Interior Plastics: How to strip painted plastics?
 

Hi,

Just like the thread states, I'm wondering how I should go about stripping the paint on my plastic parts in the interior cabin. Any product out there that would work very well to remove the paint? I do not want to damage the plastics just strip the paint. I was considering paint thinner, but I don't know what that will do to plastic parts. Let me know.

Thanks,

Rizwan

Perfect Timing...
 

HEY STR8RYD (AND SPANDY) LOL, BEAT YOU TO IT... :D

LEARN HOW TO BE A STRIPPER...

*edit* shit you beat me to it :lol:

just sand the paint off with some low grit sand paper (60 grit is good enough) , then smooth it out with some high grit sand paper (150-200 grit) and go from there. Having a sander helps to get the bulk of it off, but having a flexable sanding pad helps get in the curves a sander cannot.

If you want a OEM looking color with good durability and scratch resistance, heres what I did-

Bought a multi-use general primer (just make sure it works with plastics, you can usually just read the back of the can), applied 1 light coat follow by 2 heavier coats

Then I applied 1 light coat of Duplicolor Engine Enamel w/ ceramic (500 degree) Low Gloss Black (color code= DE 1634 Low Gloss Black) spray paint followed by two heavier coats.

http://duplicolor.com/products/engine.html


In between coats I sanded down imperfections with a medium grit sand paper (100-120 grit or so).

Depending on how you like the product at this point you can either stop or apply a clear coat.

I went for a little more gloss, so I applied a Duplicolor clear coat.

It was very cost effective, came out real nice and I did just about every plastic interior piece in the car.

You could try this product too if you like-

http://duplicolor.com/products/vinyl.html

Holy fucking shit batman, don't fucking use 60 grit on your plastic panels unless you want to be sanding the scratches out for hours or putting tons of coats on trying to cover them.

Just wet sand the paint with like a 400 grit then an 800 grit to rough it up and smooth it up a bit and just coat over top of it. You attack your panels with 60 grit and you are in for a long process of removing the scratches created by the aggressive 60 grit for hours.

*Edit* this is if it as an aftermarket interior paint that you are trying to remove. If it is the factory coating, all you need is purple power, not the jaws of life 60 grit sand paper.

Thanks a lot guys! It is aftermarket paint that I'm trying to remove from my interior panels. I actually had it done by a bodyshop (paint matched the panels). I'll probably start the removal process tomorrow.