How to paint plastic with spray cans and get a glossy finish. Includes primer, paint, clear, sanding and buffing. / 109927359116268 www.vgautopaints.com.au
Nice job for spray cans. It's worth mentioning that if you spray in the same direction/angle you will get a more consistent metallic flake, but sometimes you just have to make do to avoid splatters from the spray cans.
For all those who want to skip plastic primer. You can't. On bare plastic you must use it. The paint will flake off over time otherwise. If the plastic is already painted and no bare plastic is to be painted then you can skip the plastic primer
@myshonnny Its for a a Toyota Camry. Needed to replace it for someone. Bar was $80 Paint and material was about $90 but now I have enough compound and polish for other jobs..
Totally awestruck at your 1966 VC Valiant VIP Regal. Mine is exactly the same, vinyl roof, colour condition. I have 273 V8 with 3 speed floor auto. Round not square side mirror. Sorry to bother you, but I never have seen one exactly like mine. Not in 23 years, and I am 40 not 80. It's Chrysler Red paint job is sublime when licked up. Would love to see any videos on your channel of it. Cheers Roller
The antistatic cleaner is used before applying the plastic primer. It cleans the plastic from all oils and products that were used when the plastic was moulded
Great video. I did the same for my Toyota Camry rear bumper last summer but did not do the last three steps you did which was 1200 grit sanding then the compound and polish. Can I do those last steps when the weather gets warmer here in New York or do I have to start all over? Right now it looks blotchy.
Painting with spray cans is extremely difficult. -Always use the same speed, a 90° angle, and at a consistent distance. The most difficult one is to prevent tiger striping. With the extremely narrow spray pattern you should always overlap. This means a steady hand and a high risk for runs. Complete the panel in one go and never go back. If it didn't work just let it dry for 10 minutes. Tag rac the panel and repaint it.
There is a closed end on one side of the covering nylon. You can open it and pull out the bumper. No need to rip it into pieces, just in case you might have to return it. Also, a whole lot faster then fighting with the nylon.
Great video mate. I want to paint the interior plastic panels of my g35. Would I need to prime them first then paint them or is the priming not necessary?
you got some good videos and tips for people trying some diy, i'm a painter and paint cars almost every day and i enjoy watching your videos. i used acrylic once and i couldn't stand it, it's good if you need to fix things up during the job and you don't get runs like 2k but it's just not the same. keep making the videos.
Hi this is great, I have a black spray paint and would like to spray my bumper black would with be classed as metallic or not and if I did not do anything and just started spraying what would happen ? Thank you
Thanks for this video. I have spray painted my motorbike twice, in different colours, and I think that I went overboard on paint layers and acrylic varnish ... and underdid the final polish. You have just inspired me for my summer project, taking my PC 800 from a matt-ish orange to a deep glossy red. Cheers!
@crsigi It wont peel if prepared correctly. It might start to fade after quite a few years if constantly left in the sun. But then it just needs to be buffed and it will look good again.
@jujukiller222 Awesome, but remember some colours cover better then others. You can put down a base cover coat similar to the colour your painting eg dark colour use black light colour use white just one coat of base then the colour.
@customspraymods thanks for the fast response. Yeah I wear a mask with the filters on each side when spraying that. I have a tent that you can pull a car in, set up as my paint booth. I do have a compressor and air gun to use, but sometimes I just like using the can. Not sure but the clears you buy at like auto zone or what ever are they acrylic. I always used the clears like from dupicolor or krylon but never got a good shine. probably cause I never buffed them after.
@pickles781 Hey, the scuffing paste just cleans the plastic and by using the grey pads creates something for the plastic primer to bight into. I wouldnt paint dirt bike plastics unless its only used on the road. They will scratch when dropped and end up looking crap. If your happy touching it up all the time then go ahead.
Hey mate. The edges will sand through quite easily its just a matter of being extra careful. Sanding before clear may help but is not really needed. Try and apply more coats of clear and be sure to leave it for a day or 2 before sanding. Otherwise try and find a Upol Clear in spray cans it is super glossy straight from the can.
@Dodge94z VG Auto Paints 11 Amax Ave Girraween. $25.50 each custom spray can. I think on their website they have a kit that includes everything you need for 2 bumpers.
What the fine sanding is doing is only taking off the orange peel and it leaves extremely fine scratches in the paintwork. This gives the appearance of a matt finish. Because you only use a fine sand paper it wont go through to the paint unless you sand for ages in one spot, even then the paper will loose its abrasiveness before the clear comes off. Hope this helps
@RussLyman Hey no probs Yeah mostly Acrylic or Enamel if its a 2 part clear then there will have to be some kind of activation pump that binds the 2 parts I know alsa have one that does this.
Thanks and sorry for the newbish questions. If I understand correctly then, adding heavier or more coats of gloss and clear next time won't "compound the orange peel effect on top of itself" since peel only stays on the surface due to the droplet nature of aerosols, given I only wait 10 minutes between coats. So anything underneath the very surface will be as smooth as the sandpaper I use. Is there then a discernable difference between the clear and gloss if I do accidentally sand too much?
@RussLyman You might have a 2 Part clear in a can. $20 That sounds cheap. The clear I used is a 1 part Acrylic. (no hardener) 2 Part clear will be full gloss straight away where as this is semi gloss. Thats why it needs to be buffed. 2 Pack clear should be sprayed in a booth and with a good 2 Pack mask. By turning your can upside down and spraying it will clear the nozzle and the 2k clear should last weeks. I have tested it in the past.
Hi Dave, I had a chipping problem on my bumper. I went to NAPA and bought Adhesion promoter, dupli-color black primer, base coat (correct color code) and clear coat. When I was painting the bottom of the bumper, the color looked like a good match. But when I clear-coated and it dried, I noticed the paint is a lot darker (Indigo Blue --> Navy blue). What causes this ? Will 1200g wet make the color clearer so it matches ?
Cheers! Will try that. Having never done this before, I guess what I'm confused about is once I remove those spots, is there still clear on it? Or am I essentially just removing all the clear when I remove those spots? I ask because I have a fender that is matte black from OEM. Even though I used gloss black (rustoleum enamel) and clear on my fairing, the wet sanded finish after I remove those spots looks a lot like that matte fender.
@maneev02 because if you were trying to match a 2 pack finish that is super glossy the clear needs to be buffed to look the same. If I put this back on the car without buffing it wouldn't look right. Plus buffing is fun.
hi dave, can i use septone acrylic primer surfacer that i'm using for the rest of the car on the bumpers, or is it essential to prime the bumpers with a separate plastic primer? also, does the base/clear need some sort of "flexible" additive?
Well done 👍 & liked.. I have an old laptop plastic back case to spray paint black which is originally black .. and it's a lil dusty.. For pre cleaning, should I wipe it down with isopropyl alcohol or just plain warm water with mild detergent before spraying paint.. what do you suggest? Also is a primer spray mandatory which I don't have at hand?
great vid, here is a question, if I bought a 2nd hand sideskirt and it was the wrong colour and I wanted to change it from white to dark green would I need to get rid of all the paint first and then paint as wouldn't the compound cause lots of issues if there is different paint under the primer?
dave i so respect your knowledge on painting so i will ask you something.is there a problem if we paint a plastic part 3 to 4 times(primer base clear x3)?because i think that with too many layers the paint cracks..thats what i saw on my bike
Hi Dave, thanks for sharing your knowledge. It looks great! I want to spray (with cans) some side bumper strips which I think are rubber. Is it basically the same process as spraying plastic bumper bars? Cheers mate.
I'm doing a candy red over marble effect with black base & white..then will finish with clear coat..the kit is Dupli-Colors...here's the trick..I want to put it on wood! Should I use a special primer that will bond on the wood as well as bond my Dupli-Color CBSP100 primer over that?
ellewar be careful when you do this, put your buff face up on the ground, turn it on at a slow speed and run a screwdriver over it. Start from the middle and work out. Speed it up in the process, this cleans the buff pad
@obieezx11 You only need to sand primer and putty with a block. Sanding clearcoat with your bare hands is not going to make marks,the 1200g paper is only taking the top of the clear off and is not rough enough to make marks. Also sanding straight WILL make marks in the paint. Sanding in different directions will make sure your not rubbing in one spot. I confirmed all this with 2 other spray painters who have been using 1KAcrylic (same as whats in cans) for years.Finally what Pro uses spray cans?
Was wondering about the clear acrylic. Is it a two part. The clear I usually get I have to crack a seal and then I only have about 8 hrs or so to use the can before it drys up in the can. It's $20 a can so I usually wait till I have to clear a lot of stuff
If im painting with gloss black but dont want the paint to chip should i use a clear coat? If so what clear coat should i use cause I've seen where some clear coats have turned gloss black into a milky white color.
what particular clear spray paint i should use? i bought one enamel clear but when i spray it on the painted area the color faded, in short messed up my work. really need an advice thank you.
I heard of someone using plastidip and then spray paint over that. What do you think about that? I want to paint an outdoor plastic pot where the top part is..not crumbling but has a sandy surface due to age and being exposed to elements. Do you think plastidip will contain the sandy texture and stop it from deteriorating more?
I've got a raw bumper do I need a grey primer or sealer after I spray it with adhesion promoter? or is the adhesion promoter/primer on your website do both? thanks
Hello. The reason for sanding and buffing is because although it looks glossy it is not as glossy as an OEM finish. Doing the final cut and buff will make the paint and clear match the panels on the rest of the vehicle.
It's to make it feel smooth and look shiny and match the rest of the car in terms of smoothness and shine. the term Orange peel is used a lot, its when your painted surface looks like the peel of an orange, thats when buffing comes in to help minimize the orange peel effect and bring it to a smooth glossy look
Yeah you need to sand it so that it gets super flat. Sanding it levels out any orange peel and defects that the compound and buffing can not. If you want a mirror finish then sanding is the way to go.
when i sprayed my bumper i applied plastic primer, paint and then clear coat. its been a few months and i have all these hairline cracks, what did i do wrong?
Nice job for spray cans. It's worth mentioning that if you spray in the same direction/angle you will get a more consistent metallic flake, but sometimes you just have to make do to avoid splatters from the spray cans.
Shubham Seth The 1200g sanding is needed after some 1k Clear coats. This levels the clear gets rid of peel. The buffing brings back the gloss.
Is it neccessary to wait a week for that though? And can I go with a higher grit? Maybe 1500?
It seems to me that you are sanding it too much, almost removed the whole gloss, not very glossy at the end
Perhaps the most helpful video I have seen on this topic. Thanks for providing the step by step process from prep to finish.
For all those who want to skip plastic primer. You can't. On bare plastic you must use it. The paint will flake off over time otherwise. If the plastic is already painted and no bare plastic is to be painted then you can skip the plastic primer
Hello after 9 years
So nine years later i'm gonna ask you what if they have both primer and paint
@aether kurros just repaint it. It has a base for the paint to stick to. You might use a high grit sandpaper then paint your color.
what about the new abs plastic bumpers that have no paint on them how would i paint them a gloss black to match the rest of my gmc suv
yo!
Depending on the outside temperature, it can be a very good idea to put your spray cans in a bucket (residence) with warm water.
@myshonnny Its for a a Toyota Camry. Needed to replace it for someone. Bar was $80 Paint and material was about $90 but now I have enough compound and polish for other jobs..
Totally awestruck at your 1966 VC Valiant VIP Regal. Mine is exactly the same, vinyl roof, colour condition. I have 273 V8 with 3 speed floor auto. Round not square side mirror. Sorry to bother you, but I never have seen one exactly like mine. Not in 23 years, and I am 40 not 80. It's Chrysler Red paint job is sublime when licked up. Would love to see any videos on your channel of it. Cheers Roller
The antistatic cleaner is used before applying the plastic primer. It cleans the plastic from all oils and products that were used when the plastic was moulded
@MrJeremy313 do they paint with spray cans in a panel shop do they?? This is aimed at people who don't have all the equipment
Great video. I did the same for my Toyota Camry rear bumper last summer but did not do the last three steps you did which was 1200 grit sanding then the compound and polish. Can I do those last steps when the weather gets warmer here in New York or do I have to start all over? Right now it looks blotchy.
Painting with spray cans is extremely difficult.
-Always use the same speed, a 90° angle, and at a consistent distance. The most difficult one is to prevent tiger striping. With the extremely narrow spray pattern you should always overlap. This means a steady hand and a high risk for runs.
Complete the panel in one go and never go back. If it didn't work just let it dry for 10 minutes. Tag rac the panel and repaint it.
the antistatic cleaner is alcohol based and doesnt leave any residue. the screen cleaner may also work.
customspraymods what grit of sanding paper did you use ?
Cut it 50/50 with water
There is a closed end on one side of the covering nylon. You can open it and pull out the bumper. No need to rip it into pieces, just in case you might have to return it. Also, a whole lot faster then fighting with the nylon.
@DaNaGiPp Will do bro just ordered the paint. Lookin forward to painting some tyres.
Great video mate. I want to paint the interior plastic panels of my g35. Would I need to prime them first then paint them or is the priming not necessary?
you got some good videos and tips for people trying some diy, i'm a painter and paint cars almost every day and i enjoy watching your videos. i used acrylic once and i couldn't stand it, it's good if you need to fix things up during the job and you don't get runs like 2k but it's just not the same. keep making the videos.
Hey, what is that color called that you sprayed? If you even remember. I have a black and tan F-150 and I plan on getting fender flares
Your channel is very underrated man, congratulations from Brazil dude! Great channel!!
Hi this is great, I have a black spray paint and would like to spray my bumper black would with be classed as metallic or not and if I did not do anything and just started spraying what would happen ?
Thank you
Thanks for the video! At the end can I use Meguiars liquid wax instead of polish?
What is the best chrome paint in a can? I need to paint a wore out grill on a 1990 Olds 98. Thanks
Thanks for this video. I have spray painted my motorbike twice, in different colours, and I think that I went overboard on paint layers and acrylic varnish ... and underdid the final polish.
You have just inspired me for my summer project, taking my PC 800 from a matt-ish orange to a deep glossy red.
Cheers!
@crsigi It wont peel if prepared correctly. It might start to fade after quite a few years if constantly left in the sun. But then it just needs to be buffed and it will look good again.
@jujukiller222 Awesome, but remember some colours cover better then others. You can put down a base cover coat similar to the colour your painting eg dark colour use black light colour use white just one coat of base then the colour.
I've just colour coded my ek civic's plastics as per your video. The result was excellent & so was the video! Thanks
@Dodge94z You can sand it with 240g dry till the chips are smoothed out otherwise use a filler. Then finish with 800g wet then prime and paint.
@customspraymods thanks for the fast response. Yeah I wear a mask with the filters on each side when spraying that. I have a tent that you can pull a car in, set up as my paint booth. I do have a compressor and air gun to use, but sometimes I just like using the can. Not sure but the clears you buy at like auto zone or what ever are they acrylic. I always used the clears like from dupicolor or krylon but never got a good shine. probably cause I never buffed them after.
Hey Mate there is a link in the description of the pads I used. They are great.
@pickles781 Hey, the scuffing paste just cleans the plastic and by using the grey pads creates something for the plastic primer to bight into. I wouldnt paint dirt bike plastics unless its only used on the road. They will scratch when dropped and end up looking crap. If your happy touching it up all the time then go ahead.
@greenredthing you can do it with a big 8" buffer but its hard to get to the smaller areas. Just go easy do it bit by bit.
Hey mate. The edges will sand through quite easily its just a matter of being extra careful. Sanding before clear may help but is not really needed. Try and apply more coats of clear and be sure to leave it for a day or 2 before sanding. Otherwise try and find a Upol Clear in spray cans it is super glossy straight from the can.
Pretty impressive for a spray can job. Well done and thanks for the guide.
@Dodge94z VG Auto Paints 11 Amax Ave Girraween. $25.50 each custom spray can. I think on their website they have a kit that includes everything you need for 2 bumpers.
What the fine sanding is doing is only taking off the orange peel and it leaves extremely fine scratches in the paintwork. This gives the appearance of a matt finish. Because you only use a fine sand paper it wont go through to the paint unless you sand for ages in one spot, even then the paper will loose its abrasiveness before the clear comes off. Hope this helps
Hi great video what can I use if I don't have scuffing paste and 1 bottle 400ml on gray plastic primer enough for a half of bumper?
@RussLyman Hey no probs Yeah mostly Acrylic or Enamel if its a 2 part clear then there will have to be some kind of activation pump that binds the 2 parts I know alsa have one that does this.
just finished painting a piece going to give it a week to dry and see if I can buff it to get as good of shine as your piece.
Thanks and sorry for the newbish questions.
If I understand correctly then, adding heavier or more coats of gloss and clear next time won't "compound the orange peel effect on top of itself" since peel only stays on the surface due to the droplet nature of aerosols, given I only wait 10 minutes between coats. So anything underneath the very surface will be as smooth as the sandpaper I use.
Is there then a discernable difference between the clear and gloss if I do accidentally sand too much?
@RussLyman You might have a 2 Part clear in a can. $20 That sounds cheap. The clear I used is a 1 part Acrylic. (no hardener) 2 Part clear will be full gloss straight away where as this is semi gloss. Thats why it needs to be buffed. 2 Pack clear should be sprayed in a booth and with a good 2 Pack mask. By turning your can upside down and spraying it will clear the nozzle and the 2k clear should last weeks. I have tested it in the past.
What does the scuffing paste do?
@jaredmarkleady use the gery scotch brite and the scuffing paste first.then prime and paint.
if a spray gun surface quality (like in cars) is 10/10 how would you rate the final result of the spray can painted product?
You can sand the bumper, but using the scotchbrite and the paste works just as well.
What would you recomend to do if you're adding acrylic or water paper decals? Would the process be the same if you want the glossy finish?
Hi Dave,
I had a chipping problem on my bumper. I went to NAPA and bought Adhesion promoter, dupli-color black primer, base coat (correct color code) and clear coat. When I was painting the bottom of the bumper, the color looked like a good match. But when I clear-coated and it dried, I noticed the paint is a lot darker (Indigo Blue --> Navy blue). What causes this ? Will 1200g wet make the color clearer so it matches ?
Love the videos Dave! Keep them coming!
Cheers! Will try that.
Having never done this before, I guess what I'm confused about is once I remove those spots, is there still clear on it? Or am I essentially just removing all the clear when I remove those spots? I ask because I have a fender that is matte black from OEM. Even though I used gloss black (rustoleum enamel) and clear on my fairing, the wet sanded finish after I remove those spots looks a lot like that matte fender.
Great video. Would it be the same for fibreglass?
@maneev02 because if you were trying to match a 2 pack finish that is super glossy the clear needs to be buffed to look the same. If I put this back on the car without buffing it wouldn't look right. Plus buffing is fun.
Would you suggest the same technique for old fenders? I want to respray my Wrangler fender flares. Same procedure...?
Thanks for this video, Ill be using it soon - I feel like the bumper could use more clear coat though but it could just be how it looks on camera
Thank you! Gonna use this knowledge to work on the spoiler i just bought :D
hi dave, can i use septone acrylic primer surfacer that i'm using for the rest of the car on the bumpers, or is it essential to prime the bumpers with a separate plastic primer?
also, does the base/clear need some sort of "flexible" additive?
Fantastic Job! I have a question, do you just use any auto spray paint or do you use special paint made for plastic?
Well done 👍 & liked.. I have an old laptop plastic back case to spray paint black which is originally black .. and it's a lil dusty.. For pre cleaning, should I wipe it down with isopropyl alcohol or just plain warm water with mild detergent before spraying paint.. what do you suggest?
Also is a primer spray mandatory which I don't have at hand?
ive been looking for a video like this for so long... Thanks!
do we have to use cutting compound only or can i use cut and polish (2 in 1 type)
Great video man. I laughed so hard when you found the bird shit at 9:50. I would have buffed through it and not known the difference lol.
Should I use Body Fill spray after primer or only primer is enough? tnx
Nice!
@RussLyman awesome dude. Good luck. Watch those edges.
great vid, here is a question, if I bought a 2nd hand sideskirt and it was the wrong colour and I wanted to change it from white to dark green would I need to get rid of all the paint first and then paint as wouldn't the compound cause lots of issues if there is different paint under the primer?
dave i so respect your knowledge on painting so i will ask you something.is there a problem if we paint a plastic part 3 to 4 times(primer base clear x3)?because i think that with too many layers the paint cracks..thats what i saw on my bike
Hi Dave, thanks for sharing your knowledge. It looks great! I want to spray (with cans) some side bumper strips which I think are rubber. Is it basically the same process as spraying plastic bumper bars? Cheers mate.
I really like your crazy-loco-style btw I also like the name of your boat! NICE JOB DUDE!
I'm doing a candy red over marble effect with black base & white..then will finish with clear coat..the kit is Dupli-Colors...here's the trick..I want to put it on wood! Should I use a special primer that will bond on the wood as well as bond my Dupli-Color CBSP100 primer over that?
whats the background song call when your spraying the bumper
ellewar be careful when you do this, put your buff face up on the ground, turn it on at a slow speed and run a screwdriver over it. Start from the middle and work out. Speed it up in the process, this cleans the buff pad
@obieezx11 You only need to sand primer and putty with a block. Sanding clearcoat with your bare hands is not going to make marks,the 1200g paper is only taking the top of the clear off and is not rough enough to make marks. Also sanding straight WILL make marks in the paint. Sanding in different directions will make sure your not rubbing in one spot. I confirmed all this with 2 other spray painters who have been using 1KAcrylic (same as whats in cans) for years.Finally what Pro uses spray cans?
You said if the car is not metallic the clearcoat is not required do you polish the same way, ie wetsand 1200 grit and then polish?
Hey mate where can I buy scotch brite pads?
Do you have to wait for the primer to dry or just paint immediately after you apply the primer?
Thanks for sharing this vital information. It's priceless.
Was wondering about the clear acrylic. Is it a two part. The clear I usually get I have to crack a seal and then I only have about 8 hrs or so to use the can before it drys up in the can. It's $20 a can so I usually wait till I have to clear a lot of stuff
If im painting with gloss black but dont want the paint to chip should i use a clear coat? If so what clear coat should i use cause I've seen where some clear coats have turned gloss black into a milky white color.
what particular clear spray paint i should use? i bought one enamel clear but when i spray it on the painted area the color faded, in short messed up my work. really need an advice thank you.
I heard of someone using plastidip and then spray paint over that. What do you think about that? I want to paint an outdoor plastic pot where the top part is..not crumbling but has a sandy surface due to age and being exposed to elements. Do you think plastidip will contain the sandy texture and stop it from deteriorating more?
Wow, that turned out looking pro!
hi can you use any primer and laquer or do u have to use a name brand one
so when you are sanding and the scratches show up does that mean you have to sand more
and in the end how much gloss would by left on it
@customspraymods yeah mcm rules. Thats how I found your vids, through the vg site. Love your work.
will pc or tv screen cleaner can be used as antistatic cleaner?
I've got a raw bumper do I need a grey primer or sealer after I spray it with adhesion promoter? or is the adhesion promoter/primer on your website do both?
thanks
Hey mate, THANKS. Yeah I did a video on painting rough plastic. Its called painting plastic engine parts.
Would love to see how this bumper looks today...
Nice vid. Your skillz w/ rattle cans is noteworthy.
will this work the same for a bumper which has already been repainted? do i simply rough sand the already painted bumper and follow the steps?
If you use a 2k clear do you have to buff or polish it?
Hello. The reason for sanding and buffing is because although it looks glossy it is not as glossy as an OEM finish. Doing the final cut and buff will make the paint and clear match the panels on the rest of the vehicle.
It's to make it feel smooth and look shiny and match the rest of the car in terms of smoothness and shine. the term Orange peel is used a lot, its when your painted surface looks like the peel of an orange, thats when buffing comes in to help minimize the orange peel effect and bring it to a smooth glossy look
Hola! Can you please provide me a list of sand paper that I need to use for detailing? tia.
where did u get the paint cans filled @?with the original paint coad?
what kind (type)of paint and thinner for plastic bumpers?
how many cans did you use for the base coat. thanks Dan
Hey where I'm sydney do you buy your products from in a can ? Cleaners etc?
Would the products/procedure be the same if I were painting a polyurethane lip? Or would 2k paints be better for my application? Cheers
Yeah you need to sand it so that it gets super flat. Sanding it levels out any orange peel and defects that the compound and buffing can not. If you want a mirror finish then sanding is the way to go.
inspired to do this myself. Question is: How should I leave the primer to dry before adding the top coat?
when i sprayed my bumper i applied plastic primer, paint and then clear coat.
its been a few months and i have all these hairline cracks, what did i do wrong?
im trying to re-paint a power wheels with existing paint thats worn out, do i need to sand it or anything or do i just start?