how to prep plastic aftermarket bumper for paint???

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 4:20 pm
I have a 2008 cadillac cts aftermarket front bumper that was prepped wrong the first time so paint started flaking off, im trying to repaint it and keep it from flaking in the future. im not a 100 percent on how to do this but i have a general idea, i would like to know what are the best products to ensure the bumpers paint dosent flake off again and the proper steps on how to prep bumper??? first i was gonna wash bumper with dawn dish soap and water then let dry then spray Aqua Scat 2 on bumper and immediately wipe off, next im gonna sand all the old paint off using 220 for hard parts and 400 for nooks and crannies, i wasnt sure what to do exactly next but i what ive learned is to spray adhesion promoter, epoxy, and 2K filler primer. what are the best products to use on plastic bumper to ensure a proper finish? what grit do i need to sand bumper before spraying adhesion promoter??
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 2:04 am
johndoe123 wrote:I have a 2008 cadillac cts aftermarket front bumper that was prepped wrong the first time so paint started flaking off, im trying to repaint it and keep it from flaking in the future. im not a 100 percent on how to do this but i have a general idea, i would like to know what are the best products to ensure the bumpers paint dosent flake off again and the proper steps on how to prep bumper??? first i was gonna wash bumper with dawn dish soap and water then let dry then spray Aqua Scat 2 on bumper and immediately wipe off, next im gonna sand all the old paint off using 220 for hard parts and 400 for nooks and crannies, i wasnt sure what to do exactly next but i what ive learned is to spray adhesion promoter, epoxy, and 2K filler primer. what are the best products to use on plastic bumper to ensure a proper finish? what grit do i need to sand bumper before spraying adhesion promoter??


First off, i wouldn't bother washing it. Unless it's absolutely caked in mud, it's a waste of time and energy.
Sand the whole thing with 220. From the looks of it, it's been blended before, and done poorly. But you may aswell you start from scratch over the whole bumper.
Feather out the flaky and chipped paint.
Now you can wipe it down with wax and grease remover. Remember, wipe on, wipe off with a second clean cloth.
Spray the bare plastic parts with an adhesion promoter, you don't need to spray this over the primer or paint, just the bare plastic areas.
High fill prime the whole bumper, and leave for a day to properly cure.
Being a metallic silver, you'll want to sand the primer with 600 grit wet. It's up to you if you block it or not, personally i wouldn't bother, maybe just the large areas on either end of the bumper.
Once you're done sanding, the water from wet sanding is dried, wipe it down with a dry clean cloth to remove any dried dust etc. Then wipe down with wax and grease remover before painting.
If all else fails, get a bigger hammer.

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:29 am
Mike,,,just to let you know, the FIRST thing you should do when working on a body of a car is wash it! Especially a plastic bumper!
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:24 am
:goodpost: I agree. Sanding a dirty panel can push contaminants into the surface and cause problems.
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 4:43 pm
I've never had any issues from not washing the panel.
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:58 pm
I know you are new to the site, but we try to point these guys in the right direction around here.

"Most" of the time with an OEM primed bumper cover you wont have a problem, but with what he is working on it would be a good idea.
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 12:28 am
Fair enough. To be on the safe side, give it a wash.
If that was my bumper though, i wouldn't bother.
If all else fails, get a bigger hammer.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 12:32 pm
MikeNZ wrote:Fair enough. To be on the safe side, give it a wash.
If that was my bumper though, i wouldn't bother.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:37 pm
MikeNZ wrote:
johndoe123 wrote:I have a 2008 cadillac cts aftermarket front bumper that was prepped wrong the first time so paint started flaking off, im trying to repaint it and keep it from flaking in the future. im not a 100 percent on how to do this but i have a general idea, i would like to know what are the best products to ensure the bumpers paint dosent flake off again and the proper steps on how to prep bumper??? first i was gonna wash bumper with dawn dish soap and water then let dry then spray Aqua Scat 2 on bumper and immediately wipe off, next im gonna sand all the old paint off using 220 for hard parts and 400 for nooks and crannies, i wasnt sure what to do exactly next but i what ive learned is to spray adhesion promoter, epoxy, and 2K filler primer. what are the best products to use on plastic bumper to ensure a proper finish? what grit do i need to sand bumper before spraying adhesion promoter??


First off, i wouldn't bother washing it. Unless it's absolutely caked in mud, it's a waste of time and energy.
Sand the whole thing with 220. From the looks of it, it's been blended before, and done poorly. But you may aswell you start from scratch over the whole bumper.
Feather out the flaky and chipped paint.
Now you can wipe it down with wax and grease remover. Remember, wipe on, wipe off with a second clean cloth.
Spray the bare plastic parts with an adhesion promoter, you don't need to spray this over the primer or paint, just the bare plastic areas.
High fill prime the whole bumper, and leave for a day to properly cure.
Being a metallic silver, you'll want to sand the primer with 600 grit wet. It's up to you if you block it or not, personally i wouldn't bother, maybe just the large areas on either end of the bumper.
Once you're done sanding, the water from wet sanding is dried, wipe it down with a dry clean cloth to remove any dried dust etc. Then wipe down with wax and grease remover before painting.


thanks for info...

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