The more you drive, the more susceptible your bumper is to scratches, scuffs and even holes, which can all severely devalue your car's overall appearance. Instead of purchasing a whole new bumper or taking it to a mechanic, you can personally repair your bumper without sacrificing professional quality. Fixing the inevitable wear and tear on your car's plastic bumper can be costly and time consuming, but when you use the Preval Sprayer and patch kit (if necessary) you can easily and affordably restore your bumper to near factory made perfection.
Most DIY and at-home repairs are challenging and they certainly won't provide you with the high quality, durable repair you need to accentuate your bumper's appearance, but when you use the Preval Sprayer you can achieve a long-lasting, professional-grade repair with relative ease. Here's how you can refurbish your bumper to a like-new condition with matching paint and the Preval Sprayer.
Tips and Warnings:
- Always be sure to take proper safety precautions when spraying paint, including hand, eye and breathing protection, as well as ensuring there is plenty of ventilation and no source of possible fume ignition.
- Avoid painting in direct sun light or cold temperatures.
- Follow all directions supplied with paint material for proper application and dry times.
- For even, uniform color and coverage, be sure to slightly overlap spray passes and hold the sprayer such that the spray pattern is always 90 degrees in relation to the surface; do not spray at an angle.
- For best results, spray the entire bumper - not just the repair area - for a uniform look.
- For a durable, long-lasting finish, prep and cleanliness are key.
Materials:
Eye protection
Respirator or paint mask
Preval Sprayer
Solvent-resistant masking tape + paper
Plastic patch kit or plastic-compatible filler (if holes or dents are present)
Primer
Automotive paint to match current vehicle finish
Mineral spirits or degreaser
Sandpaper
Sanding backing blocks or orbital sander
Prep
- Sand bumper to remove scratches, and to rough the surface up for good primer adhesion.
- If holes or dents are present, follow the directions provided with patch kit or filler to repair or fill these areas.
- Sand patches or filled areas smooth and flush to the bumper surface.
- Wipe entire bumper down with mineral spirits or degreaser to remove any dirt, oils and sanding dust.
- Carefully mask any area not to be painted using solvent-resistant masking tape and paper if necessary.
Application
- Fill the Preval Sprayer with primer and spray bumper. Be sure to prime every exposed portion of the surface to receive paint. Follow the primer's directions for recommended number of coats and proper dry time.
- Once fully dry, apply the first color coat using the Praval Sprayer.
- Apply a lighter, 'dryer' coat for the first coat (color should look somewhat matte as applied), don't worry too much about perfectly even coverage.
- Allow dry time as directed.
- Apply the second coat in a heavier, 'wetter' fashion (base will look shiny or 'wet' as applied in a heavier manner).
- Avoid spraying coats too heavily to avoid runs or drips.
- If you discover a drip or dust in the dried coat, carefully sand the blemish away with fine-grained sandpaper and touch up.
- Apply a third, final coat of color, again using a 'wet' coat. Allow to dry.
Disclaimer: The Preval How To Articles Such as this one above is for informational purposes only and is intended to provide general information guidance. Because products, materials, techniques, building codes, federal, state and municiple laws vary, and are continuoslly changing, as is ordinances, C.A Aqcuisitions LLC, Chicago Aerosol and Preval assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein and disclaims any liability for ommissions, errors or the outcome of any project. It is the responsibility of the reader (you) to comply with all appropriate laws, manufacturer's guidelines, rules and regulations for any project or product used. You must also take any safety precautions and excercise caution when taking on any project and by following the MSDS warning for every product or paint used in conjunction with the project completion. If you HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR DOUBTS IN REGARD TO ANY ELEMENT OF A PROJECT PLEASE CONSULT A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL.