Every motorist sooner or later encounters such a nuisance as an abundance of chips on the paintwork of a car, especially on its front end and hood. At the same time, if small chips only spoil the appearance, then deep ones can quickly lead to corrosion, especially in winter when roads are treated with reagents. You can fix chips by turning to professional car repair services, where they will do the repairs for you for a relatively small fee, or you can try to do the repairs yourself.
Repairing small chips itself is quite simple and does not require any special equipment or skills, but it does require accuracy and sequential steps. Please note that our article is aimed at beginners and we strongly do not recommend repairing deep chips on your own where the damage has reached the metal layer or corrosion has begun. Such chips are much more difficult to repair; they require the use of putty, primer and other materials, and such repairs are best left to professionals. We also note that it will be especially difficult to properly repair chips in cars of silver colors (for example, the “Snow Queen” color), and we also recommend leaving such repairs to professionals and not doing it yourself. Black and white cars are best suited for such repairs.
What you will need for DIY repairs:
- Degreaser and degreasing wipes;
- Base or acrylic paint to match the color of the car, for example, a ready-made touch-up kit for chips;
- Automotive acrylic varnish 1K (one-component). * Please note that in touch-up paints for chips from RAL1.RU the varnish is already included in the kit;
- Tool for application (we recommend using a simple match instead of a line-corrector brush).
Please note: our catalog with touch-up paints for chips contains convenient filters by year, car model and paint shade, which will make it even easier for you to find the right paint or significantly narrow down the search for the desired color code on the car's identification plate. For example, a black 2016 Kia Soul can only have 2 color options (one of two code options that remains to be found on the car's identification plate) - link.
Features of car scratches
Anyone who is faced with the need to use such a tool for the first time can assume that no special difficulties arise in this case.
In practice, the situation is not as simple as it might seem. Initially, you need to determine the depth of the scratch, which will help you choose the right pencil.
In general, car damage can be divided into the following categories:
- Damage to the outer layer (varnish coating);
- Causing damage to the paint underneath the varnish;
- Deep scratches that may reach the primer.
- The deepest scratches, which, in most cases, reach the metal coating, and which are very problematic to neutralize on your own.
To correctly determine the depth of a scratch, it is absolutely not necessary to seek help from professionals, but simply carefully inspect the car in daylight.
How to use a pencil
Before painting over even small scratches, the damaged area must be thoroughly cleaned. This is a general requirement.
The rust must be completely removed. It is strictly prohibited to pour rust converter into scratches. This threatens to stain under the enamel.
Gel
When working with the gel, the room temperature should be between +10 and +15 degrees Celsius (room). It is necessary to dim the light, as under its influence the gels dry out quickly.
Algorithm of actions:
- Before you start making repairs with a gel pencil, you need to shake the bottle thoroughly.
- Press the bottle several times to fill the applicator.
- Fill chips with a slight excess.
- Remove any remaining dye with a napkin.
- If the damage is deep, several fillings will be required. In this case, you should wait until the previous layer dries. A shallow scratch will take up to two days to dry.
Wax
It is better to work in a warm room. Before applying wax, sometimes you need to warm it up. To do this, use a torch or heat gun.
Main stages:
- First, the cleaned surface is covered with movements across and then along the scratch.
- After applying the wax, remove excess with a napkin.
- The wax itself inside the damage is compacted to the desired level.
- After which the surface is polished. For this, a special abrasive or felt applicator is used, which are usually additionally included in the tool kit.
Types of pencil paint for cars
Nowadays you can find the following most common types of pencils in specialized stores:
- A car corrector pencil is easy to use, but will only help if the varnish or paint coating is damaged. Many motorists are faced with the need to eliminate defects in their car. It is recommended to either completely abandon the use of this option, or use it only in case of minimal damage. Also, the color range in which this variety is presented is very limited, which creates additional risks.
- The wax pencil is highly reliable, moisture resistant, and can be used even when it comes to damage that has reached the primer. If you examine a scratch treated in this way close up, it will be noticeable, although not too strong. At the same time, if you do not resort to such actions, it is quite possible to talk about the aesthetic fulfillment of the initially set task. Many motorists unanimously agree that such an option can be considered both reliable and practical at the same time.
- Car paint stick is at the same time one of the most effective and reliable means with which it is even possible to completely disguise a scratch. In this case, everything depends on the skills and accuracy of the specialist who will carry out all the necessary operations. Most of those who have tried this option note that it is even suitable for eliminating defects when metal is damaged.
When making the optimal choice of such a product, it is initially necessary to determine the purpose of its use.
For example, there are categories of motorists for whom even small scratches or chips are the primary reason for seeking professional help and, in some cases, carrying out expensive work.
For others, the quality and practicality of their vehicle is more important, so as long as there is minimal damage, they may resort to camouflage.
Causes of plastic damage
This is an elastic but fragile material, so it scratches easily. Sometimes any inaccurate movement, mechanical impact or friction causes damage.
Plastic window sills, plastic displays and housings of gadgets that are carried in pockets, car panels where large objects are carried, and plastic headlights into which sand and asphalt chips fly are often scratched. Small cracks can be repaired on your own; deeper damage will require professional restoration.
Pros of using paint pencil
The main advantages of this option include relatively low cost (when compared with the services of car workshops) and ease of use. This is because this option can be used for a long period of time.
Another advantage is the ability to independently, quickly, but at the same time, in most cases, effectively use this option.
In addition, it is quite acceptable to carry a pencil with you all the time and quickly use it when the need arises.
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Disadvantages of Using Pencil Paint
Despite many advantages, this option is also characterized by the presence of a number of negative qualities, the main ones being:
- Not entirely ethical if used on expensive cars of well-known brands;
- Depending on the composition. Some types of pencils can be washed off during washing, which will only aggravate the problem;
- Low-quality products can significantly contrast with the color of the car (and this happens even if completely different information was written on the packaging);
- The fragility of the result obtained, as well as its obviousness (in most cases) upon close examination;
- Relatively cheap options contain substances that can cause significant damage to car coatings.
That is why, in order to initially minimize possible negative consequences, it is worth consulting with a specialist or reading reviews on forums for motorists.
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Features of using different types of pencils
To minimize the possible negative result and give the car a more attractive look, it is necessary to take into account the features of using each option.
For example, when using a correction pencil, it is extremely important to regulate the amount of paint by pressing (in order to simultaneously eliminate existing imperfections and not cause drips).
The use of wax pencils is only acceptable when quickly eliminating a specific scratch.
Before using any type of pencil. Initially, you need to practice, as an option, on a piece of material. Also, in no case should you purchase cheap varieties, as they may not only fail to provide the necessary elimination, but may also cause harm to the car in the future.
Popular brands
American and Chinese manufacturers supply their products to Russian markets.
The most common brands:
- Fix it Pro. Their range consists mainly of quick-drying varnishes.
- Runway. Supplies universal markers. They serve not only for marking, but also for protection against corrosion and lubrication of mechanisms.
- Du-Pont. Supplied with a paint restoring marker. The kit includes acrylic filler with solvent.
- Newton. Produces markers in a wide range of colors.
In addition, paints are supplied by official car dealers under their own brands. Motorists call them “original”.
Photos before and after applying car paint pencil
Corrective gel
Light scratches of the varnish that do not disturb the paint can be eliminated with a gel corrector, which can otherwise be called a “pencil for touching up chips.”
The gel is squeezed out of the tube, filling chips and large scratches. Colorless, it fills chips and scratches without disturbing the original color of the body.
Tips for removing scratches with partial body touch-up
If there is deep and extensive damage to the paintwork, it would be more advisable to remove scratches on the car body using paint and varnish. They are available at retail in small bottles and are designed specifically for local correction.
But in addition to some labor-intensiveness of this process, you will also need to work hard on selecting the desired color and shade of paint (see the video below).
In cases of significant damage to the paintwork, which has reached the “living” metal, before removing scratches from the car body, you need to treat the damaged surface with a rust converter or apply a protective zinc coating (for details, see the article on rust removal) - this will prevent subsequent corrosion of the metal. Only after this operation has been completed will it be possible to use paint and varnish.
If, due to the degree of damage to the paintwork, you need to use putty, do not neglect this procedure. It is advisable to entrust all complex work to qualified specialists who will competently carry out restoration work and help achieve an impeccable result.
However, if you have “straight” hands and some experience, you can independently remove almost any scratches from the car body (both without painting and with touch-up of the damaged areas). It is worth taking into account that all work must be carried out in a clean, dry and warm room with sufficient lighting. Before starting touch-up painting, it is advisable to warm up the car body.
Well, if things are really bad, then we highly recommend that you read the detailed instructions for painting a car yourself.
Painting set
Bottles filled with one-component paint are conventionally called a paint set. The stopper of the bottle has a brush, like a bottle of nail polish, which can be used to paint over scratches.
It is not recommended to repair damage to a large area using a paint kit. This is a pencil for touching up scratches.
