You might be thinking about yours when you look at vehicles running with glossy Chrome bumpers. Can you paint Chrome bumpers of your car if it gets damaged? Of course, you can, but painting Chrome bumpers would be a little tricky.
No worries; you don’t need to panic about painting Chrome bumpers if you complete reading this post. Applying Chrome as a thin layer on the metal of your car bumpers makes a Chrome paint. Painting Chrome bumpers require additional precautions regarding the materials and process of the task.
We’ll discuss all the essential points, including valuable tips, advice, and some secrets you won’t get elsewhere. Keep reading on and get everything about painting your car bumper with Chrome.
Get The Answers: Can You Paint Chrome Bumpers?
We mentioned in the intro that you can paint chrome bumpers. But the process won’t be easy for you as you must work with chrome paint, a complicated material. Also, getting the expected result is tricky when you do it yourself.
As a result, if you’re firm on your determination to paint your chrome bumper, we’ll help you with all the necessary information. You may have another question: can you paint factory chrome bumpers? The answer is yes, you can do it.
NOTE: The durability and finishing of the chrome bumpers painting depend on your quality of work. You won’t get the same slick look as the original chrome bumpers. But performing the task on your own will save hundreds of bucks.
Let’s get the answer to another question: Can you paint match chrome bumpers? In short, yes, you can do it. Always remember that DIY never becomes an accurate match. Keeping these things in mind, proceed to the next level: how to chrome a bumper.
How Can You Paint Chrome Bumpers?
Painting chrome bumpers aren’t quite tricky. But the exact match and predictable look depend on your painting skill. It’d be much similar to the original bumpers if you're well-skilled. Let’s start painting your chrome bumpers with the below steps:
Required Tools To Paint Chrome Bumpers
You need some essential tools to complete the painting process. Here is a list of necessary tools to paint your chrome bumpers:
- Air-exhaust system
- Protective cloth
- Wrench
- Screwdriver
Moreover, you should keep soap, painting tape, clothes, dirt remover, and lubricant near your hand. Also, get some lubricant, sandpaper/sander, car primer, engraving primer, paint color, and clear coat.
CAUTION: Use necessary personal protective equipment and work in an adequately ventilated area. It’s highly vital when you go through the steps like priming, sanding, and painting. Also, complete the steps with care and quality, ensuring the best results.
Priming To Prepare The Exterior
The bumpers' exterior should be ready before you paint them. It’ll help you get precise sticking and appearance. Detach the bumpers to do it quickly. Use soap to wash it and remove any available rust. Make a paste of vinegar and baking soda. Cover the rusted areas and leave it for five minutes.
Then, rub the rust with a steel brush or wool and rinse the bumpers well. Thus, you can remove dirt and debris to prepare the surface of the bumpers for the next step.
Sanding The Surface
Sanding is essential to fix and smoothening the defects on the bumpers. Use high-quality sandpaper, such as 60/120 and initiate rubbing with the harsher sand. Finish rubbing with a 360 sandpaper to get the finest polish. It’s disappeared the shiny look of the chrome surface.
Start Priming With Paint
You should have ready with the surface after initial priming and sanding. It’s time to start priming with paint. When you want to paint chrome bumpers, priming is vital. Use the best Chrome paint for bumpers to prime instead of standard ones. It’ll help the bumpers to be better sticky with metal surfaces.
Apply primer 2 to 3 times evenly on the entire surface of the bumpers. Don’t spray repeatedly; make an interval of each spray to dry it. It’ll take a very short time to dry. But you must leave the bumpers for 3/4 hours before the final sanding and get a better-quality automobile primer to spray the bumpers.
Finishing With Final Touches
Apply an even paint coat on the bumpers with care. Leave it to dry well before you make a more significant layer of paint. Apply 3/4 coatings using chrome bumper touch up paint that will give the paint a better look. Before you install the bumpers, let them dry perfectly. Then, reinstall the bumpers carefully with their nuts and screws.
How Much Does It Cost To Paint Chrome Bumpers?
The average cost to paint chrome bumper is around $500. However, it can vary depending on some factors, including preparation time, the difficulty of color matching, availability of labor, and applicable taxes.
When it comes to an economic painting job, you can get it done for under $300. But you might not get the color match for your original bumper colors. Also, the paint and painting quality would be substandard when choosing low-priced services.
Besides, if you want a premium painting with top-class performance, you can get a single-color paint by spending $600. When you want a multicolor painting with the best-quality services, it costs up to $1000. Investing in premium paint will ensure durable color with visual appeal for years.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
How To Paint Chrome Bumpers Perfectly?
Painting chrome bumper with Plasti Dip is the best method to paint your chrome bumpers. It’s a package with essential things you need to paint chrome bumpers quickly and effectively safely.
Can I Paint My Chrome Bumpers Black?
Yes, you can use black paint to color your chrome bumpers. However, you must prepare the bumpers correctly while priming and sanding than other colors. Otherwise, the paint won’t adhere well with the metal perfectly. You can get the best results from the Plastikote Chrome bumper paint.
Can I Paint My Chrome Bumpers White?
Yes, you can use white paint to color your chrome bumpers. Painting with white color is more straightforward than doing it with black. You can do it easily just by following the abovementioned steps.
Why Do Painting Chrome Bumpers Challenging?
The key reason is that chrome bumpers are more reflective than others. With enough experience in painting, you can get the preferred color after repainting. Otherwise, it’d be challenging for the new DIYers to get the original or near original-like color from repainting.
Can I Paint Metal Bumpers?
Of course, you can paint your metal bumpers. But you should perform a higher level of preparation to get the best outcomes. When it comes to priming, you must use rust-proof primers than normal ones. Also, you need to get some thinner coats instead heavier ones when you paint metal bumpers.
What Type Of Paints Adhere Best To Chrome?
Enamel and latex paints stick best in chrome bumpers for cars. We suggest you use sandpaper of 160 grit for rough removal and 320 grit for blemish-removing tasks.
The Bottom Line
What do you think; can you paint chrome bumpers on your own? Hopefully, you can do it quickly, as we’ve described the details with some steps. Also, you’ve got ideas about the costs of painting your chrome bumpers from mechanic shops.
While painting chrome bumpers, you can do it reasonably. It’ll help you save a few hundred dollars. At the same time, you’ll give a new look to your rusty, damaged bumpers.
Again a few words of caution: we don’t suggest you perform this painting task if you’re not confident enough and lack marginal practical experience.