paint chips & touchup paint (brush on vs. aerosol)

[Joe Blo]

I have used the brush-on type touchup paint to repair paint chips on my white Honda accord. I have always found it difficult to get a uniform amount of paint in the chip using the brush. Recently, I have seen companies that offer touchup paint in aeorosol cans. They even match the color to the model of your car. Has anyone tried aerosol touch-up paint to repair paint chips with better results? I know some offer paints in basecoat and clearcoat. Are there some good instructions on how to repair a paint chip with aerosol touch up paint? Thanks

 

[TeGGeR®]

(Joe Blo) muttered darkly in

I have used the brush-on type touchup paint to repair paint chips on my white Honda accord. I have always found it difficult to get a uniform amount of paint in the chip using the brush. Recently, I have seen companies that offer touchup paint in aeorosol cans. They even match the color to the model of your car. Has anyone tried aerosol touch-up paint to repair paint chips with better results? I know some offer paints in basecoat and clearcoat. Are there some good instructions on how to repair a paint chip with aerosol touch up paint? Thanks

The word "aerosol" is actually a Swahili term meaning "overspray gets all over the place and is impossible to get off the glass, chrome and the paint you didn't want to get paint on".

Aerosols are for large areas. They also go on thin and require lots of coats to build up to the level of surrounding paint. They're messy and impossible to apply seamlessly on patches.

Stick with the brush and live with the bumps.

 

[ravelation]

The word "aerosol" is actually a Swahili
term meaning "overspray gets all over
the place and is impossible to get off the
glass, chrome and the paint you didn't
want to get paint on".

Aerosols are for large areas. They also
go on thin and require lots of coats to
build up to the level of surrounding
paint. They're messy and impossible to
apply seamlessly on patches.

Stick with the brush and live with the
bumps.

I believe there's a product out that offers color match plus two sizes of applicator--one side is the typical brush, and the other is like a Sharpie pen, more exacting. I'd love to hear if anyone has used this product and what they think of it.

 

[motsco_ _]

I have used the brush-on type touchup paint to repair paint chips on my white Honda accord. I have always found it difficult to get a uniform amount of paint in the chip using the brush. Recently, I have seen companies that offer touchup paint in aeorosol cans. They even match the color to the model of your car. Has anyone tried aerosol touch-up paint to repair paint chips with better results? I know some offer paints in basecoat and clearcoat. Are there some good instructions on how to repair a paint chip with aerosol touch up paint? Thanks

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As revelation stated, the 'Sharpie' pen type is much better for small chips. Honda has them, but they are available elsewhere. Store upright in a cool place (not glove box), and the instructions are interesting (like you'd need to follow instructions to use a paint marker pen??)

'Curly'

 

[Steve W.]

First off DON'T USE THE BRUSH. If you have found a color that actually matches your paint there are some easy steps to use to fill a chip.
1. Clean the area thoroughly with a wax/grease remover.
2. Use a pencil type sander (glass fiber made by 3M)
3. Clean the area again.
4. Spot in primer (if needed) Use a round toothpick to transfer the primer/paint.
5. Once dried lightly scuff the primer. Wipe area again.
6. Spot in paint as you did the primer. Make it SLIGHTLY higher than the surrounding paint.
7. Use 1000 grit paper on a small block to sand paint level with surrounding area.
8. Buff out area with a good polishing compound.
9. Wash the entire car and wax it.
10. Watch for more chips........

For even more in depth steps.

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/gorf/bmwtips/cleanpaintchip.html

Steve Williams

 

[Orick]

I have used the brush-on type touchup paint to repair paint chips on my white Honda accord. I have always found it difficult to get a uniform amount of paint in the chip using the brush. Recently, I have seen companies that offer touchup paint in aeorosol cans. They even match the color to the model of your car. Has anyone tried aerosol touch-up paint to repair paint chips with better results? I know some offer paints in basecoat and clearcoat. Are there some good instructions on how to repair a paint chip with aerosol touch up paint? Thanks

Spray can be used with good results sometimes. Say it's a small part you want to touch up and it has more than a few scratches. It might be better to take the part you want to touch up off the car, sand off the paint a bit and spray a thin layer, wait for it to dry, spray again, repeat for quite a few times. Even spray from left to right everytime. Don't worry when the paint looks rough at first, it will smooth out.

If you get bumps after painting with brush, use fine 2000 grit block to sand it down. Do it wet and do it in one direction only.

See http://www.carcareonline.com/howto.aspx for some good info

 

[Mike S.]

First off DON'T USE THE BRUSH. If you have found a color that actually matches your paint there are some easy steps to use to fill a chip.
1. Clean the area thoroughly with a wax/grease remover.
2. Use a pencil type sander (glass fiber made by 3M)
3. Clean the area again.
4. Spot in primer (if needed) Use a round toothpick to transfer the primer/paint.
5. Once dried lightly scuff the primer. Wipe area again.
6. Spot in paint as you did the primer. Make it SLIGHTLY higher than the surrounding paint.
7. Use 1000 grit paper on a small block to sand paint level with surrounding area.
8. Buff out area with a good polishing compound.
9. Wash the entire car and wax it.
10. Watch for more chips........

The problem with this approach is that most metallic touch-up paints seem to achieve a color match only when they are "blobbed" on. It seems like the metal chips stay on top and the pigment settles to the bottom. Once you sand down the blob, the color changes (usually darker) and the repair looks worse than if you hadn't levelled the repair in the first place.

 

[Bob]

I have used the brush-on type touchup paint to repair paint chips on my white Honda accord. I have always found it difficult to get a uniform amount of paint in the chip using the brush. Recently, I have seen companies that offer touchup paint in aeorosol cans. They even match the color to the model of your car. Has anyone tried aerosol touch-up paint to repair paint chips with better results? I know some offer paints in basecoat and clearcoat. Are there some good instructions on how to repair a paint chip with aerosol touch up paint? Thanks

I've been very pleased with the results of this product:

http://www.langka.com/index2.htm

 

[JM]

First off DON'T USE THE BRUSH. If you have found a color that actually matches your paint there are some easy steps to use to fill a chip.
1. Clean the area thoroughly with a wax/grease remover.
2. Use a pencil type sander (glass fiber made by 3M)
3. Clean the area again.
4. Spot in primer (if needed) Use a round toothpick to transfer the primer/paint.
5. Once dried lightly scuff the primer. Wipe area again.
6. Spot in paint as you did the primer. Make it SLIGHTLY higher than the surrounding paint.
7. Use 1000 grit paper on a small block to sand paint level with surrounding area.
8. Buff out area with a good polishing compound.
9. Wash the entire car and wax it.
10. Watch for more chips........

This is my idea of Hell Lite.

For even more in depth steps.

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/gorf/bmwtips/cleanpaintchip.html

And this is Hell.

Get the sharpie touch up, or use a toothpick with the brush on kind and ignore the brush. Make it quick, make it passable. Wait a couple of years for someone to hit you and then replace the hood, etc. Works for me everytime.

JM

 

[Mach5]

why don't you use the touchup paint and buy a fine brush for intricate detail?

 

[E. Meyer]

This is my idea of Hell Lite.

And this is Hell.

Get the sharpie touch up, or use a toothpick with the brush on kind and ignore the brush. Make it quick, make it passable. Wait a couple of years for someone to hit you and then replace the hood, etc. Works for me everytime.

JM

Amen, brother!

 

[Milleron]

I've been very pleased with the results of this product:

http://www.langka.com/index2.htm

Nice tip! Never heard of this product. I ordered it on the spot. I'll post back if I have any trouble getting it to work as advertised.

Ron

 

[Steve W.]

That depends on how thick you apply the paint. If you have a deep chip you need to layer it and take your time.

 

[Childfree Scott]

I'd use an air brush to fix the places you describe. Spray cans suck.