4 Tip For Repairing Auto Body Paint Chips

Do parts of your vehicle have chipped paint, and you're not quite sure what to do about it? Know that this is an auto body repair that you may be able to do on your own. Here are some tips for repairing paint chips the right way.

Know The Exact Color Of Paint

The first step will be to find out the exact color of paint you have on your vehicle. Thankfully, if you still have the original color of paint on your car, this is relatively easy to find out. This information should actually be located on your vehicle, typically within the driver's side door. It may not be clear to you that there are paint number codes there at first glance, but the main color and trim will be identified on this information sticker. Now you can order the exact paint color you need.

Sand And Prime The Rust

The spot that you want to touch up likely had some rust on it, so you'll need to prep the area before it can be painted. This is best done with a very fine grit sandpaper. Try a 400 grit sandpaper to see if that manages to get all of the rust off, and if not, move to a slightly rougher sandpaper to see if that does the trick. The area should be shiny and rust-free when finished.

You can then apply primer to the area since it is going to seal the area and prevent the spot from continuing to rust. Be aware that it will take a couple of hours for the primer to dry before you can paint your vehicle.

Apply The Paint

The easiest way to apply the paint is with a paintbrush, where you will carefully paint in the affected area that has a paint chip. If your goal is to cover up the paint chip and prevent it from rusting more, then a paintbrush should be fine. If you want the spot to look better, you can also use an airbrush to sweep over the area and apply an even layer of paint.

Buff And Repaint As Necessary

Not happy with the look of your touch-up? Know that you can always buff out the area and apply another layer of paint. Continue repeating this process several times until the area looks smooth and starts to blend in with the surrounding paint.

Don't feel confident that you can repair your paint chips? Take your car to an auto body shop for assistance. 

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