint stick to difficult plastics like PP, it MUST give better adhesion to everything else." Which I can assure you, it does not! :-) "

[@asfazrq]

Hello Donnie, I was wondering when I should use to fix a bumper crack on the outside. on the inside I would like to use something like JB weld and dry wall mes to secure it, but what about the outside. It is quite large crack! would like to mask of the hairline of the crack as much as possible.

[@sealisland1]

UPOL makes a filler specifically for plastic and they claim there is no need for ADPRO. It's called 706 and is a great product.

[@ceddiesmallz]

Mjhhhh

[@boyie05haywood5]

Which filler is the best to use on bumpers? Sometimes you apply filler and it crack up back

[@jdmchickkustomz9417]

I have a question.. I'm redesigning and re-painting my bumper covers. I molded in a lip kit and canards. Bodywork was hard but I finally got it done. Used adhesion promoter before I sprayed urethane primer, 400 wet sand now I'm putting base and clear coat. But I painted outside and I got some dirt in it. How do I sand and buff plastic? Im an auto body collision repair student and im still learning. Thanks

[@justinguarino201]

I used short strand fiberglass Bondo to mold my diffuser to my bumper to have a flush look. That is the only thing I could think of that made logical sense 🤷‍♂️

[@classiccars1045]

Thanks for a great video. I cant remember exactly,how long do you let the adhesion promoter flash before you apply filler. I guess I could read the directions. I remember when I was in school,I vaguely remember hearing about spraying a clad coat on before painting a plastic bumper cover for better adhesion. Could you explain that? Thank you

[@CarAddictGarage]

Every product may be a little different, but for most adhesion promoters I've used, they want you to spray a light coat and allow it to flash 5 minutes.

[@LG_CAT_SUS]

Thank u!

[@hillbillydeluxe08]

What's the proper setup to restore a late 70's 1980's urethane bumper? Maybe one with a tear in it and some sun cracking where its dry?

[@mattsvintageshop2925]

I have trick question for you donny lol how to do prep and primer porcelain tub or sink?

[@faYte0607]

Thanks so much for making this video to answer my question! You are full of knowledge! So pretty much, spray adhesive promoter any time I see bare plastic. After i put putty over the plastic and sand it down, I don't need to apply adhesive promoter anymore unless I see bare plastic again right? But then ...... If I see bare plastic after sanding down putty, that indicates I've sanded too much... Which I probably shouldn't do. Sorry for the newb question :p

[@CarAddictGarage]

Correct, if bare plastic use adhesion promoter. Yes, but you may sand through sometimes trying to get it level. Thanks for watching. Here is a lesson on plastic repair you may find useful... www.collisionblast.com/2013/04/02/plastic-repair/

[@TheMrmmkkpro]

Hello , I'm working on a 1990 ZR1, on the rear bumper cover top center some paint has chipped off , what would be best to use to build these places back up? Very thin , just paint thickness , can I use several coats of filler primer ? Or some kind of glaze. I used smc comparable short and long hair filler for deep places but I don't think it will work on plastic or is workable that thin. Thanks great video , really helps out a novice !!👍👍🏁

[@CarAddictGarage]

Here is a video answering your question. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWe9aIutdrKGa5Y

[@Gone_Rogue300]

my carbon fiber hood has been getting torched on my Lexus IS300. I've been wet sanding it with 800 grit, but the clear coat isn't coming off.... so I went to s 240 grit wet sanding it.... can I use my orbit sander on my carbon fiber hood?. to balance and get rid of the cost flakes on it? or just wet Sand down?, thanks

[@reedstralka1606]

You should make a video of you fixing a crack in a bumper with adhesive

[@cosmeticcarrepair]

Hi and thanks for the informative video. I'm a car body repairer from the United Kingdom. I've never heard of Bondo over here so could you please give me an idea of the UK equivalent! Best Regards.

[@CarAddictGarage]

Bondo is a brand name of body filler. Many people here refer to body filler as Bondo. I really don't even like that brand, I like 3M and Evercoat brands much better. Even though 3M now owns the Bondo brand. Thanks for watching and I hope this helps answer your question.

[@matthewsellers82]

Like "Hoover" (UK for vacuum) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bondo_(putty)

[@kyrie1204]

can i put glaze putty to the crack of finish primer coat?

[@MrHanowski]

Do you know of any black colored glazing compound? All I'm finding is red color.

[@chrisbanakis7364]

Thank you for the video. I may have a big problem, and any advice would be great. My urethane (plastic) bumper had embossed lettering in it. (Mustang) And I foolishly used Bondo to fill in the letters. I did not have any problems with adhesion. Everything stuck just fine. Then I sanded, primed, sanded, primed, etc. It's finally perfect, and I am about to get my car painted. But now I've learned that Bondo doesn't work on plastic. Am I screwed? I am now terrified that I'm gonna spend a ton of money on a paintjob, and then those fillings covering the letters will just fall out one day. Assuming the worst, do you have any advice on how to get the Bondo out now? Thanks

[@charleennicholson6280]

Whatever happened with this?

[@chrisbanakis7364]

@@charleennicholson6280 , I ended up getting it painted as-is. I haven't drove the car a whole lot since then, but so far so good.

[@capableman4277]

can you bondo "Starbord" plastic? nothing sticks to this material!

[@wildestcowboy2668]

I used caulk three years ago and it's still holding up well.....

[@Heavy69Metal]

I have NYB Polymer product I want to fill holes up. Can I with bondo

[@chickenricesteak541]

Crap I used bondo filler on my cracked bumper lol and it worked.

[@dreezyfranklin]

need help what would you recommend? I want to mold fiber glass fenders flares onto a abs plastic fender ? is there any way I can blend these two together so that it looks flush after I bolt them on? much help neeeded

[@tylerclevenger4163]

I have a devilbiss flg5 gun that is having an issue. It is having a hard time spraying material out. The fan is very narrow now and cannot adjust it. After trying to shoot clear I saw little clumps inside the air cap as if the clear is gumming up. I've even tried over reducing the clear. My other gun does not seem to have this issue. What do you know about rebuild kits and is that a viable option? Any tips for installing one? Thanks!

[@someplebfr]

I'm not KZbin, quit calling me that.

[@jaggass]

What is your views on body leading?

[@CarAddictGarage]

I works well on older thicker metals. It take more skill and time, but works well if you're good at leading. I've done a little leading, but not enough to master the technique.

[@MrJdsenior]

Of course, it just won't work worth a DAMN if you mean regular Bondo panel filler, as it is not even remotely flexible enough. 3M and others make systems with two part fillers that cure to an extremely flexible material to do this job right. They also make back side systems to do small repairs, maintaining some reasonable strength.

[@Mr2pint]

What's bondo is it any body filler made of polyurethane?

[@CarAddictGarage]

Yes, Bondo is actually just a brand name. I think they were the first company to make it and people have many people refer to all filler by Bondo, mud, etc. Most body fillers are polyester, I'm not sure if there is any made from polyurethane or not.

[@Mr2pint]

The Garage Butler thanks

[@GhostNovaa]

How long does body filler lasted?

[@CarAddictGarage]

If applied correctly it will last a long time....years.

[@crxkid16]

If applied correctly it’s a permanent repair. If applied incorrectly (too much, poor prep, etc) the. It will last a few years at best. I have seen terrible Bondo jobs take 3-5 years before they start to look really haggard such as bubbling or sections of body work being rejected by the body, separation under the paint and what not. But if you use filler for what it was intended for... to perfect a surface not to create a surface then it will last forever. 1/8th inch thick or less will be a lasting repair, anything over and it wil eventually separate.

[@hotcheetos2709]

links to amazon to the plastics products please

[@CarAddictGarage]

Here are the links for plastic repair adhesives. 3M Flexible Parts Repair Reinforcement Backing Material Adhesion Promoter

[@CarAddictGarage]

The links did not work on the comment, but I am adding them in the video description.

[@rainbosprinkles6548]

I know Im late to the party, but for any future viewers, the U-Pol 7061 plastic repair is great. No gun or special applicator. Mix and use just like any body filler. Snads and feathers out great. Love the stuff.

[@LiveInTheNow247]

A 3M video has an instructor using some lightweight filler to fix a bumper and never mentioned no adhesive as a filler.

[@CarAddictGarage]

Here is a video answering your question. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWe9aIutdrKGa5Y

[@The88katana600]

was here

[@CarAddictGarage]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@inspireonex]

0:00 - 6:06 No. Freaking no!