How to Repair Plastic Bumper Scratches : 9 Steps

Is your car bumper scuffed or scratched? While not as severe as a crack or dent a trip to a repair shop not only costs quite a bit, but they will probably need to keep your car for a day or two.

So why not fix it yourself?

In this instructable we are going to show you how to repair a scratched plastic or fiberglass bumper cover on your own, in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost.

What you need:

Factory-matched paint in a spray can
Automotive spray primer
Automotive spray clear coat
Some sheets of coarse and fine sandpaper
Scuff pad
Cleaning towel
Wax and grease remover
Scratch-filling putty

Step 1: Apply Masking Tape

Mask off areas around the damaged area that you do not want to be hit by spray paint.

Step 2: Sand Bumper

Using firm pressure, sand the damaged area of the bumper until you have smoothed the scratches out.

Step 3: Clean Panel

Wipe down the panel with a cleaning towel, then clean the entire area with wax and grease remover.

Step 4: Fill Scratches

If you find any scratches that will not sand out, fill them with a thin layer of scratch-filling putty.

Give the putty five minutes for it to harden, then sand it using some coarse sandpaper.

You might need to repeat this step again in order to smooth everything out.

Step 5: Scuff Repair Area

Using a grey scuff pad, scuff about 10 inches around the repair area.

This will help the paint stick and be more durable over time.

Step 6: Prime Bumper

Apply a thin layer of primer, wait two minutes, then apply a heavier layer of primer until you have covered any areas exposed by sanding.

Step 7: Paint Bumper

Sand the primer using fine-grit sandpaper with light pressure until it feels smooth.

Apply multiple coats of paint from a distance of about 10-12 inches.

If you encounter any bumps, cloudiness, or what looks like "cat" scratches wait five minutes, sand again, and re-apply paint.

If you car is silver or gold and you notice stripes, following up with some vertical passes.

Step 8: Clearcoat Layer

Give the paint five minutes to dry, then apply a light layer of clearcoat.

Wait two minutes and slowly apply a heavier layer, overlapping each pass by around 50%.

Give the clearcoat 10 minutes to dry before removing the tape and paper.