|
Car
Care Products
Specialty
Items
|
Car
Care Tip
"Wash
the car in the shade to reduce spotting from
quick drying. "
|
|
Links |
|
 |
Rock
chips are especially damaging, as unlike contaminants
that slowly eat away at the paint, rock chips cut all
the way down to bare metal without prior warning. That
allows moist air immediate access and surface rust soon
follows. Worse yet, the rust can spread like a cancer
beneath previously undamaged paint, so it's best to fix
the damage and seal the hole as quickly as possible.
Clean the Repair Area
Begin by thoroughly cleaning the repair area with a
standard car detergent and water solution. Rinse all
soap residue from the area and allow to dry completely.
Using a fiberglass pencil (available at most auto parts
stores in the paint and body department), carefully
remove rust and loose paint from the chipped area.
Fiberglass dust is a severe irritant, so be sure to wash
your hands when finished and don't breathe or allow the
dust to contact your eyes while working. Hopefully the
chip is fresh and rust hasn't had a chance to take hold,
but if the metal has been exposed to the elements for
some time, it may be necessary to use a tiny piece of
800-grit sandpaper to remove all traces of rust from the
area.
Fill the Chip Area
Determine the manufacturer's color code for your vehicle
(check owner's manual to find out where the data plate
is located) and obtain a small bottle of touch-up paint
from your local dealer . Brush thin coats of paint
across the repair area, allowing each coat to fully dry
before applying the next. If the chip is very small, you
can use a sliver of thin cardboard to dab the paint into
the hole. Fill in the chipped area one layer at a time
until the new paint is higher than the surrounding
factory paint. Allow at least 24 hours for the final
coat of paint to harden.
Blend the Repair
Starting with a small piece of 1500-grit wet/dry
sandpaper wrapped around a small foam-rubber sanding
block, slowly sand down the raised touch-up paint. Dip
the sandpaper into a container of water regularly to
rinse removed paint from the abrasive. Try to sand only
the touch-up paint, as the factory paint surrounding the
chip is quite thin and will not handle very much
sanding. As the touch-up paint nears the same height as
the factory paint, change to 2000-grit wet-dry paper for
final sanding. The paint in the area will take on a
matte appearance, which is then polished to a glossy
finish using a small amount of rubbing compound on a
clean cloth. Follow with your usual auto wax or polish
to give the fresh paint a protective coating. The
quality of the repair will depend on your work and how
well the touch-up paint matches your factory paint. But
regardless of results, the ugly crater will be filled
and your vehicle's sheet-metal will be protected from
additional exposure.
|
