A fresh coat of paint on a bumper can increase the value of an automobile and can make a car appear new. To give a bumper a professional looking new paint job, make sure that the bumper color coat matches the original color perfectly. Most auto supply stores have color match cards available to assist customers.
Scrub both sides of the bumper cover with ¼-cup of a wax/grease remover and a scrubbing pad.
Sand with 180-grit sandpaper to create a smooth and even surface.
Blow all of the dust away with an air compressor. Any dust left behind will create bumps in the paint.
Fill any scratches or dents with automotive body filler. Squeeze out the air bubbles, and smooth the surface with a putty knife. Allow one to two hours for the body filler to dry, and sand the area with 180-grit sandpaper. Blow the dust away once more.
Seal the entire bumper with a coat of flexible bumper sealer to aid with paint adhesion.
Coat the bumper cover with a flexible bumper primer surfacer.
Spray the bumper with a thin layer of bumper color coat and allow 1 hour for it to dry completely.
Lightly wet sand the paint with 320-grit wet application sandpaper, rinse the residue away, and let the bumper dry.
Repeat the painting and sanding process four times.
Apply another thin coat of bumper color coat, sanding with 400-grit wet application sandpaper, instead of the 320-grit sandpaper. Spray the final coat of paint, without sanding, to avoid leaving scratches. Allow 12 to 24 hours for the paint to dry.
