How To Repair Paint Chips

Auto body work can be a little intimidating, because car owners are obviously skeptical about doing anything that could ruin their paint job and possibly bring down the value of their car. However, most small paint and auto body blemishes are extremely easy to repair. This is particularly true when it comes to small paint chips. Some people leave paint chips alone because they're so small and hardly noticeable. However, if you do this for too long, rust can start to form, and the chipped area could become much more substantial and difficult to repair. It can even lead to decay of the actual auto body metal. So, this article is meant to teach you how to patch small paint chips.

Using the Right Products

Repairing small paint chips is very easy if you have the right product on hand. It is definitely worthwhile to invest in auto body touch up paint. If you buy this paint directly from your dealership, you can be certain that is going to match your color perfectly. This paint comes in very small tubes with a brush that is built into the lid, kind of like a fingernail polish.

Checking for Rust and Decay

Usually, paint chips are smaller than a penny, so you do need tiny brushes. If your paint chip is just a small scratch on the exterior surface, you can probably just paint directly over it without doing any prep work. However, you want to look very closely at the chip to see if there's any rust or decay underneath the chip. If there is, you might need to also use some auto body sandpaper. Auto sandpaper will help to rub away the rusted area and create a service that you can easily paint over. If you paint directly over a rusty spot, there is a good chance the decay will continue to occur underneath the new paint. You want to get rid of the rust and reseal the hole using the auto body paint.

Making the Painted Area Blend In

In order to help your painted areas blend in, you can buff them out very lightly using an auto body buffer attached to a power drill. This will create a more uniform sheen. As you can see, it is not particularly difficult or time-consuming to repair most auto paint chips. If you do the job correctly, there will be no sign of the original blemish.

For more information on auto body repair, contact a professional.