How to Apply Touch-Up Paint to a Car and Why You Should Do It

Reports show that people spend an average of $4,975 for high-quality car paint jobs. It’s a price many are willing to pay to keep their ride looking its best.

If you want to paint your vehicle to hide minor damages, rest assured that you won’t have to pay that much for the job. Consider touch-up paint. It’s a cheap and relatively easy way to cover up some blemishes on your ride.

What Is Touch-Up Paint?

Touch-up paint is a quick and easy way to hide scratches, chips, and other minor marks on a vehicle’s exterior. It’s only intended for small-area applications.

How to Apply Touch-Up Paint to a Car

Hiding marks on your vehicle isn’t just a matter of covering them with paint. There are some steps you must take to make the touch-ups perfect.

Choosing the Paint

To start, choose paint with the color that matches your vehicle’s paint. Some vehicles have a sticker on the driver’s door jamb that indicates the color code of the paint. If your ride doesn’t have one, take a photo for reference when you shop for paint.

After getting the appropriate paint, apply a small amount on the car to see if it matches. This is crucial because the original paint job might have deteriorated over time, thus leaving the color a bit dull. If the colors don’t match, visit a body shop for recommendations, because dried paint may look different compared to when you first applied it.

Preparing for the Paint Job

Once you’ve gotten the matching paint color, you can clean your vehicle to prepare it for the paint. This step ensures even coverage and longer-lasting results. You can hand wash or take your vehicle to a car wash.

Besides the brush, pen, sanding tip, and clear coat that comes with most touch-up paint kits, you’ll also need the following tools:

• All-purpose cleaner
• Clean cloth
• Spray bottle
• Rubbing compound
• 3000 grit sandpaper
• Alcohol
• Painter’s tape
• Primer and clear coat, depending on the paint

Applying the Paint

Lastly, to apply touch-up paint to a car, follow the steps below:

• Step 1: Use the all-purpose cleaner and the rag to wipe your vehicle’s surface clean. If you’re only painting a small part, you can focus solely on that area.
• Step 2: Rub the area inside the scratch or blemish with the white tip of the pen to smoothen it out.
• Step 3: Wet the paint surface and use the sandpaper to lightly rub around its edges. After that, clean the same area with alcohol.
• Step 4: Apply a small piece of painter’s tape below the chipped area to catch dripping paint.
• Step 5: Shake the paint pen to ensure it’s well mixed before applying. Use either the brush or the paint to pat down the surface with paint to distribute it evenly.
• Step 6: Apply a second coat after the first layer of paint dries to ensure there’s no space left. Wait for the paint to dry.
• Step 6: Wet the area with water and rub it with sandpaper until it’s smooth.
• Step 7: If the paint kit has a clear coat, you can apply it by unscrewing the back of the pen and lightly patting it onto the paint area of the vehicle.
• Step 8: Once the coat is dry, spray water onto the area and gently scrub it with sandpaper until it’s smooth. Afterward, remove the painter’s tape and pat it dry with the cloth.
• Step 9: Use a cloth to apply alcohol by rubbing it in a circular motion to buff the surface. Buffing cleans up a clear coat and adds shine.

To get better touch-up results, use spray paint for metallic parts. Brushes tend to create an uneven look because they disrupt the flake. It’s also ideal to paint on a warm day for the paint to dry quickly.

What Are the Benefits of Touch-Up Paint?

Applying touch-up paint helps hide minor damage, prevent rust, increase your car’s value, and save money from going to a body shop. In addition, it also prevents scratches from spreading or getting worse.

Hides Small Damage

The purpose of touch-up paint is to hide small damages. Adding that additional layer fills in the cracks and crevices left by scratches or chips.

Prevents Rust

If left unattended, rust could form on the chips and scratches because there’s no paint to protect the metal from moisture and corrosion. Applying touch-up paint helps cover up the gaps left by the damage, thus preventing the metal underneath.

Increases Your Car’s Value

If you have plans to sell your vehicle, you must ensure it’s in great shape and that includes fixing body damage. After all, a scratched-up car is no one’s first choice when they’re in the market for a secondhand ride. Using touch-up paint takes care of minor damages.

Saves Money From Going to a Body Shop

Going to a body shop will cost you more than a simple touch-up. Not only are you paying for the equipment they’ll use, but you’ll also have to pay for their time, skills, and labor.

For reference, the price of touch-up paint kits could be as low as $5 and could shoot up to $30, depending on the brand. Meanwhile, a trip to the body shop could mean you forking up somewhere between $150 and $300.

In addition, it might take longer for the job to finish, depending on the amount of work they have lined up.

Where to Get Quality Replacement Car Mirrors

Your car’s mirrors are an essential and legally required tool for navigating public roads. That’s why it’s important to adjust them properly . If there are issues with one of your mirrors and they won’t stay in the right position for long, you should consider purchasing a new mirror as soon as possible to avoid difficulties seeing behind you while driving. Luckily, you can order a replacement mirror easily here at CarParts.com.

The CarParts.com catalog has a wide array of aftermarket products at different products. You can easily browse our offers on our easy-to-navigate website. Use our built-in vehicle selector to find mirrors that are guaranteed to fit your car’s make and model. If you have any questions or concerns, our friendly and helpful customer service team is ready to assist. They’re available around the clock and are always happy to help.

Don’t wait until you can no longer adjust your mirror. Order a new rear view mirror or other car mirrors at CarParts.com today.