Do you have a scratch on your car black plastic bumper? It may not be as serious as a bumper dent or crack but taking your car to the auto body repair shop will still mean a huge expense not to mention that you may not be able to use your car for a few days. You can fix it yourself if you know how to remove scratches from car black plastic bumper.
Car black plastic bumpers are today a common feature on most new cars. These types of bumpers however are not a welcome feature for car owners who give a high value to durability.
Car manufacturers have begun using black plastic bumpers to comply with a federal legislation that states that cars need to be able to absorb moderate or medium front- and rear-end impacts without any damage.
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These black plastic bumpers have indeed been able to absorb moderate or medium front- and rear-end impacts. They are also able to maintain its original appearance after such an impact.
The thing though with these car black plastic bumpers is they tend to affect the styling of the rest of the car. They tend to look larger than how they actually are. More serious is the fact that they are prone to scratching and chipping.
When another car touches the bumper while you are parking or when you accidentally hit the wall, scratches may appear on your plastic bumper. You may have hurriedly put your car on reverse and hit a blind spot, again scratches may appear. All these will surely leave a mark on the paint of the plastic bumper. The paint on the bumper can also chip due too much driving on the freeway.
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Scratches on your black plastic bumper can be an awful sight. The good news though is, it is easy to deal with. You do not need to place bumper stickers to hide the scratches.
To repair scratches on car black plastic bumpers requires some grinding, sanding and painting. It may sound overwhelming but it is worth the effort to make the car bumper look as good as new. Doing your own repairs will also save you a lot of money.
How to Remove Scratches from Car Black Plastic Bumper
What You Will Need:
- Spray can paint to match factory paint on bumper
- Clear coat spray for automobiles
- Spray primer for automobiles
- Scuff pad
- Fine and coarse sandpaper sheets
- Car wax
- Grease remover
- Scratch-filling putty
- Masking tape
- Butcher paper or newspaper
- Clean microfiber cloth
Procedure:
Preparation
- Place masking tape around the scratch area on the car plastic bumper. This is to protect the other areas which do not need to be accidentally sprayed by the car bumper spray paint.
- Install coarse sandpaper on a scuff pad.
Sanding
- Sand the portion of the car bumper with scratches. Apply firm pressure until you are sure the scratches become smooth.
- After sanding wipe the plastic car bumper panel with a clean microfiber cloth.
- Apply wax and grease remover on the entire panel.
- On areas that have not been sanded out, apply a small amount of scratch-filling putty. Use firm pressure when applying.
- Allow the scratch-filling putty to harden for about 5 minutes.
- Sand the area with coarse sandpaper.
- Repeat the process until the scratch is smooth enough.
- Scuff the area within ten inches from the repaired scratch with a scuff pad. This will enable the paint to stick well to your car plastic bumper. It will also make the bumper over time more durable.
Painting
- Cover areas that should not be hit by the primer with butcher paper or newspaper.
- Shake the spray primer for about one minute.
- Prime the car plastic bumper with spray primer. First apply a thin layer of the primer. Allow the primer to stand for about two minutes. Apply a thicker layer of the primer until the areas exposed due to sanding have been completely covered.
- Sand the primer with light pressure using fine sandpaper. Sand until the primer feels smooth.
- Spray paint on the repaired area from a distance of about 12 inches. Spray multiple coats of the paint. If there appears to be any bumps or cloudiness, let the paint stand for about 5 minutes. Sand the area again and spray again some paint.
- Allow the paint to dry for about 5 minutes.
- Apply a thin layer of the clear coat. Let it stand for about two minutes and spay a thicker layer. Make sure to overlap by around 50% for each pass.
- Allow the clear coat to dry for about ten minutes.
- Remove the masking tape, newspaper or butcher paper.
- Wash your car black plastic bumper.
- Apply some wax.
You have now permanently removed the scratches from your car black plastic bumper.
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Protecting Car Black Plastic Bumpers
While your car black plastic bumpers will always be prone to scratches and fading, there are some things you can do to avoid these occurrences.
- Wipe plastic bumpers on a regular basis before you see any signs of fading.
- Avoid using abrasive cleaning products and scrubbing materials on the plastic bumper. Always use soft microfiber cloths to prevent scratches. Avoid using acidic cleaning agents too as these may leave scratches on the plastic bumper.
- If your black plastic bumper is starting to fade, get rid of dirt, dust and particles. Apply a trim sealant using a microfiber cloth to prevent scratches. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how long you need to keep the sealant on before removing it. There are products that when left long on the bumper can cause further fading.
- As much as possible park your car in a shade. The UV rays of the sun can cause your car black plastic bumper to fade.
While hitting other cars when parking or hitting walls can sometimes not be avoided, all you can do is to take some care when parking your car.
Scratches from car black plastic bumper is an easy do-it yourself project. You do not need to take your car to an auto repair shop and spend a lot of money. Scratches on plastic bumper are a common and frequent occurrence so it is important that you know how to remove scratches from car black plastic bumper to keep your bumper looking new at all times.
