Recoat cloudy polycarbonate headlight lenses

Polycarbonate headlight recoating

Guide to recoating cloudy polycarbonate headlight lenses

Cloudy polycarbonate headlight lenses need sanding refinement, water based cleaning, a gentle adhesion primer and a 2K clearcoat finish. The goal is to remove haze and seal the lens without attacking the sensitive polycarbonate surface.

What do you need to recoat cloudy polycarbonate headlight lenses?

Water based final cleaning

Mipa WBS Cleaner FINAL in spray or 5l format cleans the lens surface before the polycarbonate primer stage.

Fine sanding refinement

MP Sanding Pad TotalSilk helps refine sanding marks on the curved lens before cleaning and primer.

Polycarbonate adhesion primer

Mipa WBS PC primer spray is a colourless water based adhesion primer made for sensitive polycarbonate such as headlight lenses.

Clearcoat protection

Mipa 2K Clearcoat Spray suits smaller clear-over-base repairs, while Mipa 2K-HS Clearcoat CC 8 with HS 10 hardener suits spray-gun finishing on larger or repeated jobs.

How to recoat cloudy polycarbonate headlight lenses

1
Sand away oxidation

Remove the cloudy layer with controlled sanding and refine the marks so the lens is uniformly prepared.
2
Clean with WBS cleaner

Use the water based final cleaner to remove sanding residue before primer without aggressive solvent attack.
3
Apply PC primer

Spray thin, even coats of Mipa WBS PC primer so the clearcoat can bond to the polycarbonate lens.
4
Clearcoat the lens

Apply the chosen 2K clearcoat method in a clean environment to seal the restored surface.
5
Let the lens cure

Allow the clearcoat to harden before washing, polishing or exposing the lens to heavy handling.

Which headlight clearcoat method should you choose?

Aerosol headlight repair

Mipa 2K Clearcoat Spray works well for one pair of headlight lenses and keeps the repair compact.

Spray-gun headlight repair

CC 8 clearcoat with HS 10 hardener suits repeated headlight work or jobs where spray-gun control is preferred.

Technical details

Mipa WBS PC primer spray is made for polycarbonate substrates such as headlight lenses.
The water based primer does not dissolve sensitive polycarbonate and prepares the lens for Mipa 2K clearcoat.
Sanding must remove the oxidised surface and refine scratches before the clearcoat locks the surface in place.
WBS Cleaner FINAL is the cleaning stage used before primer on this lens repair method.
The clearcoat protects the restored lens surface after the haze has been removed and the primer has flashed off.

Practical suggestion

Do both headlights with the same sanding and clearcoat rhythm so the left and right lenses have the same clarity and gloss.