Find the perfect color
Applying Touch Up Paint to Your Car or Truck in 8 easy steps:
For many, applying touch up paint to your cars or trucks can seem like a daunting task. But with a little bit of research and knowledge of general practice anyone can do the project themselves and save A LOT of money in the process. All that you really need to focus on is making sure you follow the directions. We promise it’s easier than you think!
First thing you must realize is that we or any other touch up paint supplier can’t control the results of your project. It’s all in the touch up application, ERA Paints sales premium paint which sets us a part from our competitors. This all falls to the wayside if the customer ignores the directions and does not take his time with their project. This means that if you do not practice before applying your touch up paint, your results could vary from a professional or someone who has done it before.
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Order your touch up paint
At ERA Paints we have over 150,000 premium paint colors, and all the accessories you’ll need for you project. Need to find your paint code before you order? Use the tool at the top of the page click “Get Started” to select your paint code and paint kit. Note that the paint colors shown on the computer/mobile screen will never match perfectly. They should be used as a reference to help you quickly find your color. You can also find the paint code directly on your car. Use our how to find your paint code page to make this a simple process.
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Practice and test
First you need to make sure you selected the right paint code. Again, we always recommend that you find your paint code from your vehicle itself. You’ll also want to practice before going directly to you car. Before doing any prep work, use the enclosed TEST CARD to test and see how well the paint matches your vehicle’s. You’ll want to color compare in full direct sunlight.
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Understand your tools
There are several different tools and methods which can be used to apply primer, touchup paint and clear coat to scratches and chips on your vehicle. We have chosen a ‘dabber’ for our kits (as opposed to a brush or pen), as it works great as long as you know how to use it. So here are some helpful hits. First, we have included 2 dabbers for each bottle of paint you ordered. We’ve done this as a customer service gesture on our part so you will have an extra dabber for future use. Also note that these dabbers can be cleaned & reused – just use a little paint thinner or mineral spirits to completely clean the paint out of them. How to use: DO NOT use a dabber as a paint brush – you will destroy the tip and the fill-in scratch line will not be optimal. Instead gently dab a dot of paint into the scratch (light dots/coats only!) in a ‘connect-the-dots’ technique (see video below). Do not attempt to use the dabber to move paint inside the scratch – simply use many smalls ‘dots’. Your results will better if have patience and take your time filling in scratches or chips.
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Painting conditions
Just like painting your home or anything else you need to pick a day anywhere from 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll also need to choose a day/area with low humidity that’s not in direct sunlight. Make sure to sweep the area before hand and make sure no dust will get stirred up into the air that could attach itself to wet paint.
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Prep your car or truck
Clean the paint area you’re touching up using soap or wax and grease remover. We sell wax and grease remover in our touch up kit below. If you let your repair area go for a while it will have traces of rust, if this is the case use some fine sandpaper(at least 600 grit) to remove rust or bad surface damage.
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Apply primer (if needed)
Any place where you see bare metal needs primer. You’ll need this to dry completely. At least 30 minutes or overnight. Why you want to use primer? Primer attaches to the metal and the paint attaches to the primer. Paint does not attach well when applied directly to the metal so we ALWAYS recommend it. It also prohibits rust from developing.
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Apply base coat
The base coat is the actual colored paint you received with your kit. Before using, SHAKE the touch paint jar upside down. THEN MIX THE PAINT THOROUGHLY WITH A TOOTH PICK, DABBER OR SIMILIAR TOOL. Apply as many dot-coats as necessary to cover the area, waiting 5-10 minutes minimum (20 minutes to be safe) between coats. Wax/Grease Remover can be used to gently wipe away excess paint. If you are not applying clear coat over the paint, you can apply polishing compound to bring out the shine after the paint is fully dry (wait at least one day). We strongly recommend clear coat usage.
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Apply clear coat (Strongly recommended):
THOROUGHLY SHAKE the touch up paint jar upside down before applying. Allow at least 30 minutes after basecoat paint before applying clear coat. Gently apply multiple laters of clear coat dot-coats waiting 15-20 minutes between applications. Clear coat should be dry in 2 hours, but for best results let dry overnight. You should wait least one week before applying wax to the area.
We hope this guide has helped you with applying touch up paint to cars and trucks or any other vehicle you may have! You can always contact us for help at 971-770-2372 or CustomerService@ERAPaints.com!
For the best results we ALWAYS recommend using Primer, Basecoat, and Clear Coat when applying touch up paint to cars or trucks!
Learn better through video? Watch below. Or check our YOUTUBE channel.
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