repair minor scratches and rock-chips
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1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2005
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repair minor scratches and rock-chips
I'm tired of finding small scratches and rock-chips every time I wash my car...
Now, how do you fix these scratches and rock-chips on the body paint?
I know it's not good to use scratch polishing paste (includes polishing compound) directly because of the clear coat...
What about rock-chips?
I ordered a touch-up paint at the dealer, but what would be the best way to fix a small chip on the hood?
I would really appreciate it if you could disclose your special tips or good succesful way !
[8D]
Now, how do you fix these scratches and rock-chips on the body paint?
I know it's not good to use scratch polishing paste (includes polishing compound) directly because of the clear coat...
What about rock-chips?
I ordered a touch-up paint at the dealer, but what would be the best way to fix a small chip on the hood?
I would really appreciate it if you could disclose your special tips or good succesful way !
[8D]
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 22
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RE: repair minor scratches and rock-chips
Tell me about it!...within the 1st week of having the car i had about 2 decent size rock chips around the front bumper of my car. Its now been 6mnths and its getting ridiculous..now i know why some guys have no choice but to install those ugly *** car bras...really sucks. I did buy the touch up paint and patched up the 2 noticeable ones..but i dont think i did a very good job at it.
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1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 49
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RE: repair minor scratches and rock-chips
Dear folks...
Please....Anybody...Please initiate us into the recipe to fix our headache.
I know some people use a toothpick to pinpoint the chip, but I don't think it's enough....
Please....Anybody...Please initiate us into the recipe to fix our headache.
I know some people use a toothpick to pinpoint the chip, but I don't think it's enough....
1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14
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RE: repair minor scratches and rock-chips
Okay. I'll jump in. It's not a very fun process and its a little unnerving, but its a good way to fix belemishes.
First, supplies:
Color matched paint (obviously)
greater than 800 grit wet sandpaper
a sanding block
buffing pads
buffing compound
color matched polish
Depending on the size of the damaged area, you'll want to appropriately choose the application method for you paint. Aerosol application for larger scuff and scrape type damage (which may need bondo surface filler to start but that's another story) or the fingernail polish type brush for wide but small areas or pen type applicator for linear scratches.
Begin by making more damage... what?! yep. Its kind of like cleaning a room, it has to get dirtier before it gets cleaner. take your wet sanding paper and your sanding block and softly wet sand the area that is damaged. This does two things, it cleans any oxidation that may have occured on the exposed area and it scuffs the surface of the surrounding clearcoat providing something for the repair paint to stick to. Now obviously keep the area that you are sanding to a minimum so that you have to do less later. thoroughly dry the area, a light pass with a hairdryer/heat gun or some time in the sun to let it dry completely. Do not freak out when the finish is then cloudy, this is normal.
Next, apply your touch up paint. With an aerosol/airbrush application mask off a lot more area than you anticipate, you don't want any overspray, apply several light coats (i'll usually do two or three), the objective is not speed, it's quality. If you are using a brush/pen, the same applies, make at least two light passes, do not freak out when there is a bump in the paint. this is okay. The repair should over lap the boundary of the damage a little bit. it is important to make sure there are no bubbles in the paint as that will be a problem later.
Allow PLENTY of dry time now. At least an hour for the brush/pen, two to three for the aerosol, more if it's humid. This is a part that you cannot rush. Go watch TV. play with the kids, whatever. After the paint films over, you can even drive the car around as it dries.
Next, more wetsanding. The objective of this step is to smooth the joints of the paint boundaries together. It's not that hard, just take your time. Use the finest grit wet sanding paper you can get up to about 2000. never let the paper contact the paint if it is dry. Be careful around corners and edges as the paper will cut through the topcoat into the primer quickly, so go slow and look at you progress often. If you used a brush or pen skip to the next step. If it was aerosol sprayed, take a very light pass aroudn the entire area and softly feather the topcoat and the basecoat together. just be gentle and only make one or two passes over any given area.
Next, buffing. Use a medium grit buffing compound on a buffing pad or wheel to blend the finishes together and polish the cloudiness out of the clearcoat. This step will make everyone who was getting worried that their babies finish was ruined feel a whole lot better. At this point the damage will be pretty much repaired. I recommend taking one further step and using another buffing pad to apply a color matched polish to the area and if you have time, the rest of the car. This applies pigment to the invisible divits that may be in the repaired area and finishes the blending process.
So there you go. Take your time and all those nasty pock marks will be a thing of the past.
First, supplies:
Color matched paint (obviously)
greater than 800 grit wet sandpaper
a sanding block
buffing pads
buffing compound
color matched polish
Depending on the size of the damaged area, you'll want to appropriately choose the application method for you paint. Aerosol application for larger scuff and scrape type damage (which may need bondo surface filler to start but that's another story) or the fingernail polish type brush for wide but small areas or pen type applicator for linear scratches.
Begin by making more damage... what?! yep. Its kind of like cleaning a room, it has to get dirtier before it gets cleaner. take your wet sanding paper and your sanding block and softly wet sand the area that is damaged. This does two things, it cleans any oxidation that may have occured on the exposed area and it scuffs the surface of the surrounding clearcoat providing something for the repair paint to stick to. Now obviously keep the area that you are sanding to a minimum so that you have to do less later. thoroughly dry the area, a light pass with a hairdryer/heat gun or some time in the sun to let it dry completely. Do not freak out when the finish is then cloudy, this is normal.
Next, apply your touch up paint. With an aerosol/airbrush application mask off a lot more area than you anticipate, you don't want any overspray, apply several light coats (i'll usually do two or three), the objective is not speed, it's quality. If you are using a brush/pen, the same applies, make at least two light passes, do not freak out when there is a bump in the paint. this is okay. The repair should over lap the boundary of the damage a little bit. it is important to make sure there are no bubbles in the paint as that will be a problem later.
Allow PLENTY of dry time now. At least an hour for the brush/pen, two to three for the aerosol, more if it's humid. This is a part that you cannot rush. Go watch TV. play with the kids, whatever. After the paint films over, you can even drive the car around as it dries.
Next, more wetsanding. The objective of this step is to smooth the joints of the paint boundaries together. It's not that hard, just take your time. Use the finest grit wet sanding paper you can get up to about 2000. never let the paper contact the paint if it is dry. Be careful around corners and edges as the paper will cut through the topcoat into the primer quickly, so go slow and look at you progress often. If you used a brush or pen skip to the next step. If it was aerosol sprayed, take a very light pass aroudn the entire area and softly feather the topcoat and the basecoat together. just be gentle and only make one or two passes over any given area.
Next, buffing. Use a medium grit buffing compound on a buffing pad or wheel to blend the finishes together and polish the cloudiness out of the clearcoat. This step will make everyone who was getting worried that their babies finish was ruined feel a whole lot better. At this point the damage will be pretty much repaired. I recommend taking one further step and using another buffing pad to apply a color matched polish to the area and if you have time, the rest of the car. This applies pigment to the invisible divits that may be in the repaired area and finishes the blending process.
So there you go. Take your time and all those nasty pock marks will be a thing of the past.
1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 31
From:
RE: repair minor scratches and rock-chips
i must say that was a decent little write-up.
a coupel things i just add.... if the chip goes to the paint... you need to initially sand it down to where that chip has no hard lines in it anymore you want to be able to see the layers of the paint around it basically you'll see a bare metal spot, then you'll see the primer (feathered ring) that blends into the base coat, and then to another layer that almost looks white, that would be your clear coat.
when you're doing the spraying i usually like to wetsand my primer with a 800 grit paper, then whipe it down with wax and grease remover. Then spray base coat, wet sand that at about 1500grit and spray clear on top of that... and then i use 3m rubbing compound in a 3 step formula.
just my .o2
a coupel things i just add.... if the chip goes to the paint... you need to initially sand it down to where that chip has no hard lines in it anymore you want to be able to see the layers of the paint around it basically you'll see a bare metal spot, then you'll see the primer (feathered ring) that blends into the base coat, and then to another layer that almost looks white, that would be your clear coat.
when you're doing the spraying i usually like to wetsand my primer with a 800 grit paper, then whipe it down with wax and grease remover. Then spray base coat, wet sand that at about 1500grit and spray clear on top of that... and then i use 3m rubbing compound in a 3 step formula.
just my .o2
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