Car interior plastics are present across most cars of the past and today, and over time will suffer damage or wear. You will notice that after a few years that it may lose its original sheen or the colour may seem a little faded. Well, in this guide we show you all the points to consider for rejuvenating your interior car plastics.
Undoubtedly, plastic is one of the most used materials in the automotive industry, so it is really common to face repairs with this material with gluing or other kinds of repairs depending on the type of plastic, the dimensions of the damage, and some other factors, verifying in each case the feasibility of the repair, as well as its possible quality and the expected durability of this intervention. And, let’s face it, the durability and ability to cope under stress is incomparable to other areas of the car that are predominantly made of metal.
Types of car plastics
Thermoplastics:
They are the most common in bodywork due to their great hardness and stability. They repair well with adhesives (bumpers, spoilers, grills, hubcaps, battery pipes, wheel arch linings, etc.).
Thermostable:
These are rigid plastics with great resistance and that do not deform due to high temperatures. They admit only adhesives for repair since they do not accept any type of welding (areas that require a certain flexibility but are subject to high temperatures such as the crankcase, the radiator support, etc.).
Elastomers:
Very flexible and elastic, capable of withstanding strong pressures, and returning to their initial state after deformation. They are very difficult to repair and do not admit heat, only possible adhesives (spoilers, gaskets, window rubbers, etc.).
Types of car plastic repairs
Plastic repair using adhesives
The most widely used method is the use of ” two-component adhesives” since they normally ensure a repair with good finishes and more than acceptable durability, also producing some hydration of the repaired plastic.
There are many varieties of adhesives for plastics, and there are even other products that are not especially indicated for plastics but that give very good results, as well as very tenacious and highly resistant gels for this operation that also provide an effective filling capacity in case of need.
Our suggestion is to use products with a good polyurethane composition in the case of bumpers and trims, with easy application with a manual gun that allows repairs of all types on plastic or fiber parts, also achieving a highly perfected finish.
Plastic repair by welding
The union of plastic by welding with a hot air gun also gives very good results, applying the same material with filler rods.
The process is carried out by preheating the gun for 25-20 minutes and sanding the areas to be sealed so that they are smooth. It is necessary to ensure that the pieces are placed in their correct position and protect the joints with aluminum or similar materials.
The application is done by moving the gun slowly over the areas to be covered or repaired, causing the heat together with the filler rods to act as expected. In the end, you have to let the area dry and lower its temperature to proceed with sanding and achieve a suitable final finish.
Added procedures for plastic repair
Depending on the type of break, the level of damage that the part presents, or the material in which it is made, it may be necessary to use a metal mesh or metal staples to reinforce the area in question.
In any case, the repaired piece should always be sanded to give it a perfect finish and eliminate all possible imperfections, for which it is advisable to work with coarse sandpaper that must be used effectively.
In any case, when repairing plastic parts such as cracks, holes, deformations, cracks or simple scratches, it will be chosen depending on the type and extent of the damage whether to repair by welding or with adhesives, taking into consideration comments such as the following:
Sometimes it is necessary to decide to replace the part with a new one instead of repairing it, depending on the type of the part and the extent of the damage.
Excessive disassembly may be required due to the accessibility of the part, so it may be appropriate to replace the entire part.
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