How To Patch And Seal Paint Chips
Posted on: 25 February 2016
If you have a car, no matter how old or new it is, you're not going to want of live with small rock chips. Chips in your car paint are not only unsightly, they can also result in severe damage. For instance, a small chip that exposes the medal of the car body, can result in rusting if it comes in contact with too much water. If you do not immediately have the money to take your car in auto repair shop, you should at least learn to seal the chip and make it waterproof. This will prevent further deterioration of the body and hide the chip. This article explains how to patch and seal paint chips that expose the car body.
Prepping the Chip
First, you need to press the chipped area. Invest in a small amount of auto body sandpaper. This is similar to normal wood sand paper except that is much finer grit. It is also a wet sandpaper, meaning that it needs to be moist when you're actually sanding the car surface. This prevents scratching that could further damage the paint. With the moist sandpaper, you should lightly sand a smaller perimeter around the chip. The point of this is not to smooth out the paint, but to rough it up a little bit. This will remove the sheen of the existing paint job and create a slightly more abrasive surface for the body filler to stick to.
Applying Body Filler
Autobody filler is a little tricky to work with because it dries very quickly. It is sold as two separate solutions. There is a small tube of hardener that you need to mix in with the filler before you use it. Once the hardener is mixed in, it can dry very quickly. The more hardener you add, the quicker it will dry. Use a plastic putty knife to spread the filler without scratching the car. You will be able to scrape away most of the excess filler before it dries, but the surface will not be very smooth. Use the sandpaper to smooth it out. Then, you need to buff it out with a wool buffer or car polish.
At this point your car chip will be covered and waterproof. However, it will still be a different color than the car. To get touch up paint that matches your car, you should go directly to the dealership.
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