How to Touch Up a Rock Ding in Paint
Everyone loves a pristine new car with its bright, glossy paint job. Over time, however, your car's paint is exposed to hazards such as ultraviolet rays from the sun and road debris. One of the most common types of road debris are small rocks that can fly up from the undercarriage of other vehicles. Should these rocks strike your car, they may put a small ding in its paint. Luckily, when and if your car's paint job is marred by road debris, you can touch up the damage yourself.
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Things You'll Need
- Touch-up paint
- Dry cloth
- Wax remover
- Stiff-bristled brush
- Nick-Sander
- Small brush or toothpick
- 3000-grit sandpaper
- Dish of water
Instructions
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1
Purchase touch-up paint in the same shade as your vehicle. Contact your vehicle's manufacturer to find an exact paint match.
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2
Clean the affected area well and pat dry.
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3
Apply a wax-remover to the area. Work the wax remover into the ding with a stiff bristled brush and then wipe it away with a dry cloth.
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4
Use the Nick-Sander to carefully remove any paint flakes from the inside of the scratched or dented area. If the surrounding area is peeling, sand that as well.
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5
Test the touch-up paint in an inconspicuous, yet painted, area of your car, such as underneath the bumper to ensure that the paint is an exact match.
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6
Shake the container of touch up paint well and apply the paint to the damaged area. Many brands of touch up paint come in a container with a small brush. If you do not have a small brush you may use a toothpick to apply the paint.
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Allow the paint to dry for at least 30 minutes before applying another coat. Apply two or three coats to completely cover the ding in your car's paint job.
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Place 3000-grit sandpaper in a dish of water and allow it to soak for at least 24 hours prior to touching up the ding in your car's paint. During this time, your touch-up paint will dry completely.
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Sand the freshly painted ding with the sandpaper very gently until the ding and the surrounding paint are even.
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Tips & Warnings
It is easier to match darker paint than it is to match lighter paint
Because your Nick-Sander may shed glass fibers, make sure to always wear safety glasses when using it.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit red car 2 image by Viachaslau Makouski from Fotolia.com
