What is the method for car touch-up painting?

[OKaleb]

Methods for car touch-up painting: 1. Clean the scratched area thoroughly; 2. Prepare a touch-up paint kit, soak the sandpaper in water, and wrap it around a hard cotton block; 3. Use the wrapped sandpaper to sand the scratched area until it feels level with the surrounding paint when touched by hand; 4. Use tape and cloth to cover areas that do not need touch-up painting; 5. Prepare a touch-up pen and a mini spray can, and assemble them together; 6. Start spraying the paint from a certain distance from the scratch. The sprayed paint will make the car's paint smoother. Spray back and forth, avoiding concentrated spraying in one spot, until the color covers the black area; 7. After the paint dries, prepare blending clear coat, which helps the touched-up paint color blend better with the car's original color and protects the touched-up paint; 8. Assemble the blending clear coat on the mini spray can, maintain a certain distance from the car, and spray it back and forth on the touched-up area, avoiding areas that were not touched up; 9. Wait a moment, and the touch-up painting is complete.

[MacArcher]

Last time my car got a scratch, I did the touch-up myself. First, clean the damaged area thoroughly, then use fine sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges. Apply putty to fill the dents and wait for it to dry before sanding it smooth. Buy a spray paint that matches the car color, shake it well, and spray thin layers from about 20 centimeters away, applying three coats for even coverage. Finally, spray a layer of clear coat to prevent oxidation and enhance gloss. Remember to mask the surrounding body with newspaper and tape before spraying. The tools cost just a few dozen yuan, but color matching is hard to avoid, so this method is only suitable for small areas. For larger scratches, it’s better to take it to a shop for computer-matched paint.

[LeJoshua]

My experience is to not rush into fixing minor car scratches. If the primer is exposed, use a touch-up pen for emergency repair to prevent rust. To save money, DIY with an online touch-up kit that includes sandpaper and a sponge brush, which is more convenient than buying separately. Sanding is crucial—apply even pressure to avoid leaving pits. Choose a windless sunny day for painting, as high humidity can cause bubbles. Avoid washing the car or letting water splash on the repaired area for the first three days. If metal parts are exposed, apply rust-proof primer before color touch-up, or it will lead to endless trouble later.

[BlakelyMarie]

There are various methods for car touch-up painting. Minor scratches can be concealed by simply polishing and waxing; deeper ones require professional touch-up tools, like a syringe for paint injection. The traditional method involves full repainting, requiring sanding of the entire area before painting. I recommend handling it case by case: small damages on bumpers can be DIY, while metal body parts should be professionally repaired. Note that touch-up on light-colored cars easily shows color differences, and pearl paints especially need professional color matching. The painted surface takes about two weeks to fully harden—avoid waxing too soon. Car wash workers often mention peeling from DIY touch-ups, mostly due to spraying topcoat before the base layer fully dries.

[SanMia]

Four common methods: Touch-up pens for small dots, but may leave bumps; spray paint kits for more even coverage, requiring skill; spot repair machines for precise fixes on grain-sized damages; full panel repainting offers the best results. The key lies in base layer preparation—paint will peel if applied over uncleaned grease. Color matching is the toughest, as touch-up pen shades within the same color family may not be accurate. Faded paint on older cars is harder to match, with professional shops using spectrophotometers for precision. Repainted surfaces are thinner than factory paint—shield from sun and tree sap. Avoid highways immediately after winter repairs in northern regions, as cold wind can cause cracking.