Be Smart With Cars

Many people are understandably cautious when it comes to doing any bodywork on their car. They are worried that shoddy work can bring down the value of their car. However, small paint chips can eventually cause serious decay on your car surface. In the long run, refinishing small holes on your own car surface is much smarter than ignoring them. This article will explain how to make basic repairs to small paint chips. These small repairs might prevent more serious deterioration that could end up being very costly to fix.

Using Automotive Sandpaper

To fix small paint chips you will need to invest in automotive sandpaper. This is extremely high grit paper (between 3000 and 5000) and needs to moist during sanding. Just keep a small bucket of water nearby so you can dip the paper in water during the sanding. This prevents the paper from scratching the car's surface. While it is extremely fine, it is rough enough to sand off the car's paint.

The point of the sandpaper is to lightly rough up the surface so the auto putty will be able to create a better bond with it. Lightly sand with just one finger around the paint chip. Tape off a small perimeter around the chip, and try not to push down too hard. You do not want to sand off the car's paint, you just want to slightly alter the texture so it is not so glossy.

Patching the Paint Chip

At this point, you can patch the chip. Use an autobody patch putty, which you can pick up at most home improvement stores. This substance is pretty similar to wood putty except that it dries much faster. It is a good idea to practice applying the patch to a spare piece of wood or metal before you try to patch your car. For small chips you can just spread the putty with your fingers. Wear a glove because the putty is very strong.

Once the patch is completely dry, you should get the sandpaper back out and smoothed it over. Try to sand down the patched area so that it matches the original contour of the car. The more patient and meticulous you are with the step, the better your patch will look in the end.

Once you learn this technique you can patch and repair small paint chips before they become problematic and more expensive to fix. For assistance, talk to an auto body paint professional.