Apply Paint To The Chipped Area
Now, for the actual painting! While there isnt much creative freedom in touching up car paint, patience and precision are the keys to success.
Apply the paint to the chipped area using a fine-tip paintbrush. Dab a single drop of paint into the chipped area, slowly covering it. Only use enough paint to cover the chip, avoiding getting it on the surrounding area. After painting, the spot will look slightly elevated compared to the surrounding area that is okay and to be expected. When you sand the touched-up area in a few days, you will smooth this surface down.
You will likely need to repeat this process and paint 2-3 coats on the area. It is essential that you wait at least an hour between each coat.
After you have applied 2-3 coats of paint, you are done for the day. The rest of the process for touching up car paint, outlined in steps 3-5, will take place 24 hours later.
Damaged Paintwork And Scuffs
If the damage to your car goes beyond superficial damage, then the repair jobs becomes a little more complex. You may need to apply a filler if your cars bodywork has been damaged.
If this is the case, then youll need to smooth the damaged surface using a fine grit sanding block designed specifically for paintwork, or potentially a buffer if the damage is particularly bad.
S For Touching Up Paint:
- After the area is clean and dry, apply a very small amount of primer into the scratch or chip with a very fine brush. Allow the primer to dry. Wait a day to be sure.
- Next, put a small amount of paint over the primed area . Practice on some paper or metal before applying to your car. You want to get the technique down first. If you are using a paint pen, depress the nib to release the paint onto a paper or metal surface, not the car. Dab the tip into the paint and gently fill in the affected area. If you only have spray paint, spray into a cap or container and use a fine artists brush to apply the basecoat. Depending on the touch-up paint you buy, youll want to use different strategies. Still, the same principles apply. For best results, its a good idea to use a fine artists brush and dab very lightly.
- Wait at least one hour to apply a second coat of paint, if necessary. After adding the paint, remove the blue painters tape and allow the paint to dry. We recommend letting it dry and cure for a day or two before moving on to the next steps.
Touching up minor scratches and other blemishes with paint requires practice. Make sure you feel comfortable applying very small amounts of paint onto paper or metal first.
PRO TIPS:
- Dont apply any touch-up paint in direct sun or if temperatures are below 50°F.
- Just in case you do apply too much paint to the area, make sure you have paint/lacquer thinner to quickly clean it up.
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The Clear Need For Clearcoat
You are doing great!
Now you want to starting thinking about one or more coats of clear.
The goal with this application is to apply enough to clearcoat to overflow the chip area .
Theres no need to be perfect here. The area can be leveled and re-polished to blend the repair.
You might be wondering if its really necessary to apply clear.
The answer is yes.
The touch-up will not match without it. Metallic finish? Forget it!
Of course, you can and should skip it if your car doesnt have a clearcoat.
Instead, do this:
Apply more color-matched paint until you have over-filled the area to create a blob.
Use A Scratch Repair Kit
If your cars scratches arent too deep, you might be able to use a standard scratch repair kit to fix it. These are convenient solutions that can be purchased from most auto supply stores.
Scratch repair kits have all the things you need to remove shallow to moderately deep scratches, including scratch removal polish and paste, touch-up paint, and buffers. However, these kits are not the best for fixing intense scratches, so assess the severity of the scratch before purchasing a repair kit.
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Theres Nothing Worse Than Spotting A Scratch Flaking Or Scuffs On Your Shiny Bodywork And It Always Seems To Be Careless Drivers Bashing Their Doors Into Your Dream Machine
Fixing scratches and chips should be a common job for many motorists, but many choose to leave it to the professionals or just not bother to fix them at all.
Heres our guide to getting those nasty blemishes removed from your bodywork yourself, so you save money on an expensive fix and enjoy a smooth, scratch-free car once again.
Look For Your Factory Paint Code
If your scratch is only a clear coat scratch, then you dont have to worry about finding any paint. Deeper scratches, however, require the additional application of new primer and paint.
To help you find the right paint touch-up product, look for the factory-paint code on the sticker in the driver side doorsill or on a plaque under the hood. If you are unable to find the exact color match at the auto parts store or online, take the car to your auto dealer.
Remember, this guide is for minor scratches only so if you need to cover a large area, go with a professional. Touching up large areas by hand will always have imperfections. A professional will spray it and restore it to like-new conditions. If you can get your insurance to pay for it, do that instead.
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Apply Your Chosen Paint
Either spray the colour coat or use a fine paintbrush or cocktail stick to build up thin layers. The key is to build the paint to just below the level of the surrounding clear coat.
Leave between 10-30 minutes between paint applications the paint will dry at different speeds depending on the temperature.
S For Touching Up Car Paint:
Now, you are ready for the actual touching up process! While this first step may feel tedious, spend the time to thoroughly prep the affected area is vital to ensure an effective and long-lasting result. Take your time with the steps below. This process will require patience and precision. But, as we have outlined exactly how to do it, you dont need to worry. Set aside a weekend. Open up that garage. We got you!
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Clean The Area With Soap And Water
So now you know whether or not you have a light scratch or a deep scratch. Hold on to that information for a spell because whatever result you got, its time for a cleaning. Wash the affected area with soap and water. Do not skip this step. If you dont clean first, you could accidentally press dirt and debris particles into the scratch and paint.
If youre using TouchUpDirect products in your fix, you may now use the TUD Wax & Grease Remover Wipe on your vehicle.
Once youre done cleaning, its time to dry.If your scratch is in a hard to reach area, try using a hair dryer
Okay. Heres where our paths diverge. If youve found that your scratch is deep, please skip to the deep scratch section. If youve found that your scratch is shallow just keep on reading.
How To Use Touch Up Paint To Remove A Fairly Small Scratch
To get started with your touch-up paint pen, you have to make sure that you have the same touch up paint pen as mentioned on the car door jamb. Once you get your brush kit or pen, before applying it to the damaged area, degrease and pat dry the area to remove impurities or scum from the damaged area. After degreasing, apply the touch-up paint carefully to conceal the scratch marks completely from your car.
After the touch-up process is complete, you can apply car polish to give it a new shiny look.
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How Often Do You Need To Touch Up Car Paint
If you see a small scratch on your cars paint that hasnt penetrated the primer layer, theres no emergency. You dont have to run out and get the paint right away. Its the damage that has caused the bare metal to become exposed that you need to worry about. In other words, unless youre absolutely crazy about driving a perfect vehicle, touch-ups are only necessary for real paint damage.
Painting Over Repaired Scratches
Tip: To find an exact match for your cars paint color, refer to the paint code listed on the label inside your drivers side door. If you dont see it there, talk to the original dealer.XResearch source
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How Do You Fix A Bad Touch Up Paint Job
Below we give you four methods that will help you smooth out touch up paint and have your car looking as good as new! Remove Excess or Loose Touch Up Paint. Scrape Off Excess Touch Up Paint. Use a Toothpick. Use a Paint Thinner. Use a Lacquer Thinner. Sand It Off. The Most Effective Way to Smooth Out Touch Up Paint.
How To Fix Deep Scratches On A Car
Safe driving isnt perfect, and even the most careful drivers sometimes get their cars scratched for various reasons. It can be both frustrating and annoying to see your vehicle showcasing a big, ugly scratch because of someone else’s clumsy driving, especially if it just got a new paint job or a wax finish.
Fortunately, you dont have to resign yourself to high repair fees to fix a few deep scratches. With this guide, you can learn how to fix deep scratches on your car.
Bear in mind, while these practices are effective, large or very deep scratches may require professional service for a complete repair. However, these tips should repair most scratches. Lets cover a few different methods for fixing deep scratches in your car.
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Are Car Scratches Covered By Insurance
If you are driving carefully and someone from the front is driving towards you hit your car and got some scratches. In that case, your comprehensive insurance comes handy and all the expenses will be covered from the opposite partys insurance claim. But if your car gets scratched by normal wear and tear as a dog sat on the roof and hood or due to heavy snowfall then it wont cover under insurance.
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How Do You Touch Up Scratches On A Car
If the scratches on the car are not deep, you could benefit from using a Car Scratch Remover. With a very easy application, you can often fix shallow scratches. The product will also restore the gloss and finish if used with the sponge, and it is advertised as being safe on all car finishes. However, if the scratches are deep and large, this product may not help.
With that said, the same steps used to touch up paint chips can be used to touch up scratches as well.
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Level And Polish The Touch
At this point, all youll have is an ugly looking blob
That is
Until you level paint touch-up to the same plane as the original paint.
Leveling the paint repair is easily done. Use a small sanding block and 1500- to 2000-girt wet and dry sand paper.
TIP: Use a 1 by 2 rubber erasure as a sanding block.
Why?
This will allow you to level touch-up repairs with surgical precision.
Dont forget to soak your sand paper for at least 20 to 30 minutes before use. Follow the directions.
First wet the area to be sanded. Thats how you level a paint chip.
Next, use your sanding block and sandpaper to mill the high spot.
Sand in a straight line. Go with the length of the car.
Never in a circle!
Keep the area youre sanding well lubricated with water.
Check your work often. I recommend repeatedly drying off and visually inspecting.
Another thing to consider:
Wet sanding will dull the paint.
But dont worry because youll use a fine-cut compound to remove sanding scratches and restore a high-gloss finish.
Dry it with a clean towel when the surface looks level. Then, inspect with your fingertips.
If you can feel a high spot that means it needs more work.
The final step is to buff out the repair.
Use a good fine-cut compound. Go with Meguiars Ultimate Compound.
Apply the compound to a clean foam applicator pad or polishing cloth.
Heres what you do:
Rub the repair area using a short back-and-forth motion. Again, no circles.
Then, buff out with a clean microfiber towel.
Other Methods For Scratch Removal
If you find yourself needing additional options for fixing a deep scratch, there are various methods beyond a scratch repair kit that can be used to help remove scratches.
If you have much deeper than average gouges to take care of, youll need to use different materials. Wed recommend using a glazing putty, which can fill in the gouges and allow you to repaint your cars damaged surface. This is the best method for scratch repair if you can see the bare metal underneath the scratch area.
Heres how to go about the process.
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Visit A Professional Auto Body Shop
The most reliable way to fix a scratch on a car is to take it to a professional auto body shop. A technician will be able to assess the damage and determine the best course of action for repair. The technician may use a combination of sanding, buffing, and painting to fix the scratch. This option is the most expensive, but it ensures that the repair is done correctly and that the results will last.
How To Best Apply Touch
When can you actually begin the touch-up itself?
Once the damaged areas are fully cleaned and prepared.
But wait!
I cannot stress enough that you must use primer before color touch-up if a chip has exposed bare metal.
If you need to do this, listen up:
Mix thoroughly. Use a clean toothpick or a small brush to apply the primer.
There is an easy method for this.
Dip only the tip of a plastic toothpick into your primer. Use capillary action to pull it off the toothpick into the chip.
Next, touch the tip of the toothpick to the center of the chip. Let the paint flow off of the toothpick into the nick.
You will be amazed how well the capillary action works but, if you prefer, you can use a #2 artists brush.
Just dont allow the primer to overflow the sides of the chip!
IMPORTANT NOTE: The detailing industry has pretty much perfected paint touch-up pens.
So, you may want to go the touch-up pen route instead.
Its up to you!
High-quality paint touch-up pens work like a toothpick, transferring paint by capillary action.
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Buffing Out Moderate Scratches
Tip: To save time, you can can also wipe the scratch with rubbing alcohol to remove dust and dirt particles.
