Prepare surfaces. Surfaces should be close fitting (pre-fit before joining), free of residue, and dry. Slightly roughen smooth surfaces to improve results. Our plastic strips are manufactured from uPVC although it is important to point out the difference between the plastic material we use and the plastic material used by the double-glazing and widow industries. In those industries, additional stabilisers are often added to the uPVC, whereas our material is standard uPVC. The filler is supplied complete with the necessary fast epoxy hardener which will cure the filler in around 2hrs. Depending on the nature of your project you need to consider the width of the plastic flat strip that you need. The smallest width of plastic (PVC) flat bar strips range is 6mm and the widest is 142mm. Our plastic flat strips are manufactured in PVC and are solid all the way through, both in terms of material and colour. We get asked sometimes if our flat strips are foiled, with the colour just being on the surface of the product. They are not foiled, they are high quality products and are a solid colour all the way through. Bendable plastic strips

Can be used from 15 to 30°C although pot-life and cure time will be affected significantly. Recommended working at an ambient of 20-25°C. Stay safe. Work in a well-ventilated, protected area. Wash your hands when you are finished, and optionally wear gloves for extra protection. This material is different to our rigid plastic strips and we encourage you to request samples if you are unsure which material to choose. Solid plastic strips

Is a plastic flat bar the same as a plastic flat strip?

Thoroughly clean the bumper inside and out. Any dirt or grease will stop the filler bonding properly and ruin the appearance of the repair. Allow to dry and wipe down with solvent wipes, which are usually included in the kit. Prepare adhesive and activator (if applicable). Open the adhesive and, if relevant, the activator according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Apply a liberal amount of repair material to the damaged area so that you make the surface a little higher than surrounding bumper. Use a spreader like a squeegee to carefully smooth out the filler. Make sure to push the filler into any scratches to fill them right to the bottom. Cover with smoothing film if supplied and allow to dry and fully harden.

Firstly, an explanation as to what uPVC actually means. PVC is an abbreviation for ‘polyvinyl chloride’ and ‘u’ is an abbreviation for ‘unplasticised.’ Therefore uPVC means the material is unplasticised polyvinyl chloride. Remove the masking tape and sand down the damage at the front to make the area a little low and create a rough surface for bonding. Apply bonding liquid if supplied. You are very welcome to request samples of PVC strip if you are unsure about exactly which plastic flat strip you need. You may wish to see the colour, the different type of material, the width or the edge style.Most of our flat plastic strips have square edges, but we also have a few sizes with round edges. This means that two of the edges of the plastic strips are slightly rounded. Square edge plastic strips

Apply adhesive. Apply it sparingly to one surface and press the parts together immediately. Hold in place until the bond sets. Do not reposition parts. Once hardened, finish the sanding with wet fine grit sandpaper for a really smooth finish and wipe away any dust. It depends on whether you choose rigid plastic strips or flexible plastic strips as to how bendable the plastic strip will be. Sand the repair area level, first with 80 grit sandpaper and then with a fine grain sandpaper to smooth it out. If needed, apply another light layer of filler over any gaps or dips to restore the original contours. Rigid PVC strips are manufactured from a different material to our flexible plastic strips and we encourage you to request samples if you are unsure which material to choose.

After any paint repair, it’s best to wax the car, preferably professionally to keep the paint in the best condition. Wait at least a week after the repair before waxing. Gather materials. Get together all the plastic pieces you want to join. You’ll also need and your adhesive, of course, tissue paper, something to protect your work area, and sandpaper (for bonding smooth surfaces). Spacers and gap fillers, as the plastic strips can sit between two edges or slide underneath an edge to fill a gap.