When Scratching My Car How Can I Find The Right Paint For It
Completing a touch up paint job on your car can prove a little intimidating without the proper knowledge. No need to worry, touch up painting is actually an easy process that this article will help guide you through! Lets begin.
Choosing the right color
The first, and arguably the most important, step of touch up painting is selecting the right color. Sounds simple, but be careful. Trusting your eyes is not recommend and often leads to discoloration within the paint job on your car. The best way to determine the correct color is to identify your vehicle’s color code from the factory. Depending on your car, this code can be found on the dashboard, in the owner’s manual, or with a quick google search. Companies like Touch Up Direct are great resources online to help you both match paint colors and have them delivered to your house or work.
Paint Preparation
Once you have the correct paint, the next critical step is to prepare the surface of your touch up paint job. Determine the severity of the scratch or given issue with your car. If your scratch is light it will likely only require brief prep work before you actually begin applying the paint. However, if the scratch is deeper you will need to utilize more time to make sure the surface is thoroughly prepared.
Preparing for a light scratch begins with cleaning the surface around the scratch thoroughly with warm soap and water. Next, use a little sandpaper to scuff around the paint of the scratch. This provides a surface for the new paint to adhere to. Remember, you should not sand a lot of the surface. You just want to rid the contaminants surrounding the scratch, in the process creating a solid exterior for the touch up paint to stick. Once the surface is ready, mix the touch up paint according to the paint instructions and apply with the recommended brush. If you do not have the recommended brush or need any other paint accessories, companies like Touch Up Direct are built to provide you these products with ease.
In preparation for a deeper scratch, follow the steps for a light scratch but make sure you remove the rust inside the scratch before painting. Then, apply a primer coat to the bare metal of the deep scratch and wait for that to dry. Once dry, lightly sand again and then proceed to add the touch up paint.
Completing the Touch Up
Set aside a few days for the paint to settle and cure. For the initial 24 hour period after applying your touch up paint job, avoid harsh driving conditions like strong sunlight or severe weather. Thereafter, the paint should harden and be capable of withstanding the stresses of your daily commute!