patch painting questions

**Schmalgar** · 12-15-2010, 09:59 AM

Ugh. So I rear-ended someone ever so slightly at a red light. The light turned green and he let his foot off the brake and so did I, but he didn't move and I was apparently too close and reacted too slowly, rolled into him at like 2mph. Did nothing to his car thankfully, but took off a patch of paint from my bumper

I have put a little effort into patching the spot. I'll probably have to just get the bumper removed and repainted entirely by someone who knows what they're doing, but I can't afford that just now.

My question now is, what's the best way to try to blend the paint edges? On my first try, when I removed the masking tape there was a big noticeable edge to the paint. I attempted to wet sand it down but couldn't ever get rid of it. I sanded it all down and did it again. I have gotten a smaller less distinct edge but it's still there. So I just need to do a better job of wet sanding it down? And after I do that, will polishing compound bring back the color? Or do I need to do something else? And lastly, if I try to apply a layer of clear coat, will it show a sharp edge at the tape line as well? If so is there a way to help prevent that?

This is a learning experience for me, any advice is appreciated! Thanks...

**pajeff02** · 12-15-2010, 11:59 AM

You have to blend it in by feathering the spray onto the adjacent paint. Sharp lines just will not work. After it has cured buff it to further smooth the transition from new to old. They actually make a blend promoter but no idea how it works.

**Schmalgar** · 12-15-2010, 05:35 PM

Sweet, thanks, that's something for me to look at...

**pajeff02** · 12-15-2010, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Schmalgar

Sweet, thanks, that's something for me to look at...

Go to YouTube and/or Google and search for "paint blending" videos. You will probably find some good examples of the technique.

**Smittro** · 12-16-2010, 02:12 AM

I would not paint/touch up or fix it for a couple of days or so.. That way if there is unseen paint damage it will start to show before you go and paint a spot.. Sometimes the cover paint will start to show cracks @ a later time than the day of the impact/mishap.. Just my .02

**Schmalgar** · 12-16-2010, 05:32 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

I would not paint/touch up or fix it for a couple of days or so.. That way if there is unseen paint damage it will start to show before you go and paint a spot.. Sometimes the cover paint will start to show cracks @ a later time than the day of the impact/mishap.. Just my .02

Roger. Yeah I was pissed and rushed into it, I know that. I did sand/paint a few inches extra in each direction to help allow for just that, but we'll see if it was enough. I also wanted to get it sealed up quickly, I've heard that continued exposure to air will help flake the paint off further. Dunno if that's true...? I was really pissed that the paint just fell off on impact like it did. It came off in big flakes, like 2x2 inch sections. Was quite rude of it.

I'm almost positive I'll end up taking it to someone to paint the entire bumper sometime next year when I can afford it. I'm just hoping to do a decent enough job with this patch to pass the 10-foot test for a while. Everyone was staring at me when driving it with that hole in the paint! I just know it! Grrr!

**Smittro** · 12-16-2010, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by Schmalgar

Roger. Yeah I was pissed and rushed into it, I know that. I did sand/paint a few inches extra in each direction to help allow for just that, but we'll see if it was enough. I also wanted to get it sealed up quickly, I've heard that continued exposure to air will help flake the paint off further. Dunno if that's true...? I was really pissed that the paint just fell off on impact like it did. It came off in big flakes, like 2x2 inch sections. Was quite rude of it.

I'm almost positive I'll end up taking it to someone to paint the entire bumper sometime next year when I can afford it. I'm just hoping to do a decent enough job with this patch to pass the 10-foot test for a while. Everyone was staring at me when driving it with that hole in the paint! I just know it! Grrr!

Yeah almost every plastic (abs) bumber cover GM ever made will have to paint come off or crack in egg shell like pieces after an impact.. I bumped a full metal trash can with my old grand prix, and a couple of days later I could just peel the paint off in chunks around the impact area.. Sucked, most because the cover was bright yellow underneath..

**dragonZ28** · 12-16-2010, 01:08 PM

"Roll" the tape edges up, and back. Then reduce the amount of paint going on at the edges. This will create a blending effect the can be sanded out.

You can also do this with your clear. Trust me it works. No hard edges.

Thanks, Roger

**RyanJM** · 12-16-2010, 02:05 PM

Sand the bumper down around the damage till smooth again and sand past it with 1000 or 1500 grit. Spray the color coat on light till it covers the damage area and lightly blend the lasxt coat a little farther out and do the same 1 light coat of clear and 2 or 3(my preference since I wet sand and buff everything)wet coats, then they sell blender in a rattle can at most paint stores and all you do it lightly spray around the edges where the old and new clear meet. Now for a great finish wait a couple days till it is really cured well and sand it with 2000 grit to get any dusk or orange peel out you may have and go onto the factory paint then buff it back to a shine. Won't be body shop quality if you use rattle cans but will definately good enough to hidde it for now.

Oh and of course tape it and using wider tape and rolling it does work, my preffered way it taping past where the clear is going and the pull the tape and use the blender and no edge at all. Be carful that rattle can blender runs easy and light spray it, try it out on somthing else to get used to it.