Heat Gun on Plastic Trim

Troy@Protekt

Troy@Protekt

a.k.a. Troy@DetailCity
It's been a while since I've learned a new trick detailing cars but I finally tried out something I saw on You Tube a while back.

I used a heat gun today to restore the faded plastic that covered the bed of a Chevy Avalanche today.

Started out being fun, then got pretty tedious after spending 2 hours restoring the plastic from a whitish grey to a nice new black look again.

Sorry no pics. I wasn't planning to spend the extra time but once I saw it working I couldn't stop until I restored it all. :dnaughty

I feel sorry for the guys who don't spend any time researching on the internet. They miss out on a lot of free knowledge. This is just one trick of many that I have picked up on You Tube and on this and other forums.
 
I'll have to look up the video. I tried once but wasn't patient enough to spend the time and I was worried about melting the plastic
 
Rocket said:
I'll have to look up the video. I tried once but wasn't patient enough to spend the time and I was worried about melting the plastic
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As long as you're not concentrating on one spot for too long, the chances of melting or warping the plastic are minimal.

The idea behind the technique Troy brought up is that in many cases the interior/exterior plastic is formed with the color pigments impregnated through the entire trim piece. Over time UV exposure bleaches and deteriorates the pigments at the very surface, but unlike in dealing with paint, heat will actually cause the pigments from deeper within the material to re-flow and migrate to the surface, thus restoring the trim's original appearance and luster.

That said, it should be noted when attempting this procedure that it is absolutely vital to make sure the part you're heating actually does have pigments impregnated all the way through; if it's just top-coated with color the heat may actually serve to make the problem even worse.

Nice find, Troy!
 
I've used this technique and it has lasted for going on 5 months now, the tough part is getting an even look to it. It's not hard, just a little time consuming. Also be sure to keep dressing the trim to prevent it from fading again.
 
I have heard of this before but never gave it a shot. I know Bob Willis from Auto Conciegre will use a heat gun to restore or fix damage to certain clear films.
 
Flannigan said:
I've used this technique and it has lasted for going on 5 months now, the tough part is getting an even look to it. It's not hard, just a little time consuming. Also be sure to keep dressing the trim to prevent it from fading again.
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:exactly: Large pieces will look splotchy.
 
Garry Dean said:
I have tried this as well. It doesn't last. It will be faded again in a few days IME.
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Flannigan said:
I've used this technique and it has lasted for going on 5 months now, the tough part is getting an even look to it. It's not hard, just a little time consuming. Also be sure to keep dressing the trim to prevent it from fading again.
Click to expand...

It might depend on the type of plastic. I know the pieces that frame the back window and sides came out perfect and seemed to transform easier than the harder plastic used to cover the bed. I too had a hard time getting those to come out uniform but I attributed it to not having a strong enough heat gun and me not willing to spend a full day doing it. :D

Todd Helme said:
I know Bob Willis from Auto Conciegre will use a heat gun to restore or fix damage to certain clear films.
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Yet another nice trick I have learned on here now. Thanks Todd.

Looking forward to trying that one. Seems like it might yellow the clear film though.
 
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