Touch Up Paint

Touch Up Paint | Buying Guide 2021

Whether you are looking to repair your Honda, Audi, or Mercedes, touch up paint has become the go-to method in recent years for fixing dents, dings, and scratches on any make or model of car.

Touch up paint is typically used for small damaged areas and is great because you can do it all from the convenience of home without having to worry about it costing an arm and a leg. It allows you to repair your vehicle without having to stick to someone else’s schedule and doesn’t take too long if the ding is small.

Each car manufacturer has its own coding method for their paint colors, and these are called paint codes. Before you try to buy Nissan touch up paint or Subaru spray canisters, make sure to locate the paint codes. Otherwise, you might mismatch the color on your vehicle.

Here we outline:

• Why you need touch up paint
• What touch up paint products are the best
• How to apply the touch up paint
• What equipment is best for the job?

The touch up paint process is usually straightforward but can depend on the severity of the damage to your vehicle. As well as our instructions in this article, we also have videos that walk you step-by-step through the process.

Why you need touch up paint

There are several key reasons why you need to use touch up paint to repair damage on your vehicle. Firstly, it makes the scrape or scratch far less noticeable, which in the long run will increase the resale value of your car and make it more aesthetically pleasing.

More importantly, touch up paint prevents rust, particularly on scratches that expose the metalwork of the vehicle. Unfortunately, if you leave deeper scrapes to fester, it will result in rust. Rust can be hard to contain and can eventually cause long-term structural damage to the car, costing you a lot of money and making the vehicle far harder to sell.

Lastly, using touch up paint means you can avoid paint entire sections of your car. If you choose not to fix the damaged area, rust will occur. Eventually, the rust will spread, and once this happens, it is almost impossible to fix by doing it yourself. Eventually, you will have to go to a body shop and pay lots of money out of pocket for the repairs.

With our mixing technology, you can get OEM touch up paint that is an exact manufacturer match, which gives you the best chance of an exceptional finish. However, it is crucial to set your expectations, and if it is just a blemish, you can likely restore your vehicle to its original finish.

But with deeper scratches, there are limits to what you can achieve with touch up paint. Touch up paint will repair the chips or scrap and prevent any further damage if you apply it correctly but may not provide the original flawless finish.

Should you use touch up spray paint or jars of touch up paint?

Once you decide to repair the scratch yourself, you have a couple of different touch up paint options, spray canisters or jars of touch up paint. Which one you choose will depend on the severity of the damage as well as where it is located.

Spray paint is excellent for slightly more significant scratches and scuffs; we offer it in 12oz aerosol spray canisters. These come with adjustable touch nozzles that make the process straightforward. They also come with a paint test match card so you can try the paint out before you apply it to your vehicle. We recommend testing the spray paint before you use it to your car to give yourself an idea of the paint flow and power.

Depending on the size of the ding or dent, you may need more than one spray canister, speak to our staff, and they can advise you on the right course of action. Overall, touch up spray paint is excellent, regardless of whether it is for your Chevy or Hyundai.

When fixing small chips, jars of paint that come with small applicators are your best bet because the applicators allow for the level of detail required to get a great finish. We provide four applicators with each paint kit and a test card. This means you can practice beforehand, to test both the applicators and the paint.

Whether you choose to touch up spray paint or jars of touch up paint, we provide low-VOC urethane two-stage paint with both, and it meets all environmental regulations.

How to apply the touch up paint

Whether it’s applying Subaru touch up spray paint or using our touch up paint jars on your Chevy, the process is simple. We stock a number of touch up paint kits that include everything you need to complete the procedure from start to finish.

To get the best results, try and follow the steps below carefully. However, they are only an overview, and if you need more detailed instructions, please follow one of our how-to videos or contact one of our experts who can give you more information.

1. Prepare your equipment

Once you have found your vehicle’s color codes, ordered the correct paint online, and receive free shipping, it time to check your tools. Make sure you have everything needed to complete the task at hand. If not, check our touch up paint kits online.

When preparing the touch up paint, it is a good idea to practice with either the spray canister or the applicator. This will increase the likelihood of a great finish and gives you a chance to check the paint color against your vehicle.

Never use expired paint, primer, or clearcoat as the finish tends to be unreliable and doesn’t look great. Also, don’t use a different nozzle on the spray canister as our premium nozzles are purpose-built for our paint.

2. Prepare the damaged area

Before beginning, you need to prep the scrape or ding for painting. The first thing you need to do is clean the area, and this can be done with water and grease remover. Next, you should sand the region with 220 and 600 grit sandpaper. This helps to remove any potential rust and smoothes the area. The paint then has an even surface to attach to. If you don’t sand the area, the finish will be uneven.

Once you have finished sanding the area, give it another wash to remove any debris. Then put masking tape around the ding to protect the rest of the vehicle’s paint from being affected by the process.

Prior to moving onto the painting stage, check the temperature and make sure it is between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the ideal painting weather and will ensure the paint dries well. Also, be sure to complete the painting process in the shade, direct sunlight car distort the final finish.

3. Complete the painting process

Applying the primer is the first stage of the painting process; it helps the paint bond to the body. It is essential to use it in thin layers to achieve an even finish and make sure to allow each coat to dry for around five to ten minutes before applying another.

Once the primer has dried, you can apply our OEM touch up paint. Similar to the step above, make sure you paint each coat thinly. Putting on too much at once may result in a blotchy uneven finish, so wait around ten minutes in-between applications. When the paint matches up with the surrounding area, you have finished using the touch up paint.

Finally, you must apply the clear coat. The clear coat is essential in sealing the touch up paint and helps protect it from the elements. Similar to the above, apply using thin layers and wait between applications. You will need to wait for the clear coat to dry overnight before doing anything else to your vehicle.

4. Make it shine

It is essential to wait a minimum of three days before applying any rubbing compounds to your vehicle. When doing so, make sure only to use a soft cotton or paper product, anything dirty may scratch the paint. Cutting creme gives an excellent finishing shine to the paintwork of your vehicle, but make sure to test it on a smaller area beforehand.

What equipment is best for the job?

Like any DIY task, completing the touch up paint process requires the right equipment to get the best results. The touch up paint process is far cheaper than using a body shop, so it is vital to invest in the right equipment. To get the best results, you will need:

Preparation

1. Wax and grease remover – to remove any debris from your car before sanding it down.
2. 220 and 600 grit sandpaper – to smooth out the surface that you will be repairing, this guarantees a better finish and also removes any early onset rust.
3. Masking tape – to help protect the surrounding areas from being affected by the application of touch up spray paint or touch up paint jars.
4. A towel – to keep the vehicle clean and avoid any unnecessary spillage

Painting

1. Primer – to prepare the body of the vehicle before applying the touch up paint. This helps the paint bond to the car and creates a smooth surface.
2. Touch up paint – this will either come in the 12oz spray canisters or the paint jars depending on the product you decided on.
3. Clear coat – to seal the paint and protect the paintwork over the long-term

Safety

1. Nitrile gloves – to protect your hands throughout the process and make sure the paint doesn’t get on your skin.

To make the process more straightforward, sell all of the above equipment in a variety of touch up paint kits. They include everything you need and come with both the paint jars and spray canisters.

You can buy each item separately, but the kits offer the best value and come with free shipping.

We pride ourselves on quality products, competitive prices and outstanding customer satisfaction.

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