Bumper painting advice

[GeeJay]

Hi All,

So I've just bought a brand new front bumper (ABS) and have been trying to figure out the best way to paint it so it'll last and there is varying advice on the internet.

Will Halfords Plastic primer suffice? Or should i be using an adhesion promoter instead? Is halfords plastic primer actually an adhesion promoter?

Could I use this: http://auto-paint.co.uk/carpaint/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=237 and then paint straight on top, then lacquer? Or would I still need primer?

Any different plastic primers/adhesion promoters I could use besides halfords or the previous link?

Many thanks

[rf860]

I'd never attempt a whole bumper with rattle cans! Leave it to the professionals, you'll be much happier with the results.

[MC71]

As above, get a body shop to do this for you unless its just a track car then go for it. Should easliy have change out of £200.

 

[JoeDarKa]

As above!

[S4nup]

+1 to the above

I've got a guy local to me whose been painting various bits for me over the years, said he'd charge me £100 for prep and paint on a GTI bumper, including materials. I'm gonna drop it off to him this week.

[GeeJay]

What are your thoughts on this thread? Results look very good and I'm only doing the front bumper which is actually quite a small surface area and only the sides make substantial contact with the existing colour for comparisons.

http://golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45104

[S4nup]

What are your thoughts on this thread? Results look very good and I'm only doing the front bumper which is actually quite a small surface area and only the sides make substantial contact with the existing colour for comparisons.

http://golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45104

That's exactly what you need to do...good tutorial there. But I would say start on a small piece and get your spraying technique perfected.

Dude, not saying its impossible, in fact my friend did my old e36 front bumper for me in my back garden last spring. The finish you can get from a rattle can is quite good, but you have to be good with the controlled strokes of the can. Whilst he was doing the bumper I was doing the wing mirrors, and trust me, I had to go back to primer 4 times, because my spray technique wasn't up to scratch.



Didn't really matter on the mirrors cos they were a small item, but I would have screwed if I had to flat the bumper back that many times, because of runs and splits just because of the size of the piece.

Prep is everything, you need to make sure that the piece is SMOOTH to the touch even before you start...and be prepared for sanding, painting, sanding, painting, sanding, painting, sanding....you get the pic...

Also what colour are you painting. I'd assume that the white is fairly easy to colour match, but when it comes to metallics, it's a lot harder.

[JoeDarKa]

Just take it somewhere proper. If the paint is off at all, it will look stupid and very obvious

[GeeJay]

Also what colour are you painting. I'd assume that the white is fairly easy to colour match, but when it comes to metallics, it's a lot harder.

Laser blue 

[JoeDarKa]

Also what colour are you painting. I'd assume that the white is fairly easy to colour match, but when it comes to metallics, it's a lot harder.

Laser blue 

No way!! Think of how much the paint is if you mess up just once. The whole thing will need re-doing. You would need to go a proper automotive paint shop too

[MC71]

Also what colour are you painting. I'd assume that the white is fairly easy to colour match, but when it comes to metallics, it's a lot harder.

Laser blue 

Spend the money fella, pro painters spend years perfecting their art and matching the colour is probably harder than just buying a Laser Blue rattle can. I'd attempt a spolier/splitter or rear valance but not much more size wise.

The amount of primer cans, paint cans, lacquer cans and wet and dry required, you'll spend as much as getting a pro to do it.

[S4nup]

Also what colour are you painting. I'd assume that the white is fairly easy to colour match, but when it comes to metallics, it's a lot harder.

Laser blue 

Metallic then...it may be a bit obvious if the finish is bad.

I'm all for people learning new skills...I just wouldn't tackle a front bumper for your car just yet....seriously...go to the scrappys, get yourself any old panel, and practice by rubbing it down, primering it a few times (with the sanding in between) and then layering the paint on top. Follow that guide exactly. Once your confident, then tackle the bumper. Remember, you have to
primer,
let dry,
sand,
primer,
let dry,
sand,
primer,
Let dry,
Sand,
Paint
Let dry
Sand,
Paint,
Let dry
Sand......and so on...it's a long process...when I did my mirrors it took about 2-3 days...having to let it dry, then wet sanding...it was annoying. Most bodyshops have heat rooms / ovens to speed up the process.

[GeeJay]

Thanks for all the replies :) To be honest I was feeling more than confident, but you bunch of scare mongers have made me just drop it off at the spray shop! 

I'll use the advice on smaller parts though :)

[sean76]

Ive just had my rear bumper detextured and painted shadow blue and it cost mee 100 quid and im well impressed.leave it to the pros mate

[wheelygood]

as said, leave it to the pros