# How to paint plastic strip?



## juicy (May 2, 2015)

It's plastic but like a chrome colour, can u just sand finely and spray? 
Will paint whole grill bit probley so matches


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## 3gdean (Jun 18, 2011)

it is chrome plating
you will need an etch primer

will need sanding with p500 max, etch, prime, colour blah blah


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## juicy (May 2, 2015)

Whats ech primer?


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## 3gdean (Jun 18, 2011)

its basically an acid that bites into metal to allow other things to stick


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## juicy (May 2, 2015)

It's just plastic


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## 3gdean (Jun 18, 2011)

The chrome colour is chrome plating, unless you plan on sanding that until it is plastic and it will take you a long long time. Trust me, scuff it up and etch it.


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## ffrs1444 (Jun 7, 2008)

Just done my corsa D fog light things there like what your doing 
Light spray with basic primer
Fully spray with primer let dry fully 
Then spray your choice colour lightly 
Fully spray colour let dry 
Then nice coat of laquar


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## juicy (May 2, 2015)

Ok thanks lads al give it ago


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## supernova-dw (Apr 26, 2014)

Don't need any ethc primer or plastic primer!

Clean it well! Sand it with scotch bright and paint! No point in over complicating things!


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## 3gdean (Jun 18, 2011)

.... advice was given for the record


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## juicy (May 2, 2015)

3gdean I can't find ech primer? Is this product name? Why can't I use normal 2k or celly primer?
Thanks


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## 3gdean (Jun 18, 2011)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...0.Xetch+primer.TRS0&_nkw=etch+primer&_sacat=0

http://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/about-us/hints-tips/etch-primers.html


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## Scoobycarl (Aug 13, 2011)

Because acid etch primer bites into the metal coating on the plastic mate ! If it were just plastic you could sand and plastic prime it but it has a metal plate over the plastic so you need to etch it ! They sell it in halfords mate upol acid etch !


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## juicy (May 2, 2015)

Ok if I get litre of ech primer can I use it for general primer too? Metal and plastic?


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

3gdean said:


> The chrome colour is chrome plating, unless you plan on sanding that until it is plastic and it will take you a long long time. Trust me, scuff it up and etch it.


I would say it's almost certainly not chrome plating, chroming is rather expensive and very nasty stuff. And increasingly difficult (aka more expensive) to do in Europe due to restrictions like the "Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive".


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## 3gdean (Jun 18, 2011)

I think car manufacturers can afford it.

can everyone go scratch their car badges outside please, to see whether they have clear coat or are indeed plated. (not all but most)


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

3gdean said:


> I think car manufacturers can afford it.
> 
> can everyone go scratch their car badges outside please, to see whether they have clear coat or are indeed plated. (not all but most)


It's not about 'affording it', it's about doing things more efficiently, being more competitive, increasing margins, selling cheaper or making more money. Not to mention environmental policies and potential danger to workers.

Justifiable expense on a Harley Davidson.....not so much on a small eurobox car.


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## 3gdean (Jun 18, 2011)

I understand all the implications of chrome plating, but thats just the way it is even on a euro box.


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## 3gdean (Jun 18, 2011)

juicy said:


> Ok if I get litre of ech primer can I use it for general primer too? Metal and plastic?


just get an aerosol can from halfrauds(500ml) lasts ages.

no, just a light coat does the trick.


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## Andy-P (Jun 1, 2014)

Halfords sell their own brand and also sell U-Pol etch primer (usually).


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## Scoobycarl (Aug 13, 2011)

I fitted two chrome look mouldings on a merc friday the bumpers were damaged and chrome look mouldings were cracked, when old mouldings were off you could pull the metal plate off leaving the plasic under it so it is metal coating maybe not chrome tho ?


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## juicy (May 2, 2015)

Not sure. It's just a vauxhall corsa and astra I'm doing. Pretty common car


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## Scoobycarl (Aug 13, 2011)

Probably the same mate I would guess ?


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