Scratches and chips in your car’s paint job can be frustrating, but fixing them is easier than many people realize. Depending on the size and depth of your paint scratch, fixing your car’s paint job is a lot simpler than it used to be­ – if you use the right products.

For my Nissan I always use the Nissan Automotive touch up paints, because they are made to exactly match your car’s paint color code. Rather than risk using the wrong color with a generic touch up paint, going directly to the car’s maker makes touching up your car’s paint a lot less stressful. You can typically find your car’s paint color code on the driver’s side door or under the hood. For Nissan, the paint color code is three characters long. If you still can’t find the color code, you can usually call the dealership where you bought your car for assistance. DO NOT buy touch up paint for your car until you know the exact color code.

Important!

Determine whether you need to use a touch up pen or brush. I like touch up pens for their accuracy and because they create less of a mess. But, pens are not designed to cover large areas, so they work best on small chips and scratches. Pens also can give you greater precision in narrow scratches. If you are going to use a paint touch up brush, you are going to need a steadier hand. Keep paper towels close by in order to wipe off any excess paint before you use the brush on a scratch or chip.

Weather conditions definitely impact how well you can apply touch up paint to your car. Never apply touch up in direct sunlight, or on a day that is very cold or very hot. Extreme temperatures will affect the consistency and flow of your touch up paint- and no one likes touch up blobs or runny paint. Make sure your car is in a clean, dust-free space before getting started. Applying your touch up paint in a wind-protected area will reduce the risk of having dust and other floating debris stick to your new paint job.

Do a test! If you have never applied touch up paint before or are using a new pen or brush, do a test on a metal can or shiny piece of paper. Getting used to the consistency and slow of the touch up applicator will allow you to do a better job on your car. If you are using a new touch up paint pen, never depress it directly on your car. It’s better to get the paint flowing by pressing it on a hard surface away from the car in case excess paint drips out.

Ok. Now let’s apply the touch up!

1. Clean the area that you want to touch up- First clean it with soap and water. Then use a wax or grease remover on the area.
2. Shake the bottle of touch up paint very well.
3. Apply the touch up paint to the scratch. Use very light strokes (not enough paint can be fixed a lot easier than too much paint). Let dry about 30 minutes or to touch.
4. Apply a second coat of touch up paint. Let dry completely.
5. Apply a small amount of clear coat over the painted area. Let dry overnight.
6. Do not wash or wax your car for at least 24 hours so the touch up paint can set.

Hope these tips can help you solve your scratch and chip woes. Applying touch up paint to your car will have it looking as good as new!