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How to Apply Touch up Paint to a Car - Xtremeautoaccessories

How to Apply Touch up Paint to a Car

How to Apply Touch Up Car Paint

Repairing small scratch or stone chip damage on you vehicle can be easily done. When it comes to maintaining a car paint shine – how to touch up car paint is just as important as how to protect car paint in the first place. A car that is in regular use will inevitably pick up a few paint chips. These chips are rarely significant enough to warrant a complete respray, so if the paint chip is relatively small, you can use touch-up paint to repair the damage.

How to Prepare your vehicle

Once you have purchased the correct paint and primer, it’s time for you to assess the area that needs attention. Examine the damaged area to see of it is being affected by rust. If there is some rust, apply a small amount of rust arrestor. This should stop the rust from continuing to develop under the new paint. 

Next, carefully sand the affected area. Use a 1500 to 2500 grit sandpaper or small sanding block to go over the area immediately around the chipped spot. Once you’re finished with the sandpaper, you need to THOROUGHLY wash the affected area. Remove any remaining rust arrestor, dirt or wax residue, rub the area with your finger; it should feel smooth around the chip before you begin to apply your primer.

Primer may or may not be necessary depending on the nature of the damage. Primer is useful for sealing a metal surface against rust and to provide a surface for the paint to stick to. It is also good for filling in tiny holes and imperfections in the surface of your car. If you’re dealing with a paint chip that isn’t down to the bare metal, you can probably get away with simply applying the paint directly. But NEVER apply paint to bare metal or plastic. If a bare spot is exposed, apply primer to the area first.

Check Colour match

Shake the bottle vigorously for 2 minutes this makes sure the pigments and elements of the paint are correctly mixed, you will also hear a rattle from the bottle, don't worry, we have placed a nut inside to help with mixing. Once the paint has been mixed up, visually inspect the colour and make sure it’s the same as your car. If the colour is different to the car i.e. car is blue but the paint is red, get in touch with us so we can send you the right paint. If the paint is the same colour of the car i.e. the car is blue and the paint is blue, you are not out of the woods yet, you will need to a closer inspection to make sure it is perfect. Find some scrap metal, or plastic or even some white card to dab the touch up paint on. Put this next to the car bodywork and test the match. If you can’t find anything to put the paint on, you can dab the paint on a hidden part of the car like inside of the boot lid or inside the door pillar. Apply the paint and immediately wipe off with a cloth. If the paint is a good match you can move to the next step but if you have concerns then you should get in touch with us. We will ask for a photo of the colour difference so please take a photo of the colour difference which will help us resolve quickl

Practice Applying Touch Up Paint

Take a little time and practice using the touch up paint before you apply it to your car. This will give you a good feel for the paint and you can check the colour match. Use a surface such as a metal can, a glossy sheet of paper, etc. to practice on. Use several light coats rather than one heavy coat when brushing or spraying the paint. Make sure you let the paint dry properly. If you really want an excellent repair, don't skip practicing!

Applying the touch up to youur vehicle

1. Lightly apply the paint to the needed area, building up coats if necessary (15-20mins drying time between coats) Add a little paint to the tip of the brush. Then, dab it lightly over the area that you prepped. Use just a small amount at a time. As the paint dries, you may notice that it loses volume. Wait until the paint layer has dried to determine if another coat of base paint will be needed before moving on. For deeper chips, the paint will need to be built up to be flush with the rest of the car’s surface. Do this in stages, applying paint then allowing it to dry before adding another layer.

2. The paint will be touch dry after 2 hours. If you are happy with the colour match, let the touch up cure, if you are not happy with the colour match, put some standard thinners (white spirit) on a cloth and dap away at the touch up paint until is removed. Once your satisfied that the paint has been fixed and the touch-up job looks good, it’s time to step back. Give it at least 48 hours to completely dry and harden.

3. Our touch up paint comes with the lacquer mixed in so there is no need to apply lacquer/clearcoat to your paint. BUT this doesn’t mean you don’t have to. If you do have lacquer, apply several thin layers of clear coat, letting it dry between coats (about 10-20 mins). Be careful when applying clearcoat. You need to float it over the basecoat.

We recommend to polish the area after applying the paint. You can use a rubbing compound on the touch-up paint, however, do not apply a rubbing compound directly to the paint that is drying or has recently dried. Ideally, you should wait about 3 days to apply any type of compound, wax, or polish to the surface of the new paint. This will prevent you from messing up the area that has just been repaired. Apply the compound in a circular motion over the repair area and surrounding area until the surface becomes shiny and your paint colour looks as good as new.

Any questions get in touch xtremeautohelp@gmail.com

How to find your Paint Code

Firstly, check your car’s firewall to identify your paint code number. The firewall is the piece of sheet metal that separates the engine under your bonnet from the passengers inside the car. This number should be clearly visible when you lift your bonnet. Click Here to view a were to locate your paint code, however this may vary as manufacturers tend to update their models every few years and may relocate there paint code.

Please view links for instruction of use:

Aerosol Spray

 

 

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