There are several different ways to apply touch-up paint to repair scratched or damaged automotive paint, so the big questions for any project are which products to use for the job at hand and how. To touch up car paint in a small area, an aerosol can may not be necessary; a bottle may be enough to complete the job.
Before Applying Auto Touch-Up Paint, Prepare the Surface of the Vehicle
The best way to apply touch-up paint to a car starts with a clean surface; this promotes adhesion. Thoroughly clean the area to be repaired with dish soap (Joy, Dawn, etc.) and water before using touch-up paint on the car. Then, dry it completely. The use of prep solvent and a clean, lint-free towel assures the best clean surface, free of wax, grease, and other oil-based surface contaminants. For better results, do not apply in direct sunlight.
If sanding is needed, use 180-grit sandpaper to remove rust or bad surface damage. Then, use 320-grit to remove 180-grit scratches. Finish by using a tack rag to remove any dust.
How to Apply Car Touch-Up Paint Primer
Primer will fill in 180-to-320-grit sandpaper scratches. Applying auto touch-up paint primer over bare metal or plastic in two to three coats, with five to ten minutes in between each coat, is the best way. To touch up car paint primer, you can sand it with 600-grit wet sandpaper as little as 30 minutes after application.
If you want to blend the primer, after sanding the area with 600-grit sandpaper, sand the outer edge with 1,500-grit wet sandpaper. Clean the sanding dust with plain water and dry well. Touch-up paint base coat color will cover 600-grit scratches; the clear coat will cover up 1,500-grit scratches.
Automotive Paint Touch-Up Application
Thoroughly shake the base coat color before applying auto touch-up paint to the vehicle's surface. Apply as many coats as necessary to cover the area, leaving at least five to ten minutes between light coats. Do not wet sand or use prep solvent in between coats of touch-up paint or clear coat.
How to Touch Up Car Paint With a Tri-Coat Formulation
If you ordered one color but received two bottles labeled "ground coat" and "mid coat," don't worry: It's not an error. This happens infrequently when your color has a specialized paint effect that can't be replicated with a single color. The best way to touch up car paint in these situations is to use the ground coat first, then use the mid coat on top of that afterward. For both the ground coat and mid coat, apply one coat at a time until you achieve the pearl effect of the factory color.
Clear Coat Instructions: The Last Stage of Using Touch-Up Paint on a Car
Allow 30 minutes of drying for the last layer of base coat color before applying touch-up clear coat. Apply two to three coats of clear coat using a light dabbing motion, waiting ten to 20 minutes in between each coat. Be gentle with the brush: You do not want to disturb the undercoats and risk the flawless finish you're trying to achieve. Remember, how quickly a paint project progresses isn't a factor in how to touch up car paint properly so that it looks like new.
Clear coat should be dry to the touch in one to two hours but will completely dry overnight. Use rubbing compound once fully dry to bring out an optimum level of gloss. Do not wax the fresh paint for one month.