Bumper - Paint or Powder Coat?

[CarbonSteel]

I picked up a super cheap modular bumper that has a couple of scrapes on the bottom and want to have the whole bumper refinished in the factory matte/satin texture.

Bead blasting would be the easiest way to remove all of the old paint and surface rust from the scrapes which would enhance the texture.

Would you have it painted or powder coated?

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[THE_SAVSQCH]

Powder coat 100%

Most shops are very familiar with automotive parts and can help you out.

 

[PWillette]

I picked up a super cheap modular bumper that has a couple of scrapes on the bottom and want to have the whole bumper refinished in the factory matte/satin texture.

Bead blasting would be the easiest way to remove all of the old paint and surface rust from the scrapes which would enhance the texture.

Would you have it painted or powder coated?

If it were a pavement princess I'd probably powder coat...paint otherwise. Paint dings/scratches can be touched-up, powder coat not so much.

 

[userdude]

If you're going to put it in situations where it might get scratched, I'd think about getting it painted in a color you could easily touch-up with a rattle can. And that's to keep it from rusting mostly. If you're doing it for the looks and don't think you'll scratch it, powder coat.

 

[CalvinT]

Paint dings/scratches can be touched-up, powder coat not so much.

Depends on what paint you use. Maybe have a separate piece of steel powder coated so you could experiment with touching up scratches.

 

[Doc TOC]

Agree with the above. Powder coat is a durable plastic coating, except when you scratch/gouge it. Then it advertises the scratch. Not that paint doesn't, but it is a quicker fix.

Your choice depends if you are a Mr Fix It, or a "have a pro do it" type person.

Powder coat can be painted, with the proper prep and primers. You don't have to strip the bumper for a few spots. Rust is also easy to clean and inhibit.

I filled some divots with a thin epoxy fill and sprayed over it. Prep and right materials is the key. A lot of automotive paint suppliers (National Coatings & Supplies in Colorado Springs) will carry what you need.

 

[CalvinT]

You might want to check out Rust-oeum Chassis and Roll Bar paint. Harbor Freight was the only place I could find it locally.

I had gates installed about 15 years ago. They were powder coated. The contractor/fabricator used a Krylon Automotive finish in a spray can to touch them up. They still look good.

You just can't use homeowner grade paints.

 

[B22-2023]

Agree with the above. Powder coat is a durable plastic coating, except when you scratch/gouge it. Then it advertises the scratch. Not that paint doesn't, but it is a quicker fix.

Your choice depends if you are a Mr Fix It, or a "have a pro do it" type person.

Powder coat can be painted, with the proper prep and primers. You don't have to strip the bumper for a few spots. Rust is also easy to clean and inhibit.

I filled some divots with a thin epoxy fill and sprayed over it. Prep and right materials is the key. A lot of automotive paint suppliers (National Coatings & Supplies in Colorado Springs) will carry what you need.

Powder coat. Easier to patch the scratched areas without trying to blend in. Keep a can of good matte black primer paint on hand. After every trip I roughly wipe the sliders and bumpers down with a clean cloth, alcohol wipe the scratches and hit it with the can.

Once the metal gets dusty, that’s 5 minutes of driving in CO, no one can notice.

 

[Brian_B]

Did my entire Chinese mod clone in this stuff, inside and out. It’s help up amazingly well and matches the textured black powder coat that most aftermarket accessories came with - including the Ford Performace winch mount

Bonus is its on the shelf at almost every hardware store

That said - 100% agree powder coat will look amazingly better, but be more difficult to maintain if you want to actually use it

 

[CalvinT]

Did my entire Chinese mod clone in this stuff, inside and out. It’s help up amazingly well and matches the textured black powder coat that most aftermarket accessories came with - including the Ford Performace winch mount

Bonus is its on the shelf at almost every hardware store

I wonder how that will hold up when it comes time to paint my steps.

 

[Brian_B]

I wonder how that will hold up when it comes time to paint my steps.

Dunno - I can say it’s holding up better than the powder coat that my RSEs came with, and is about on par with the powder coat the TOR spare carrier came with, as I’ve been using it to touch up those things as well.

 

[B22-2023]

I wonder how that will hold up when it comes time to paint my steps.

I had a good Titan submersible comment about bed liner because I just saw the docu, but it’s too soon. Anyway avoid water crossings.

 

[RustysBronco]

Powder coat 100%

Most shops are very familiar with automotive parts and can help you out.

What he said

 

[CalvinT]

Plastidip will last longer if you use Plastidip primer. But... you won't be able to peel it off if you use their primer.

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