June 11, 2024 How-To

Top 5 Mistakes When Applying Touch Up Paint (And How to Fix Them)

If you’re like me, you take pride in keeping your ride looking sleek and polished. But let’s face it, your car is going to pick up the odd scratch and chip. That’s where TouchUpDirect comes to the rescue with our premium touch up paint supplies. However, even the best products can’t work their magic if they’re not applied correctly. So, let’s talk about the top 5 touch up paint mistakes people make when applying touch up paint and how to fix them like a pro.

Mistake #1: Matching Your Paint Through Guesswork

Solution: Figure Out What Your Color Code is

A helpful gentleman points out where the color code can be found in the door jamb of a truck.

We all want that perfect color match for our car. But in the modern automotive paint world, you can’t just say “I want a green paint to match my car”. You’ll need to be more specific when you search because each brand has countless colors for their models. Luckily, each paint color has a color code. The code is a string of numbers, letters, or both that identify your exact car color. Check out our guide on where to find the color code on each car brand. Give us your paint code when you order and we will give you a perfect color match to the paint that’s on your vehicle.

Mistake #2: Skipping the Prep Work

Solution: Clean, Sand, & Prime

A hand sands a damaged car coat. Later, another hand wearing a glove sprays Primer on the surface of the car.

One of the biggest blunders is diving straight into painting without prepping the surface properly. Before applying touch up paint, make sure to clean the area thoroughly with soap and water. This clean will help get rid of dirt, contaminants and debris particles from the surface of your vehicle before you begin the paint process. For bigger jobs (i.e. Aerosol), you will need to sand a prime the surface of your car when you prep. For smaller touch up jobs (i.e Brush, Pen, & Combo), check to see if you can see bare metal, plastic, or substrate in the damaged area of your paint job. If this is the case, you will require Primer and sanding. Sanding the surface has numerous benefits, including getting rid of imperfections and creating a smooth surface for painting. We recommend that you wetsand with a glass of water. You can find more detailed instructions on how to wetsand here. Next, apply Primer to ensure better adhesion and protection. Finally, lightly sand the area to create a smooth surface for the paint to adhere to.

Mistake #3: Using Too Much Paint

Solution: Apply Thin Layers

A gloved hand sprays Colorcoat on the surface of a car.

It’s tempting to slather on the paint, hoping to cover the imperfection in one go. However, this often leads to drips, uneven coverage, and a messy finish. Instead, apply thin layers of paint, allowing each coat to dry completely before adding another. This builds up the color gradually for a seamless blend.

Mistake #4: Ignoring the Drying Time

Solution: Patience is Key

A black panel of a car waits for its paint to dry.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a flawless touch up job. Rushing the drying process can result in smudges, smears, or even lifting of the paint. Be patient and give each layer ample time to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Trust me; the wait is worth it for professional-looking results.

Mistake #5: Don’t Forget the Clearcoat

Solution: …Apply Clearcoat!

A gloved hand sprays Clearcoat on the surface of a car.

You’ve put in the hard work to touch up your car. Surely you’re done once the Colorcoat goes on right? No! Due to the way modern automotive paint technology works, the Clearcoat is 100% necessary to complete your touch up. It not only gives your paint job its glossy finish, but adds protection and durability that it sorely needs. This final layer takes the pressure off the Colorcoat. Now that it doesn’t have to worry about shine or protection, it can concentrate on creating the most vibrant color possible. Make sure that you are patient and apply the Clearcoat in light layers. Here’s another little Clearcoat application tip: Don’t wait too long to apply your Clearcoat. As we’ve mentioned before, the layers work together as a team. If you wait more than 24 hours to apply the Clearcoat, it won’t adhere as well to the Colorcoat. Times may vary depending on the applicator, but we generally suggest letting the final layer of Colorcoat dry for 30 minutes before applying Clearcoat.

Need a touch up tool? Here at TouchUpDirect, we’ve got all the body repair products you need for any make and model. We also take into account the size and depth of the damage with our kits and applicators. Got a small scratch quarter sized or smaller? Try our Brush. Need something for that rock chip? You’ll want touch up Pens. Is the damage only surface level? Get the Essential Touch Up Kit. Additionally, TouchUpDirect’s color match guarantee ensures that you will get the exact paint color that is on your vehicle. Even the most capable and confident DIYer could use a little bit of help with their paint projects. Between our blog posts and the giant library of instructions we’ve created, we’ve got touch up paint walkthroughs for everyone. And if you don’t want to read, check out the many instructional videos on our YouTube page.