How to Use Touch Up Paint
Maintaining the quality of your car and keeping it looking new is essential to the resale value. During the life of a vehicle, it will get small scratches and chips from debris or branches. Therefore, you must repair the damage to the car paint before rust can buildup and more paint begins to chip. Learning how to use touch up paint is very easy and helps maintain look and value.
Things you will need to use touch up paint:
- 2 soft rags
- Automotive lacquer
- Primer
- Automotive clear coat
- Automotive touch up paint
- Rubbing compound
- Clean the places where you have to put the touch up paint. Open the bottle of automotive lacquer thinner and quickly turn the bottle upside down to get a small sample of thinner. Use the rag to remove any paint or debris from the damage. Allow it to dry for 20 minutes.
- Put the cap back on the bottle of lacquer thinner. Open up either the paint pen or brush bottle. You can practice painting on the sides of the thinner bottle so you can learn how the paint will flow. Employ a patting motion even with the brush. Don’t use a brush stroke as this might leave marks on the surface.
- Dab some paint on the area that needs to be repaired. Be sure not to let any on the original paint. Use thin layers and fill the entire damaged area. Let it dry, and be sure to follow the directions.
- Use a thin layer of automotive clear coat and cover the area. Almost all auto supply stores will sell little aerosol cans you can use to do the job in an efficient manner. All you need is one short spray. Don’t panic if you get some spray on the original paint.
- Open up the tin of rubbing compound and put a small amount on a soft rag. Apply the compound over the dry touch-up paint. Be sure to rub and use a circular motion for ten minutes, or until the compound starts to get a sheen that almost matches the gloss of the original car paint. Allow it to dry for four to six hours in some shade before you attempt to wax or wash the car.