If your paint on your car is chipped, you may have considered buying a small bottle of car paint and fixing the peeled paint yourself. You also may have considered paying a professional, but you are wondering if it is worth spending the extra money.
In either case, it is important to repair your car. Not only because it makes your car look better. Fixing small repairs like this prevent your car from prematurely deteriorating. Chipped paint turns into rust, which then easily breaks apart.
By restoring the paint in places where it is missing, you are sealing the metal so that environmental elements do not cause the oxidation of the cars’ doors, hood, and undercarriage.
Cleaning The Area
The first step of replacing the chipped paint is to clean the area that is going to be painted. If not removed, any dirt or dust on the car will get trapped under the paint.
This will cause the new layer of paint to be lumpy and uneven.
This eventually results in more chipping in the same area, so always start with a clean surface.
Addressing The Rust
Even with a clean surface, if you simply apply the paint where it is chipped, the paint will not adhere correctly, and the final result will look sloppy. Using wet-or-dry sandpaper, sand down the scratches into the rust disappears and the surface is perfectly smooth. That may cause you to scrub away some of the paint surrounding the chip. But by smoothing the rough patches, you are ensuring that the paint you apply will blend better with the body paint of the car.
Cleaning After You Fix It
When the rust has been completely sanded away, there will be a lot of fine particles of rust and paint residue left behind.
It is very important that you clean this area again. It is best to use a strong degreasing solvent when removing the rust, as the particles can be difficult to remove otherwise.
If the dust is left behind, the paint will not adhere correctly and when it peels off, it will look worse than before.
Prep For Paint
Before applying the paint, spray a coat of primer to the cleaned area. The primer helps to keep the color underneath the paint from becoming visible through the paint was applied.
It will also help the paint stick better to the surface, as it prepares the metal surface for the application of paint.
Once the primer is completely dry, the car is finally ready for a coat of paint.
Paint Area
It is important that you use the same manufacturer for your chosen primer and paint. The chemistry of the products works best together when they are engineered to complement each other. And because it may be difficult to find an exact match, it may be best to get your paint from automotive restoring professionals. They can create a custom mixed paint, with manufacturer-matching primer and clear coat that will match your car exactly.
Z-One offers ways to treat areas of chipped paint. Their solutions provide a smooth and flawless finish, mixing paints in order to create a perfect match.
They have the tools, product, and skill to help prevent rust from forming and deteriorating the body of your vehicle. Z-One’s staff are experts in aftermarket detailing and repair, serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan for 36 years.
As the leader in automotive body repair, Z-One will restore your car so that it lasts for years to come.