How to Prep a Used Plastic Bumper for Painting

Products used:
Duplicolor Prep Spray amzn.to/3uQMaDF
Duplicolor Adhesion Promoter amzn.to/3bYEpTJ
Duplicolor Scratch Filler & Primer amzn.to/3dXe0Iy
Duplicolor Sandable Primer amzn.to/3reVJdE
Duplicolor Primer Sealer amzn.to/3cadiFt
Tack Cloths amzn.to/383o52Q
Sand paper variety pack: amzn.to/2NNsPmr
(The above are affiliate links- I may receive a small compensation if you make a purchase. Thanks for supporting the channel!)
Today I'm preparing the surface of this used plastic bumper for paint by sanding and filling in all the chips and scratches. I'll show you what to do and also what not to do, as I made a couple of mistakes and left them in the video to show how to correct them.
In last week's video I dry sanded the hatch door. In this video I wet sanded the bumper, to show the pros and cons of each method.
Here's how the damage happened: • Wife backed into my li...
Here's how I prepped the metal hatch door for paint: • How to Prep Used Metal...
Here's how I painted the parts in my garage with professional results: • How to: Spray Automoti...
I don't have Patreon or ask for donations but you can support the channel with some rad gear from my store: 6thgeargarage.c...
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6thGearGarage

[@charvakkarpe]

I just watched several videos on bumper prep work tonight in preparation for post plastic-welding pre paint shop prep work on a heavily nicked polyurethane bumper. Yours is the first one that's full of useful information, gives explanations and reasoning, doesn't waste time. Really high quality. Like the time you took to make the animation of what happens as filler primer builds up and then gets sanded down. It's a shame that high quality videos like yours have fewer views. I did my part by subscribing and liking this.

[@charvakkarpe]

Oh, like how you said to pre-wash the bumper to remove all dirt so you don't sand it into the surface. Some Australian guy was like, "I wash the bumper, you don't have to, but I've been doing it for 18 years and this is how I do it, your way might work and only the end result matters, but I like to wash my bumper." It's so much quicker and more useful when you straight up tell us: "Wash the bumper before sanding so you don't sand dirt into the bumper."

[@veritas2022]

I've just watched several videos and yours is AMAZING. I love how you include your mistakes so we can learn what not to do as well. Great job man.

[@6thGearGarage]

Thank you so much! A lot of creators leave out the mistakes, but it's important to share those too, as we all make them at some point.

[@bob_frazier]

I start on a bumper tomorrow. Thanks for leaving your mistakes in!!!

[@Aaldaen]

Very timely!! I'm prepping the front bumper cover on my Mini for this exact thing. Thanks!

[@youcanthide004]

Wow man, a lot of information in this video. What a comprehensive tutorial. Most of all I appreciate your integrity by leaving in the minor mistakes you made through the learning process that we all benefited from. Thanks again, my brother what a fantastic job.

[@6thGearGarage]

Thank you! I always leave my mistakes in videos because I think they are the best way to learn.

[@ageanageanic280]

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation covering all aspects.

[@6thGearGarage]

You are welcome!

[@southwest6720]

I did a bumper recently and ddnt apply adhesive promoter so i well be doing it over thanks for the video

[@robtranzen3282]

love this. this give me a chris fix type of vibe video!!!

[@Zerzil1974]

6:53 - LOL ... I love real videos. Great video overall too. great explanations and demos.

[@6thGearGarage]

Thank you! I agree, some videos make the job look easier/faster than it really is.

[@johnblackburn7673]

This is not a criticism you are doing a fabulous job and the video is excellent. My question is why did you not use a suitable filler for the deeper scratches on the plastic bumper? And then finished off with the filler primer.

[@6thGearGarage]

Thanks! The main reason is the scratches were't that deep. Also there were so many areas spread out over the bumper, that the filler primer was fast, being sprayable. I did repair a bumper that had deep scratches before, and used filler on that repair. Here's a link if you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZWzcneLfNaGrqc

[@johnblackburn7673]

@@6thGearGarage Thanjs for that. I have just warched it and it has helped. A very good demonstration.

[@cshephard1982]

This video was great on all fronts thank you!

[@toycoma98]

You can use sprayaway glass cleaner on 1k primer. It is water based not solvent based like the wax and grease remover.

[@wild8757]

A lot of the urethane paints today say right on the can or TDS sheets do not use on 1K primers.

[@wild8757]

Prep solvent is safe on fully cured paints and primers not recently sprayed

[@burman3789]

9:18 has happened with me so many times and I start all over. I use alcohol to wipe the surfaces and it does that, it sometimes even damages the good paint. Is there something other than dx330 arcyli clean that is available in small quantities? 6:22 make sure to shake your primer for 1 minute before applying. Otherwise it blows dust and liquid separately sometimes. Not fun to clean. Ended up using rust oleum wax and grease remover. Works good

[@6thGearGarage]

I have had good luck with Prep All and it's much cheaper than the DX330 amzn.to/31YfrCm

[@purphrt]

What would I use to fill deep flakes ? Ones you filled were relatively small would the same process work for deeper chips?

[@6thGearGarage]

It really depends on the depth. At a certain point, it will be better and faster to use a plastic filler for gouges and scratches.

[@danielaliakseyeu9582]

Did you use only use the filler primer on the imperfections or the entire bumper? Also did you use the primer sealer on the whole bumper?

[@6thGearGarage]

The filler primer was only used in the areas with imperfections, while the primer sealer was used on the entire bumper.

[@danielaliakseyeu9582]

@@6thGearGarage thanks! what different types of sandpaper did you use for this?

[@6thGearGarage]

@@danielaliakseyeu9582 I used a variety of grits. There is a link to the paper I used in the description.

[@danielaliakseyeu9582]

@@6thGearGarage You only used those two primers right? THe primer sealer acts as a primer itself?

[@SynodicDelta]

Great video! Doing my bumpers lately. Prep is nearly done, i have a lot of plastic showing. Is it okay to coat the entire bumper with adhesion promotor after sanding prep?

[@6thGearGarage]

Yes, I have found that adhesion promoter that gets sprayed outside of the bare plastic onto primer or sanded paint is fine.

[@SynodicDelta]

@@6thGearGarage Thanks man! I really appreciate your input

[@nettespankins260]

Good job !!

[@saefhindi6184]

Thanks. Very informative. I was told i can paint after using adhesion promoter primer. If paiting new raw bumper, do you think this is a good idea ?

[@6thGearGarage]

On new plastic I would use adhesion promoter, then grey primer, then color, then clear. The color of the paint may appear darker if painted over black plastic, since the adhesion promoter is clear.

[@weliftnation2418]

When you first started what grid did you used when you started to wet sand the bumper.

[@6thGearGarage]

It was 500 grit, but 400 would have worked as well.

[@veritas2022]

So I spray painted a plastic bumper. Sanded, adhesion promoter, filler primer, sanded and painted. The guy at the auto store I bought the spray paint from said the paint has clear coat in it so there was no need to spray a clear coat on it. I painted the bumper and about 3 days later I placed it on it's face to screw on some parts and some paint was left on the cloth it was laying on. Obviously it is not fully dry. Should I spray some clear coat on it? If so, do I have to wait until it's fully dry to spray the clear coat or can I do it now? Is the paint not being dry this many days after typical?

[@6thGearGarage]

Do you know exactly what type of paint it was? For it not to be dry after 3 days is very odd, unless the coats were extra heavy and the weather was cool. Still seems strange that instead of just being soft, it's wiping off on a cloth. I'd find out what type of paint it was to begin with, research the curing times and recoat window of the paint, and then see if there's a compatible clear to go over it.

[@patrickfitzwater5511]

Found you from a Google search. So far I like what you've done. Do you have anything in mind to remove deeper scratches or gouges, about a 16th deep or more?

[@6thGearGarage]

They make a plastic epoxy that can fill deeper scratches. Be careful if using bondo on plastic bumper covers because it can crack if it flexes too much.

[@patrickfitzwater5511]

@@6thGearGarage yup exactly. I'll have to check out that epoxy

[@E92-x6i]

Best video. Learned a lot thx..

[@flyurway]

Instead of trying to fill all those nicks with spray bomb primer, why not just feather edge them out in the first place and be done with them? How many times did you spray and sand over and over trying to fill them in? And then you said it worked so bad you'll never use it again. Well yeah, you were trying to make it do too much. Then having those nicks filled up with lacquer primer, as soon as your paint solvents hit it it's going to try to shrink back and reveal all your nicks all over again anyway! It's primer, not bondo! Featheredge the nicks out and then prime and be done with it. You're right about that DX 330 though, always been good stuff.

[@6thGearGarage]

That was only the red Sandable primer that clogged the paper easily, the filler primer worked and sanded great. I didn’t have any issues with it shrinking after painting. I used a sealer on top of the primer. I was nervous about applying filler on a plastic bumper that may be twisting and flexing as I move it around and install it and having the filler crack. Is there a filler you recommend for plastic parts that may bend/flex?

[@flyurway]

@@6thGearGarage For years they've made special 2 part epoxies specifically for flexible bumper repairs. I've gotten them even at Walmart. Like a typical epoxy, comes in 2 small tubes on a card, just made specifically for these type repairs.

[@6thGearGarage]

@@flyurway Thanks I will check that out

[@canadiantoque229]

@@6thGearGarage evercoat poly-flex glazing putty works great in my experience

[@JVR_Funwithdesign]

@@canadiantoque229 Poly-flex is good, however it kicks almost immediately which makes it a bit of a pain to use. You can't mix up a large amount of it. A little bit at a time is the key.

[@pace1033]

Do you need to use a guide coat primer like he did or can you just use filler primer

[@6thGearGarage]

Pace the guide coat is only a different color to help see imperfections. You don’t need to do this step if you don’t want to.

[@albertocruz2771]

I have a dark navy blue used bumper and I want to paint it baby blue. Do I need to remove the dark blue paint until I have bare plastic? Or just the clear coat? What grit sandpaper? Thanks

[@6thGearGarage]

No don’t go to bare plastic. Just scuff the old paint, apply primer sealer, then new paint. The video explains the sanding process.

[@mohamedziedguesmi6049]

@@6thGearGarage Please, when should I apply the adhesion promoter if I'm repainting a used bumper that has another color? is it once before the filler primer and again before the primer sealer?

[@6thGearGarage]

@@mohamedziedguesmi6049 Adhesion promoter is only needed to go over bare plastic

[@robertslezak5778]

Why not orbital sander? At least on flat surfaces?

[@6thGearGarage]

I prefer to sand by hand on a surface with so many contours. An orbital will cut quickly on the edges. I get a better feel for the surface if using my hand, but maybe an orbital works better for others.

[@InNoTime3377]

Did you have to sand after spraying the adhesion promotor?

[@6thGearGarage]

No, you should not sand after the adhesion promoter.

[@InNoTime3377]

@@6thGearGarage Ok thank you for the response

[@Davidmtz559]

Do you have to use a prep spray

[@6thGearGarage]

Some kind of degreaser or wax & grease remover needs to be used before primer/paint so the paint will bond well.

[@Davidmtz559]

@@6thGearGarage so I can use any to remove the wax and grease

[@6thGearGarage]

@@Davidmtz559 Yes, but test in a small area first because some are more aggressive than others

[@Davidmtz559]

Can I use dawn soap ?

[@6thGearGarage]

@@Davidmtz559 It's not going to work as well as a true degreaser. I would not us dawn to prep for paint. It will also take much longer to evaporate.

[@andrewbrown1463]

What about stripping it first to get down to bare plastic?

[@6thGearGarage]

You could strip it down completely. I prefer to leave the factory primer in tact because the factory did a great job of bonding the primer to the plastic. Bare Plastic can be tricky to paint.

[@andrewbrown1463]

Excellent point. Thanks. I’m thinking about doing a GTI cover soon. Appreciate the info and video.

[@andrewbrown1463]

Excellent point. Thanks. I’m thinking about doing a GTI cover soon. Appreciate the info and video.

[@andrewbrown1463]

Excellent point. Thanks. I’m thinking about doing a GTI cover soon. Appreciate the info and video.

[@andrewbrown1463]

Excellent point. Thanks. I’m thinking about doing a GTI cover soon. Appreciate the info and video.

[@Cloneufc]

Duplicolor is for the home hobbyist. I've never had any luck with their products. Duplicolor often only holds up for a max of 3 years. I hate that brand.

[@veritas2022]

He said "I ran out of prep spray". Is he talking about the wax and grease remover?

[@6thGearGarage]

Yes the Prep Spray is a wax & grease remover by Duplicolor. Just be careful using it as it can be aggressive on some paints, especially enamels.

[@nowheretosit]

The only thing wrong with this video is that I had to watch it on youtube.

[@ironbeagle1610]

What? Would you prefer it to be a vertical video you watch in 3 parts on TikTok?

[@seananderson4746]

What a shitty useless comment

[@wild8757]

That adhesion promoter should only be used on raw plastic, it actually eats into the plastic a little bit to make it adhere, when you get it on the old paint it will also eat into the paint a little and can cause the paint under your new paint to bubble and wrinkle.

[@6thGearGarage]

I haven't ever experienced that issue, but will keep that in mind. Good to know, thanks!

[@yakkyuu12]

Question: Can you use the adhesion promoter, then let it sit at least ONE day, then begin to paint?? Since its kind of a glue, would it set too much and lose its TACKINESS. thus making the painting of your projects ONE day later -- a fail!!! My plastic project requires I use --acrylic paint on plastic, can the adhesion promoter work with that--its artist level acrylic paints, not oil or solvent based, actually water based! Lastly, IF, I can paint the raw plastic project with acrylics, LET IT CURE then- can I use-------DEFT LACQUER in spray form to SEAL AND add a GREAT shine to it! This probably strange project is actually--- PLASTIC CHESS pieces - that are ALREADY SANDED, very clean and ready for a primer. it has BEEN VERY hard to find a good primer for plastic, that works inn conjunction with ACRYLIC paints and THEN, once cured--- top coated with at least 2 coats of DEFT Lacquer spray form! There are rust oleum products DO say they work on plastic, but they are SOLVENT oil based, I need to use artist ACRYLICS, I can AND have thinned these acrylics MANY times, to put through an airbrush gun--- they work GREAT and do NOT OVER SPRAY, causing loss of DETAILS on specifically-- Plastic chess pieces that DO have MANY small crevices- all kinds of little indentations and places paint could "glob" -- but -- with an airbrush -- that NEVER HAPPENS! BUT-- I have never tried it on plastic, I KNOW Acrylics would have a hard time ADHERING to plastic -- IF I tried using a normal primer, I know I NEED a good Adhesion promoter for PLASTIC! ANY opinion or insight you have as too the ability of "dupli color adhesion promoter" working with acrylics and after curing - being able to handle a LACQUER top coat -- is VERY MUCH appreciated!

[@6thGearGarage]

@@yakkyuu12 the adhesion promoter is actually not tacky at all, just a clear spray. It dries quickly and there is no recoat window that I’m aware of.

[@victorcastro9133]

Which filler primer did you uses? If you don’t mind. Thanks in advanced

[@6thGearGarage]

Victor Castro it was By Duplicolor. I recommend their filler primer but not their sandable primer.

[@KrC_Games]

@@6thGearGarage i want to prepare my bumper to repaint, should i use 180 + 400 + 600 sand paper or 600,400,180? i'm kinda lost after watching tons of videos xd

[@6thGearGarage]

@@KrC_Games The lower the #, the more coarse the grit, so always start with the lowest # and work your way up. That's a pretty big gap from 180 to 400, I would consider going 180, 320, 400, 600. Otherwise you'll be sanding with the 400 grit for a long time to remove the deeper scratches left by the 180.

[@KrC_Games]

@@6thGearGarage thank you for reply! it's my first time i ever will do such thing, so i want to repaint it same color as it is, but it's so bad at the moment, so i i think i need to grit it all to 0 and paint again

[@sleepe361]

Spot putty would have worked for the scuffs.

[@fsu3784]

And…

[@wrlc82]

O H ...!

[@6thGearGarage]

I O!

[@mk696]

All this work for just one bumper cover,

[@6thGearGarage]

@@mk696 yep, exactly why body shops are so expensive 😲

[@gstacks510]

I think you are doing way too much my guy...

[@justinw4110]

First

[@T.J.Caldwell318]

I've had the same problem with that sandable primer clogging up sandpaper.

[@6thGearGarage]

It was definitely the opposite of sandable