Nobody likes it when their truck gets scratched but unless you are driving a mall crawler you are going to eventually pick up some scars. Follow this process to get professional results from this DIY scratch repair system.
First Thing is First!
Assess the damage and determine the repair method needed.
Here you need to look at scratch depth in order to determine if you need touch-up paint or if the paint damage can be repaired with our scratch repair kit alone.
If you have large paint chips, you will likely need the touch-up paint kit. You can use the fingernail test below to determine how deep your car’s scratches are.
Fingernail Test
Run your fingernail across the scratch on your truck. If you can’t feel the scratch at all, you likely just have a clear coat scratch that can be removed with polishing.
If you CAN feel the scratch with your fingernail, this means that the scratch is deeper and you may need touchup paint in order to fully remove the scratch.
For Clearcoat Scratches
If your scratches have passed the fingernail test and can’t be felt, you probably just have clearcoat scratches and the process for you is simple.
If you are purchasing one of our scratch repair kits you would only need these 4 steps:
- Clean
- Polish
- Glaze
- Seal & protect the paint
For Deeper Clearcoat Scratches
Scratches that cannot just be polished out can still sometimes be repaired without touchup paint. For these chips and scratches you’ll need to use a wet sanding process. In our kits we provide a patented 3000 grit latex material that works perfectly, even better than regular fine sandpaper.
For these scratches, you’ll want to follow the steps below.
- Clean
- Wet sand
- Polish
- Glaze
- Seal/protect
Deep Paint Chips & Scratches Beyond the Clearcoat
These are the deep scratches and paint chips that require touchup paint. This process is much different than what is described above for fixing clearcoat scratches. It is easy, even if you are a beginner doing this for the first time, but following the method and process is important.
You’ll need our red touch-up paint kit for this. Start by cleaning the area just like you would for any other scratch, but after that you’ll need to apply some paint to the area. One method that we recommend is the dab & smear technique. Just use a gloved hand, get some paint onto your finger and apply it manually using the fingertip. Here are the simplified steps for you to follow.
- Clean
- Apply Touch-Up Paint
- Remove excess paint with leveling solvent
- Polish
- Glaze
FINAL DETAILING TIPS
#1 ALWAYS clean the area first - You will need this clean no matter what method you choose to fix a scratch.
#2 If you have clearcoat scratches, always trying polishing them out first before you try wet sanding.
#3 Don’t apply touch-up paint in the sun.