How to Remove Peeling Clear Coat From a Car Bumper

Car bumpers painted with two- or three-stage paints have a separate clear coat sprayed on top of the color coat. The clear coat protects the color coat from harmful UV rays and natural elements. When the clear coat gets dried out from washing with dish liquid or from UV rays, it starts to peel and fade. You can remove the clear coat from a car bumper and apply a fresh coat to keep the paint on the bumper protected.

Instructions

1

Use a red scuff pad to gently sand the edges along the peeling clear coat. The edges of the peels are white and need more attention with the pad. Sand until the white is gone and the entire bumper is dull and smooth.

2

Sand the bumper using 800-grit sandpaper and water. Keep the sandpaper soaking wet while sanding so the buildup doesn't cut into the base coat of paint. Sand the entire bumper and rinse it with water. Let the bumper dry completely.

3

Place masking tape and paper over the top and to sides of the bumper to keep overspray off of the vehicle.

4

Spray the bumper with clear coat paint. Hold the spray gun 12 inches from the surface and move left and right, not up and down. Spray a thin coat on the bumper and let it dry for 10 minutes. Spray a total of five coats, letting each coat dry for 10 minutes between coats. Let the final coat dry for six hours before handling the bumper.