# Painting My Plastic Car Bumper



## alexmazda1990 (Feb 8, 2012)

I just recently finished repainting my car. The front and rear bumpers are plastic. Only 1 day after i had finished painting, the rear bumper started cracking and peeling...

what have I done wrong.. Is there a certain paint that wont crack on plastic.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

What did you use? And yes there's paints made just for plastic.


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## conspikuous (Feb 7, 2012)

I dont much about car paint but plastic bumpers need a special rubberized primer and there is a flexible additive that goes into the clear coat

I painted an RX-7 one time with cans of Hammerite lol. Came out pretty damn good and lasted a long time.


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## alexmazda1990 (Feb 8, 2012)

3m Matt Black Paint in a air compressed spray gun. Thinning 1:1.

Says the paint is for Automotive and industrial use.

I know matt black is not for exterior body, but i just wanted something easy to start off with.

I just want to use a spray can to do the bumper again, what kind of paint do i look for?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

If you just looking for something fast and cheap then Krylon Fusion will work.


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## alexmazda1990 (Feb 8, 2012)

do they sell in New Zealand lol?


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

joecaption said:


> If you just looking for something fast and cheap then Krylon Fusion will work.


Fusion works pretty well but comes only in spray cans. Probably fine for a couple bumpers. Rustoleum also makes a paint for plastics that comes in spray cans but they do not offer as many colors as Fusion. The Fusion or Rustoleum spray colors are unlikely to match your car. However, Rustoleum does make a plastic primer that comes in both spray cans and in liquid form. You are supposed to be able to paint over it with any finish---including whatever you used to paint your car I presume. I have used Fusion but have not used Rustoleum paint or the primer. Obviously you are going to have to remove whatever you put on that is peeling and start over.


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## Jay 78 (Mar 2, 2011)

Krylon Fusion will work, without a doubt. How do I know? I painted the hard tonneau cover for my truck with black Fusion, followed by clear Fusion. My truck has never seen a garage - it's exposed to the elements 24/7/365, and I literally walk on it on a regular basis. I painted it nearly 3 years ago, and it still looks as good as the day I did it. 

However, in this case I'd take a slightly different approach. I pretty much agree with sdsester's suggestion, but instead of painting it with Fusion, I'd get factory color-matched rattle cans found at the auto parts stores. At least in my area, you can get paint that matches the factory color codes for pretty much any domestic/foreign make. 

So I'd use the plastic primer, paint with factory matched paint, then hit it with a couple coats of clear Fusion to 'sandwich' your paint in.

EDIT: I overlooked the fact that you painted the entire car. If you painted it some random color (a color other than a factory color or one that doesn't directly match a spray can color) my suggestion would still be the same other than substituting the paint you already used on the rest of the car.


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