With the right products and tools it is very easy to repair car paint scratches and chips even if you have no experience. You would use different repair technique depending on how deep the scratch is. There are 4 layers that scratch can go through: clear coat, base coat, primer and metal. To determine how deep the scratch is, go over it with your fingernail at 90 degrees. You will feel if the scratch have damaged the metal. Before starting the repair make sure the area is clean from dirt, oils and wax. Wash your car with some warm water and dishwasher soap. When the repair area is clean, dry it completely.
Minor Car Scratches
Car scratches that slightly damaged the clear coat, are very easy to fix. Some good quality rubbing compound and polishing compound should do it. As a last step, apply some wax for paint protection.
Medium Car Scratches
Medium car scratches are scratches that went into the paint layer but did not effect the primer. To repair this kind of scratches, sand the damaged area with fine sanding paper first. You can do wet or dry sanding. I usually prefer wet sanding because it is faster. When surface is smooth, spray the paint in coats, giving each coat enough drying time. For drying time for each paint check the label. Next, follow with clear coat. To blend in the new clear coat with the old one, we use rubbing compound. Wait for 30 days before applying wax.
Deep Car Scratches
Fixing deep car scratch requires few more steps. Start by checking to see if there is a rust development. If there is, use lower grid sandpaper to smooth it out. I usually use 180 grit sandpaper. Then, apply few layers of gray primer. When primer is dry, smooth it out with 600 grit sandpaper. The rest of the steps are the same as for medium scratch repair above. You should also wait for 30 days before applying wax.
As you can see, it is very easy to repair car scratches at home. All you need is a good weather, right products and step-by-step instructions. Body shop can charge you anywhere from $100 - $1,000 to repair a few scratches. By doing it yourself you can save a lot of money. And there is nothing more rewarding than looking at your shiny car in a driveway knowing that you did the repair yourself.
