No one likes to look at chipping paint on their vehicle. It’s an eyesore and it decreases the value of your vehicle. But chipped car paint is a bigger issue than that.

Chipped paint exposes the metal finish of your vehicle to corrosion. That means sooner than later your car will have rust spots. If your vehicle has chipped paint, you really shouldn’t wait to do paint chip repair.

To learn the best paint correction methods, check out this simple guide to paint chip repair.

Check Paint Code

The first thing you need to do is check the paint code on your vehicle. This is how you can make sure you get the right shade of paint.

If your car was manufactured after 1983, you can find the paint code on the sticker located on the jamb of the driver’s side door. If your car has been re-painted, you will need to check the car records to find out the color to match.

If you can’t find a record of the paint color, you can usually get help identifying it from the store where you buy the paint.

Gather Materials

Before you get started painting, you’ll need to gather materials. To repair scratches and chipped paint, you may need the following materials:

  • Fine-grit sandpaper
  • 3M Wet or Dry sandpaper
  • Cotton Swabs
  • Thin-tip tweezers

You will need to purchase a touch-up paint pen to address the chipped paint. You can buff out scratches with sandpaper, but paint chips require applying new paint. Touch-up pens are ideal for repairing small chips.

When you go to the store, the paint vendor may ask for your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in order to ensure a perfect paint match. 

Clean the Chipped Paint Area

Once you’ve gathered your materials, it’s time to clean the chipped paint area. Start by rinsing the area with water. Then was the area with warm soap and rinse it again with warm water.

Make sure to dry the area well. You should not start painting the area until it is completely dry.

Fill the Chip

When the area is clean and dry, it’s time to fill in the chip. Take out your touch-up pen and touch the tip of the pen to the center of the paint chip.

Press down slightly on the touch-up pen and the paint should release. Depending on the size of the chip, you may or may not need to move the pen around to fill the chipped area.

You’ll want to over-fill the chip, just slightly. Paint shrinks a small amount when it dries. You want to avoid leaving any of the metal exposed to prevent it from oxidizing and gathering rust.

If you apply too much paint, you may have drips to address. Drips will stand out against the paint on the rest of your vehicle. If you drip paint, make sure to wipe it off immediately.

For the best quality paint chip repair, consider using a car detailing service. If you have any doubt about your paint chip repair skills, it’s best to trust a professional.

Paint Chip Repair Tips for Vehicles

Paint chip repair is a simple, but necessary procedure that will protect your vehicle against corrosion and rust. To repair chipped paint, you’ll need to know your vehicle’s paint code so you can get a touch-up paint pen that matches.

Prefer to leave your car’s paint repair to professionals? Does your vehicle have larger paint chips than you can handle? Get a free quote from Detail Time today!