subject: Plastic Bumper Repair [print this page] Occasionally, these plastic bumpers receive minor damage and when that occurs, a plastic bumper repair can quickly and easily restore their appearance. The external plastic bumpers are essentially just cosmetic covers, and directly behind them are the actual steel superstructures which serve as the bumper to absorb harsher impacts encountered when the vehicle is involved in a crash. A plastic bumper cover can be mildly damaged due to an impact which chips or scratches the paint, scratches the underlying soft plastic substrate, or cuts through the soft plastic if that soft plastic fascia gets pinched firmly against the hard steel superstructure behind it. These situations will result in an unsightly and visible flaw in a vehicle's appearance which is unsettling to the owner and decreases the vehicle's value when it's eventually sold or traded in. A plastic bumper repair will eliminate the defect and restore the vehicle's appearance. New materials have been developed which make such plastic bumper repairs easier, quicker, and less expensive when repairs are performed by a trained technician. New body filler products have been developed that are essentially two-part epoxies which adhere to the damaged area, cure quickly, are very strong, and are very sandable and paintable within a very short time period. The technician will thoroughly clean the damaged surfaced and surrounding areas using a solvent designed to remove all waxes, oils and road grime. When the area has been thoroughly cleaned, the two-part flexible epoxy is mixed, applied and smoothed. After curing for a short time, the epoxy is sanded into the rough shape using coarse sandpaper. A thin layer of flexible body filler is applied next and after it cures the final sanding is done using progressively finer sandpaper. Once the physical repair is completed the technician primes, paints and clearcoats the areas using an airbrush or touch-up spray gun. The paints used are specifically designed to retain their flexibility even after final curing. The entire plastic bumper repair is done quickly and inexpensively. It can even be performed by the technician working in your driveway or garage, eliminating the hassle of dropping off your car at a shop and arranging alternative transportation.
