Can body filler be applied directly to car paint?
3 Answers
It's best to let the newly painted car dry indoors for a period of time before driving it out. Generally, avoid contact with water for two days after painting in high temperatures. Relevant paint repair precautions are as follows: 1. Primer: The base must be completely dry before applying clear coat, otherwise the paint surface may lose gloss. 2. Color paint: Quick repairs must use single-component color paint. 3. Clear coat: The spraying pressure should not be too high (2-2.5KPa). Let each coat sit for 1-2 minutes, depending on the surrounding temperature during spraying - lower temperatures require longer sitting times, while higher temperatures require shorter times. The spraying thickness should be 1.5-2 cm and not too thick, otherwise it may not dry easily. After applying clear coat, let it sit for 5 minutes before baking. 4. Baking: The UV lamp should be 20-25 cm away from the part. Too far away will slow curing, while too close will cause fast curing but also fast shrinkage, leading to wrinkles and loss of gloss. For convex, concave, and curved parts, adjust the lamp angle according to the shape without missing any spots. If there's a power outage or the lamp is turned off during UV baking, don't turn it back on immediately - wait a few minutes for the lamp to cool down before restarting. UV rays can harm eyes, so wear specialized protective masks or glasses during operation.
I've been repairing cars for over a decade, and I've seen many beginners applying putty directly onto the car paint—that's a big no-no! The paint surface is too smooth, and the putty won't adhere properly, often falling off in chunks after a few days. The correct approach is to first sand the area around the damage to roughen the paint and expose the underlying metal layer. Remember to apply the putty in thin layers, avoiding the temptation to slap on a thick coat all at once. Let each layer dry completely before applying the next. After the putty has fully hardened, it requires fine sanding before you can proceed with painting. Professional technicians always follow this process—amateur attempts often end up making the car look worse.
Last time my car got a scratch, I wanted to save money by fixing it myself, but after researching, I found out that body filler can't be applied directly on the paint. The reason is simple: the car paint surface is as smooth as glass, and the filler would peel off like a poorly stuck band-aid. The correct method is to first sand off the paint around the damaged area, then use the filler to level the dent. Here's a lesson: the filler layer must not exceed 3mm—too thick and it's prone to cracking. After it dries, sanding it smooth with 2000-grit sandpaper is crucial. If you lack experience, it's better to spend a few hundred bucks and let a repair shop handle it—much less hassle.
