How to Fix Minor Car Paint Scratches at Home

The usual wear and tear that cars go though can be a pain, but not a costly one if you take a few simple steps.

No matter how well you care for your car, it will eventually show signs of wear in the form of unsightly scratches. However, a little inexpensive DIY work can restore your paint job’s pristine appearance. If the scratches on your paint aren’t down to the metal and look like thin lines, you can fix them yourself without the aid of a professional.

Note: Do not attempt this repair if your car has specialty paint. Applying this fix to certain finishes can leave a car looking worse than before. Use caution.

Preparation is Key

Your paint job will only be as good as your preparation. You have to correctly prepare the surface of the vehicle so that it can accept the paint without the paint bubbling or cracking. To being, wash your car thoroughly. You can run it through a car wash or wash it yourself. If you take your vehicle to a car wash, do not add any wax or polish to the surface.

Once the car is clean, you need to wipe the areas to be painted with a cleaner that can cut grease. The wax build-up on the surface must be removed before you can paint the vehicle.

Sand and Fill for a Smooth Surface

Once the car is clean, you need to remove the current layer of paint for a smooth and even surface. Use an orbital sander if you are sanding a large section of the vehicle. Once the vehicle has been sanded, you may notice small nicks or indentations in the surface. Fill these indentations using an auto body filler until the surface is smooth and even.

Protect Unpainted Areas

Protect the areas that do not need paint by covering them. For large areas, cover with newspaper sheets and then tape the edges to keep paint off. For small objects, see if they can be removed. If the object can not be removed, cover it thoroughly and carefully using a painter’s tape or masking tape.

First, examine the paint. Are your scratches really scratches or are they marks? Run your finger over the area in question. If they are merely marks, they’ll come off easily with mark remover. these are available at major retailers like Wal-Mart and Target.

If they are scratches, prepare the area so that you can begin repairs yourself. Begin by cleaning the scratched area and sanding it level with fine-grain sandpaper. Then wipe away the grit with a soft, clean cloth. Cotton is fine but a microfiber cloth is better if you have one available.

To fix the scratch, you’ll need body compound as well as primer and paint to match your car.

Using a plastic knife, apply the compound. When it has dried, gently sand it level, and then wipe away the dust.

Priming & Painting

Next, spray on the primer and let it dry, following the directions on the container.

Choose a primer that is designed for vehicles, and a paint that matches your current paint if you are only painting a portion of the car. Rent a spray painter from a home improvement store and follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.

Prime the vehicle first and allow the primer to dry completely before painting. Apply the paint evenly, making sure to coat the entire surface. You may need to apply two coats of paint. Add a glossy topcoat if you wish for extra protection.

If you decide to use a car scratch remover kit, be sure to shop around first. Many removers are available, and they all claim to give fantastic results, so read online reviews and look at customer ratings. Then pick the best one in your price range.

If you opt to have a professional fix your car’s scratches, several factors will affect the cost: your car’s make and model, the location of the scratch, the type of paint that’s required, and the depth of the scratch. Depending upon these factors, some scratches will cost as little as $25 to fix, while others could cost several hundred dollars.

Serious scratches can compromise your car’s resale value, so don’t hesitate to spend a little money. Deep scratches can even lead to rust damage, a far costlier repair. Consider the steps above to be an intermediate step between the super-cheap tubes of paint concealer available at drug stores and on TV and a full-scale repaint job. considering the expense of the latter option, it may be worth it to try the repair yourself even if you are even considering it.