How to Fix Car Paint Chipping Yourself?
4 Answers
You can purchase a touch-up pen that closely matches your car's color from an auto repair shop or online, and follow the instructions provided to repair the chipped area. If the chipped area is large and you don't have time for professional repair, you can use a spray paint that matches your car's color. Make sure to spray evenly. For minor paint chips or subtle scratches, applying toothpaste can help temporarily prevent rust and isolate the affected area.
I've been repairing cars for over a decade, and car owners often ask about touch-up painting. DIY can save you some money, but it depends on the extent of the paint damage. For chips the size of a small fingernail, just buy a touch-up pen—first lightly sand the edges with fine sandpaper dipped in water, dry it off, then dab with the pen tip. If you can see bare metal, you'll need to apply rust-proof primer first, otherwise it'll corrode faster later. For damage larger than your palm, I'd recommend finding a professional. Spray painting yourself often leaves drip marks. Remember to work in a dust-free environment, and let the paint dry for 48 hours before exposing it to water, or all your effort will be wasted the first time you wash the car.
Last time I backed into a pole and scratched my car door - so frustrating! I fixed it with a $30 touch-up paint kit: First clean the scratched area, then use the putty in the kit to fill dents, let it dry and sand until smooth. The key point - apply the touch-up paint in 4-5 thin coats like nail polish, with 20 minutes between each layer. Remember to extend the clear coat 2cm beyond the repaired area to blend the edges. Best to do this on cloudy days as direct sunlight makes paint dry too fast and clump.
As an old car owner, I know all about touch-up painting. Using toothpaste to polish out small scratches works great in a pinch, but real damage exposing the primer must be handled properly. Buy a 3M sanding block from the hardware store to feather the damaged edges into a slope shape - this is called feathering treatment. For filler, I recommend two-component compounds as they cure fast and stay strong. Soak spray cans in hot water for 5 minutes before use, and spray from 30cm away using zigzag motions. Finally, lightly polish the seams with 2000-grit wet sandpaper and soapy water, just like removing bubbles when applying a phone screen protector.
