The bumper of your car is the first section of the car that is likely to get scratched or scuffed. Often your car paint job will look great but the bumper will look worse for the wear. It is possible to have just the bumper painted, which saves money and restores your car to its natural beauty.
It is even possible to paint your own bumper and save even more money. Learning to paint a bumper is not difficult and you will be very proud of your accomplishment and the money you save.
This article will explain:
- The average cost of having the bumper painted by a pro
- What you need to paint the bumper yourself
- The average cost of painting the bumper yourself
- Tips and tricks that can help you paint your bumper and get professional results
How Much to Paint a Bumper?
Painting the bumper is not a huge job. You can typically hire this work done for about $300 dollars for a basic, no-frills paint job. If you want an exceptional job done by a professional you can double that estimate to about $50 per square foot. You will also have the bumper off of your car for up to a week if the paint and body shop is really busy.
If you are considering doing your own paint job on your bumper to save a little money then let’s explore what you will need, and how much you will likely spend doing the work.
Related>> Cost to Paint a Car Door (Complete Guide)
Cost Idea If Hire A Professional
If you hire a professional paint and body shop to paint the bumper you will likely pay:
- Hourly rate of $25 to $100
- The material cost of $50 to 200 dollars
Bumper Repaint Cost Estimate
If you repaint a bumper, it cost the same as painting a bumper that is new, or sometimes the repaint can cost more because of the labor required to remove the existing coating in the component.
If you repaint the bumper for yourself
- The paint cost about $30
- The primer cost about $30
- The clear coat can cost between $30 and $200
What You Will Need to DIY Bumper Painting
Before you can paint the bumper, you have to have a few items.
- An area that is enclosed so you control the wind and airflow around the fres
- A spray paint gun that can handle automotive paints and clear coats or aerosol paints rated for use on automobiles
- Sandpaper or scuff pad designed to be used on plastic surfaces
- Auto Masking Tape
- primer
- Paint
- Clear coat
DIY Cost
The amount you spend painting your own bumper will likely be about 1/3 of what a typical standard paint job would be if you hired a professional. If you hire a professional to do an excellent job then the amount you will spend to do the work yourself will be about 1/6 the cost.
Primer
This will cost about $30 for a quart but you are only going to need about half of the quart.
Basecoat
The basecoat paint that you select can cost anywhere between $25 and $150 per quart depending on manufacturer, paint type, and color.
You May Also Like to know about the average cost to paint a truck, we have a separate article.
Aerosol Cans
If you choose to buy automotive paint in aerosol cans the cost can be as low as $10 a can and upwards of $50 per can depending on the brand, quality, color, and size of the can. Be careful if you are ordering aerosol automotive paint online and see really cheap cans. Be sure you understand the size of the can because touch-up paint is sold in aerosol cans and the cans are usually 3 ounces to 6 ounces.
Clear Coat
The clear coat will cost you about $30 a quart, or you can save some cash and get a gallon for close to $100. The amount of clear coat that you apply will depend on the level of protection you want and the amount of shine you want the vehicle bumper to have.
The Tools
To paint your own bumper, you either have to buy aerosol automotive paint, which is more expensive than the liquid paint that comes in quart containers, or you have to buy a spray-painting gun.
Airless Guns
Airless guns are great because you do not need to buy an air compressor. There are several of these guns that you can buy in price ranges of $75 to $500. Look carefully at the features and make sure the cheaper guns are capable of doing what you want to do before you buy them.
Air-powered guns
The air-powered guns can be purchased for less than $50 and upwards of $200 dollars. Before you think this price sounds fabulous remember that you have to have an air compressor to power the gun.
Assorted Accessories
For the purpose of this article, we are going to lump the price of all of the extras you will need to paint your bumper as simply accessories. These extras include painters’ tape, and possibly plastic to seal an area for the work to be done, etc. Go ahead and figure you are going to spend at least $100 on the extras, and if you have to build an entire room out of plastic to do the painting in then your price is going to grow exponentially.
How to Paint a Car Bumper Yourself
Painting your own car bumper may very well save you some money. Be prepared though, because this is a project that is labor-intensive, and it requires planning, preparation, and patience.
New Bumper
If you have ordered a new replacement bumper you are going to have to wet sand the plastic to remove any imperfections and make the surface capable of accepting the paint properly.
Old Bumper
If you are working with an older bumper you are going to have to use sandpaper to sand away any of the clear coat and make the surface area accept the new paint. During your sanding, you can repair any possible imperfections like scratches so the bumper can look new again.
New and Old
You have to make sure the surface is completely free of any dirt, grime, or dust. Wash it and make sure the bumper is totally dry before you begin to think of painting.
Prime it
You have to prime both a new bumper and an old bumper. The primer is designed to help cover any flaws and imperfections on the surface. It is also designed to create a smooth surface that the base coat of paint can readily adhere to.
You will not likely need more than one coat of primer. Spray it on in a uniform manner using the larger tip sizes so you do not have to thin the substance a great deal. Wait for it to dry and inspect it for coverage before you decide to move on to applying your base color.
You want your base color to be flawless and that is going to require that you spray it on in lighter coats. This is where that patience is going to pay off.
- Once you have chosen your tip and spray pattern, load your paint container and try the paint spray out on a piece of cardboard. This will let you discover if your technique is proper, and if your settings will create a coating that has zero runs or drips. If you are using aerosol cans you still should spray a test area so you can determine if you are holding the can at the proper distance from the material. You want to be no closer than 6” and no farther away than 12”.
- Spray the paint in long passes. You want to cover from one end of the unit to the other end of the unit in a single pass.
- On the second pass overlap the first pass by 50%. Look at the first pass and aim your spray at the center to get this overlap correct.
- When you have completed the first coat let the bumper dry totally before you start the next coat. It is important to the adherence and the smoothness of the finish.
- When you have the base color looking like you won’t wait until it is totally cured before you apply the clear coat. You may have to wait 24 hours or more before the base color cures enough for you to apply the clear coat.
- Spray the clear coat on in layers, and let each layer dry completely before making another one.
If you don’t know how much spray paint costs read our article.
Cost Calculation or Estimation to Paint a Bumper
Professional Shop will charge between $300 and $1000
DIY will cost between $150 and $500 depending on the paint and clear coat that you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does It Cost To Get A Front Bumper Painted?
You can get this done for $150 to $300 dollars but that will not be a top-quality job. It will cost closer to $600 for a good paint job.
How Much Does It Cost To Paint An Unpainted Bumper?
The minimum amount you will pay a paint shop to paint your bumper is $150.
How Many Cans Does It Take To Paint A Bumper?
You will need four to five cans to paint a bumper. That is the base color. You will then need a clear coat to cover and protect the base color.
How Much Does It Cost To Repaint A Back Bumper?
Typically paint and body shops charge between $50 and $100 an hour. If it takes them about $50 worth of materials and two hours of labor you could be looking at between $150 and $250 for a basic paint job.
