The paint on your vehicle can chip and flake over time. Paint chips are common and usually happen from debris that kicks up from the road. While they are easy to fix, if left unattended they can eventually rust and cause more damage. In some cases, they can eventually form a hole. Find out how to use a paint pen with touch up paint to fix these chips and prevent further damage.
Is Fixing Paint Chips with Touch-Up Paint Worth It?
Fixing paint chips with a paint pen can prevent further damage to the paint. Paint chips left unfixed can rust out and spread, and it can bubble and flake paint. Eventually the rust will form a hole. Touching up paint chips with a paint pen can prevent this damage from spreading and protect the area from outside elements.
How to Use a Paint Pen and Touch Up Paint to Fix Paint Chips
Steps to use a paint pen to fix paint chips
- Grab a Paint Pen Same Color As Your Vehicle
Find a paint pen that is the same color as your vehicle. If you want the exact color, manufacturer’s might have a specific color-coded number or color type than the color you might find in a local store.
- Paint the Car in a Warm, Dry Area
Find a warm, dry, and well-ventilated area like a garage. If you are painting the chip outdoors, make sure it’s on a warm day, around 70 degrees.
- Remove Rust with a Pick or Small Wire Brush
Remove any rust from the area with a pick or small wire brush.
- Clean Area with Wiping Alcohol and Rag
Clean the area with wiping alcohol and a rag.
- Put Primer on and Let It Dry
Place primer on the area and let it dry. If the area is small, put the primer in a cup and spread it on with a toothpick
- Put Paint on and Let It Dry
Put paint on over the primer with the paint pen and let it dry. If the paint is in a bottle and the brush is too big, pour some paint out and dab it on with a tooth pick.
Read more on how to use touch up paint
- To Smoothen the Paint, Wet Sand and Buff It Out
If the paint has bubbled, it will still protect the area. If you want to smoothen it out, you’ll need to wet sand the area and then buff it out. You can buff it out with polishing compound by hand, by drill, or with a buffing tool.
Read more on how to buff and fix car paint
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