Leading refinish paint supplier Standox has produced a new piratical Standothek Guide entitled "How to refinish plastics". The publication is packed with useful information and tips on this often difficult aspect of refinishing.

Use of plastic parts and panels is increasingly commonplace on modern vehicles and the variety of plastics used means painting can be problematic. Jodie Henly, Standox brand specialist says, "Plastics need painting for a variety of reasons, some purely aesthetic, but on a more practical level, painting will protect plastics against moisture, UV light and general aging."

Standox recommend that before work can begin, the part to be refinished needs a thorough inspection to ascertain whether it's old or new, or if it has been painted, primed or is untreated. Getting paint to adhere on plastics is the next issue. The release agents used to free plastic parts from the mould will also inhibit the paint coating from adhering to the plastic, so these must be removed before painting. This requires very careful cleaning according to the release agents used.

Where plastic parts are to be painted in the same colour as the vehicle, the same colour formulation can be used with the addition of a plasticiser. Standox also offers a full range of colour support tools for precise colour matching where a different colour shade is needed.

The Standothek guide, "How to refinish plastics",  covers every aspect of the plastics refinishing in detail with illustrations. The guide can be downloaded at www.standox.co.uk.