How To Touch Up Car Paint Chips

The Clear Coat Scratch

If you steam clean the scratch and it disappears, that means its a clear coat scratch. Steam cleaning is no longer limited to the engine housing. Its now available to maintain the car body. This scratch repair is fairly easy and requires only some light tools.

Heres howâ¦

How Paintcraft Fixes Car Paint Chips On A Hood

Using the Dr. Colorchip system, I will actually smear the paint on with a diaper cloth. I admit I have a little fun with this at car shows. Often, Im working on multi-million dollar cars, and Ill just smear paint all over the front of someones car without warning. I know the excess paint is going to come off, but the car owner isnt always so sure. Sometimes its a good joke, sometimes not.

Once I smear the paint on, I wait until its dry usually 15 minutes or less. The paint should be smooth, not tacky. Next, I have a clean section of cloth in one hand, a microfiber cloth in my other hand, and a bottle of the blending solution handy. Ill put a few drops of solution on the cloth and start gently removing the excess paint. I make sure the cloth is very flat along the cars surface to avoid removing paint from the chips. I continue adding a few drops of solution until I remove all the excess paint. Once every couple of minutes, I gently wipe the hood with the microfiber cloth to remove the solution and see which areas still have excess paint.

Check out this video of me fixing a BUNCH of paint chips on a hood at a dealership:

Where Do You Find The Car Color Code On A Car

First off, your cars color code is typically three to six characters long, containing both letters and numbers. Typically the color code is at the bottom of the drivers side door jamb, the bottom right of the windshield next to the VIN number, or in the glove box. Sometimes, it is in the inside of the car hood or on the passenger side sun visor.

You dont want to just go off the name of the color of your car because that color will vary from year to year. The only way to guarantee that you purchase the right color is by identifying your cars exact color code.

If you cant seem to find it in any of those places, contact your dealer, and they should be able to help you out.

Also Check: How To Get Paid For Advertising On Your Car

Smoothing Car Paint Swirls

Swirls look like circular spider webs in your vehicles paint. They are caused when dust and dirt get embedded in the cloth used to wash your car. The dirt gets pushed against the paint and causes tiny circular scratches. Heres how to tackle this car paint repair.

To fix a swirl, apply a car paint cutting compounda thick liquid that has gritto remove a thin layer of the paints clear coat. Be careful to remove the least amount of clear coat necessary to get the job done.

An alternative approach is to use auto glaze, a liquid with refined oil and compounds. Apply a thin layer of auto glaze, let it set for ten minutes, and then buff it with a clean microfiber cloth. The glaze fills in the scratches to restore the cars shine.

Tell your friends:

Apply Clear Coat And Wet Sand

After letting the paint dry overnight, spray clear coat over the painted area, keeping the coating as even and free of runs as possible. Once youve coated the entire touch-up area with clear coat, let it dry overnight again, then wet sand it. Start with 1500 grit paper, then work your way right up to 3000 grit, keeping the surface wet the whole time. Rinse off any clear coat residue, and the job is done.

I like to add one more layer of clear coat for extra protection. After this second coat dries, do a little very light wet sanding with 3000 grit paper.

Also Check: What To Do If Your Car Breaks Down

Stone Chip Repair: Tips To Fix Car Paint Chips

Stone chips are a common feature in car paintwork, usually on the bonnet. They create small, deep and very localised damage in the paint.

They are usually the result of gravel and road debris flicked from the tyres of vehicles in front of you onto your vehicle. Due to this, they are more common when motorway driving where debris is more likely to be flicked because of the higher speed of vehicles in front of you. Unfortunately, at these higher speeds, the little stones can leave a ding or small mark in your paintwork.

Stone chips are also more common in winter as salt-spreaders throw grit over the roads which is then either, flicked onto your vehicle directly by the salt-spreaders or by other vehicles more often because of the extra debris on the road. This damage can also be made worse by winter weather, as rainwater and ice from the lower temperatures settle and get into the chip and affect the metal underneath your cars paintwork.

Because of the common reasons above, stone chips are difficult to avoid, but they can be easily and usually inexpensively fixed. This makes stone chip repair easy for vehicle owners, which is an advantage as it is important to repair the damage as soon as possible, so it doesnt worsen in rainy or icy conditions.

Our latest blog can help you remove chips and scratches from your vehicle with its top tips on removing scratches from your car paintwork.

Prepping The Car For Paint

Read Also: Rent Paint Sprayer Sherwin Williams

Read Also: How To Get The Best Deal On A New Car

Paint Chip Preparation Process

Prepare the chip or scratched area before applying primer or touch-up paint.

Dont jump the gun!

While paint may seem to adhere to a chip or scratch that has rust or dirt or oil, eventually the repair will fail.

Trust me!

Preparation is absolutely essential. It actually begins the day before you repair paint chips and scratches.

Wash your car with Dawn dish-washing detergent. It will remove any wax and silicone from the paint.

And do this the previous afternoon! Then, dry your car thoroughly and put it away for the night

Do you want the best results?

You must make sure the chip does not have loose edges. If it does, its not ready for touch-up.

Of course, youve got to clean it as well.

Use a toothpick for this. Examine the edges of that chip. If necessary, the toothpick can knock off any loose paint.

Heres another aspect you cannot skip:

Prior to applying paint, clean with Prep Spray.

Also, wipe the chip and the surrounding area well.

At this point, you are making progress!

Next, use a sanding pen to prepare the chip and feather out the edges.

Simply rotate the sanding pen over the chip.

Keep the area you sand as small as possible. Rotating the sanding pen back and forth 8 to 10 times should do it.

A K-Tool KTI Sanding Pen is great for preparing scratches and paint chips.

Use it for exposed bare metal, rust in particular.

Its easy. The edge of the sanding pen can remove any rust.

Looking better?

Spray it with your Prepsol again. Wipe it dry with a clean lint free towel.

Essential Tools For Removing Serious Scratches

I want to make things easy for you so here is some advice:

Polishing by hand is not very practical, especially if repairing multiple paint chips or small scratches.

You will need a dual-action car polisher or a spot pad kit for your drill.

Other things to consider:

• If possible, get an exact color match touch-up paint. Look in your owners manual for the exact code, or ask your dealer.

• Use an artists paintbrush or a plastic toothpick to apply touch-up paint. A Touch-up Paint Pen is good too.

FYI: The 3M Scratch & Scuff Removal Kit has everything you need if the repair doesnt need a color touch-up.

• Always test the touch-up paint for color matching in an inconspicuous area.

• The area to be repaired must be perfectly clean. This means free of wax, rust and oils. Use a prep solvent for this.

• Do not attempt a touch-up if the temperature is below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Read Also: What Can I Use To Clean My Car Seats

Blend Away Excess Paint And Seal The Chip Repair

Finally, you will need to blend away the dried excess paint on the clearcoat surrounding the repaired area using a lint-free wiping cloth and blending solution.

Our Sealact blending solution also acts as a sealant for the paint chip repair, making it a great all-in-one solution that eliminates the need for a separate clearcoat. Vigorously shake the Sealact bottle for 10 seconds to evenly mix the solution. The components in the Sealact separate quickly and must be consistently mixed for the process to work properly. Flip open the cap and squeeze enough Sealact to moisten about a one inch square section of the wiping cloth. With a rapid back and forth motion and very light pressure, wipe over the dried paint on the car.

Within about 30-45 seconds you will slowly begin to see the excess paint soften, dissolve, and pull away from the cars panel. If you apply too much pressure, you can pull paint from the chip. If this happens, repeat the process using less pressure. If the paint grabs to the wiping cloth, add extra Sealact to keep the cloth lightly lubricated.

Once the excess paint is visually removed from around the chip, stop blending and immediately buff the area clean with a microfiber towel or soft cloth. This will remove any surface haze from the leftover Sealact or paint residue on the car.

Sand The Damaged Area

To prepare the damage for repair, the paint will need to be sanded. Use a 1500 to 2500 grit sandpaper or small sanding block to go over the area immediately around the chipped spot. Use short, light strokes back and forth when sanding the paint. Sand it until the paint has a uniform look and has lost its glossy shine. Rub the area with your finger it should feel smooth around the chip.

Recommended Reading: How Much Do Car Salesman Make

Where Do I Get Touch Up Paint

You can purchase touch up paint at your local auto parts shop. Sometimes, you can also purchase it at the car dealership. More common colors should be readily available. Just make sure you have your correct color code on hand. If your car color is more unique, you may need to call ahead to verify that the store has it in stock. If they dont, they might need to order it in.

Never order a generic color for your touch-up paint! With that, you run the risk of it not matching your cars original paint color at all.

Wash Sand And Rinse The Area

Give the area immediately around the chip, nick or scratch a thorough wash with water, soap and a sponge. Its important to remove all residual, oil, grime and dust from the spot youll be touching up or your primer and paint wont stick. Rinse off all soap residue when youre done. Lightly sand the chip with 220 grit paper until its bare, clean metal, with no hints of rust anywhere. Then rinse the dust off and let it dry completely.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of A Car That Doesn’t Run

Paint Chip Repair Kits

Now that you have found your color code and determined which touch up product to use, there are just a couple other items to add to your car paint chip repair kit. These items will help clean and prepare the chipped paint for touch up, seal it, and help it blend with your cars paint.

Wax & Grease Remover for Chipped Paint

Before starting a car paint chip repair, you want to make sure the area is clean and clear of wax and grease. Clean with a gentle water and soap solution, and include grease and wax remover in your touch up paint order.

Priming an Auto Paint Chip

If the chip goes through all the layers of your auto paint, exposing the unpainted surface, auto paint primer is needed. Primer adheres to unpainted surfaces and will get the touch up paint to stick for your paint chip repair. If you need to fill deep scratches, use several coats of primer and gradually build the surface up. If you are priming a flexible surface like a plastic bumper, using spray paint, or touching up non-metallic paint, order SEM Adhesion Promoter to allow the primer to properly stick.

Clearcoat for Sealing Touched Up Chips

After applying touch up paint, use paint chip repair clearcoat to seal the repaired chip and so you can later polish the area. Apply several coats of clearcoat, allowing each to dry before applying the next.

Rubbing Compound to Polish a Repaired Chip

Automotive Lacquer Thinner

The First Decision: When Should I Fix My Car Paint Chips

The first decision of whether the paint chips on your car require immediate attention depends on four things:

If you are leasing, selling, or trading in your car, then it will very likely be in your favor to have any chips or scratches repaired before doing so. You may also be one of the many car owners who cant stand to see imperfections in their cars paint. If thats you, then you already know that youll have the chips repaired. When the damage to your cars paint is significant, youll want to have it repaired as soon as possible to keep it from getting worse. You can read one of our other blog posts here for more information about when you should repair car paint chips and scratches!

Read Also: How Do I Know If My Car Battery Is Dead

How To Apply Touch

Theres an easy DIY solution for small scratches and chips in car paint. You can repair the paint job yourself for a fraction of the price of professional vehicle painting services. Find out more about this quick fix.

Car paint can be touched up with do-it-yourself kits sold at any well-stocked automotive supply store. This type of product is helpful for temporary repairs or small paint damage spots. For example, a few, little spots of chipped paint caused by roadway rocks or gravel can quickly be patched. Severe damage, such as rust or oxidation corrosion, however, should be addressed by professional car paint services.

Paint Chip Repair How To Repair Car Chips

You are here:Articles> > Paint Chip Repair How to Repair Car Chips

So youve got a paint chip on your car door, hood, roof or elsewhere and you want to fix it before it quickly becomes a rusty paint chip! Paint chip repair is easy to do yourself with an automotive touch up paint pen or brush. As long as you use touch up paint that matches your car color, and allow the layers to dry between coats, you can repair those chips inexpensively at home.

Recommended Reading: How Much To Tint Car Windows

Car Paint Chip Repair

When rocks or gravel kick up on the road, they could hit your car and chip a small piece of the paint. That paint chip can penetrate the primerexposing your vehicles sheet metal. Most chips in car paint are no bigger than a pencils diameter. Fortunately, the fix is easy and fast.

Match your cars paint: For chips, you usually need less than an ounce of matching paint. Several eBay vendors can prepare a small bottle of paint based on a cars year, make, and official color name.

Alternatively, a local shop can scan your vehicles paint to determine a good match. Some companies offer a car paint repair pen, but we prefer a small paint bottle that allows for more precise application.

Make a sandpaper tool with a pencil eraser: Buy two sheets of sandpaper320 and 600 grit. Use a hole punch to cut circles from the sandpaper, and glue one of each grit on the top of a pencils rubber eraser. Let the glue dry.

Smooth the edges of the paint chip: Slowly rotate the sandpaper on the end of the pencil over the chip. The idea is to smooth out the edge of the chipped paint and remove surface rust that might have appeared. Start with the heavier grit and go up to the finer grades of sandpaper. Your goal is to rub your finger over the paint chip and not feel the ridge. Finally, wipe the chip area with denatured alcohol to remove the remaining wax and dirt.