Sprucing Up My Car

Posted on: 4 May 2016

If you've scratched or dinged your car this spring, it's important to get that spot repaired before the season's wet weather causes your car to rust. If the ding or scratch is small enough, touch up paint will cover it without being too noticeable. Just remember that any touch up paint you apply to your car will probably not look perfect (imagine painting your car with nail polish, and you'll get the idea), so if you're thinking about selling your car sometime soon and would like a truly professional touch up job, take your car in to a collision repair shop.

Gather Your Materials

Gather your materials before you begin working, so you'll have everything you need once you get started.

• Very Fine Sand paper
• Sponge
• Bucket
• Car Wash Detergent
• Primer
• Clean Rag
• Paint that matches your car color (check your car's color code to find the right kind)

Follow the Steps

1. Sand the area. Sanding the car will help rough up the surface and give the paint something to adhere to. Use fine-grained sandpaper to rough up the surface of the vehicle. Try to do this only in the area that needs to be painted. Remember, anything you scratch with the sandpaper will need to be covered with paint.
2. Prep the area. Wash the area with a solution of warm water mixed with car cleaner. Remove any dirt or grime, then inspect the area for rust. If the car has already begun to rust, bring it to a collision repair shop for further help.
3. Prime the spot. Use a small brush to apply primer to the damaged area. A "small" brush may be something as tiny as a nail polish brush. Use the rag to remove any primer that covers the original paint job. Do not apply primer to anything you don't intend to paint with the touch-up paint.
4. Apply the touch-up paint. Many bottles of touch-up paint will come with a tiny paintbrush to cover the primer. If your bottle of touch-up paint doesn't, then you can use the same brush you used to apply the primer. Apply the touch-up paint to the car in smooth, even strokes, and keep the area where the paint is applied as small as possible.

When you're finished applying the paint, give it time to dry, then wash and wax your car. This will help give the appearance that the spot you touched up matches the rest of your car. For more information about how to repair a small scratch or ding in your car, contact a collision repair shop in your area.