What do you use for restoring trim?
- Thread starter Tom123
- Start date
I been using Mother’s Back to Black for years. It lasts a while, then of course you need to do it again.
Maybe this newer stuff lasts longer. Keep track of it and report back.
Maybe this newer stuff lasts longer. Keep track of it and report back.
My experience is that none of the restorative options are permanent or without their own issues. Painting looks good initially but will fade and/or crack over time. Penetrol also looks great initially, and can be applied to plastic or metal, but loses its bond over time and flakes off. Ultimately, rubber and plastic trim that has faded needs to be replaced with new and then protected from UV rays. Every other option is temporary.
I buy 303 Protectant by the gallon. By the gallon, it’s cost effective. It also provides very good UV protection. It will however rinse off in the rain.
I buy 303 Protectant by the gallon. By the gallon, it’s cost effective. It also provides very good UV protection. It will however rinse off in the rain.
Krylon fusion paint. Doesn't crack or peel and no primer needed. Prep consists of cleaning first with rubbing alcohol. Still looked the same after 3 years. Use semi gloss if you like it shiny. 
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My experience with cracking and fading paint comes specifically from using Krylon Fusion on the fender flares. It looked good for a few years but then faded and also developed spider cracks.Krylon fusion paint. Doesn't crack and no primer or prep needed, other than clean first with rubbing alcohol. Still looked the same after 3 years. Use semi gloss if you like it shiny.
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A few years is pretty good. I'm going with a textured paint or coating when I do mine again.
I painted my plastic trim and front/rear bumpers last July using SEM Trim Black. Even in the AZ sun, all the parts still look as good as the day I painted them. If they begin to crack or fade, I'll just spray them again. For me, painting them beats having to apply a product all throughout the year to maintain the look.
This seems reasonable. I’ve used mother’s and meguires and have to “refresh” them every few months during the summer. New fenders in the coming weeks that aren’t plastic
I'm a fan of SEM "Landau Black" for its similarity to factory black. But yes, then you'd need to also use clear-coat, or some 303 as mentioned above, or some other way of delaying the inevitable re-paint.
Did you paint the hood latches as well or did you replace them? If so, what did you do with the rubber bit?
I accidentally painted the whole thing. It was only afterwards that I noticed my error in painting the rubber bits. I didn't replace them and kept those as is for now since they weren't too faded to begin with.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006NZRAFE/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Had really good experience with this stuff, unlike most of the trim restorers that just just coat the surface so it looks good for a few weeks, this stuff actually dyes the plastic back to black. I coat it after with stuff like the 303.
Also +1on the sem stuff, for anything that needs painting that stuff rocks
Had really good experience with this stuff, unlike most of the trim restorers that just just coat the surface so it looks good for a few weeks, this stuff actually dyes the plastic back to black. I coat it after with stuff like the 303.
Also +1on the sem stuff, for anything that needs painting that stuff rocks
It says it won't, but it also says to wipe it off paint immediately....so take that as you will. When I have used it I had whatever I was woking on uninstalled from the car, so I can't say what it would do to paint. What I can say is like most things that work, it works, and anything it touched around me also got "restored" black. My hands, shirt, and a small spot on my dogs head for about a week, all restored black.
This doesn’t make those black streaks when it rains, I hope. You always know the cheap stuff on cars driving around because of the black running down the side.
Not that I've seen, and I'm up near Seattle, it's seen some rain. It is very specific that it cures for, I think 12 hours before you let what ever you treated get wet. There's a bunch of youtube videos, pro detailer guys seem to love it.
I use a butane of propane torch on the interior and exterior trim. Just don’t get to close you gotta move quick but be consistent. I’m sure you can find YouTube videos. It lasts a couple years before you have to do it again. Works great on faded flares. If you coated the trim with a UV resistant coating it would probably last even longer.