Repairing Paint Scratches And Chips.

photo credit, creative commons license coolblack75

You just went to the mall in your brand new shining car. You parked at the far end, so that no car will be parked near you and yet, when you come out of the mall with your new shopping bags full, you find that there is a wreck, not a car parked next to yours and sure enough, there are paint chips on your door. Having this damage repairs by professionals will cost at least 400 USD. And also it is very difficult to get a perfect match for your paint. So painting up a whole new part is out of the question. The best solution is a touch-up - i.e. local small correction. No one will know its there (except you, of course) and the cost is low. Follow a few simple instructions and you can save a lot of money and aggravation.

Cars get small chips and scratches mostly near the trunk edges and door openings.

The following technique is targeted exactly at those annoying little ones…

Follow the following simple instructions and you will have a repair that will last you for years.

 If you are working less than 70 degrees (2 Celsius) then you will need to work in a heated garage. In the hotter states, make sure to work early in the day so that the paint will not dry out too quickly.

It is advised to buy the paint and the clear primer at the dealers. This way you will have both from the same manufacturer and also the dealer can offer you the colour that is closest to that of your car. Use an automotive primer and not a spray.

 Mask off the area around the chip (1/4″ from it) and clean it with alcohol or lacquer thinner, using a lint free cloth. Do not use tissues or paper towels; they leave fibres on the surface. If the chip goes down to the metal then use a 40 grit emery cloth to scratch up the area so that the paint and primer have something to hold on to. Clean out rust as well.

 Using a toothpick lay the primer on the metal. Make sure this is only on the metal and not the paint surrounding the chip, as you want a smooth layer. Let dry for 24 hours.

Now comes the delicate part - using your applicator, put a this smooth layer of paint on the chip. Do not try to fill it up, but make sure to cover all its corners. If you drop paint, use lacquer thinner on a tissue to clean up and excess. To thin up paint, add a drop of lacquer thinner and mix, then repeat if needed. Be careful not to add too much. If paint is too thin, leave applicator out in the air for 30 seconds before use. Try to make layer of paint with no bumps. Let it dry for 24 hours. Paint shrinks when it dries, so we do not want to use too much. A Lumpy point can be smoothed out with sand paper. But be careful not to ruin any good paint surrounding it. Repeat this process, a layer a day, until the pain is smooth with the surrounding paint. Usually you will not need ore than two coats, unless the place has been repainted before.

 Wait a week, or even longer in cool weather and apply a layer of clear coat. With any luck you will manage to apply it so that the level of the new coat and the old are not overlapped and then it will be practically invisible. If things have not gone so good, you will have to blend the repair with the factory paint. Apply a clear coat around 1/4″ surrounding the damaged area and repeat this , allowing 24 hours to dry and for the paint to shrink, over a few days to build up a thin overcoat. Allow to dry and shrink in the sun for a week.