What Style of Touch Up Paint is Right For Your Car?

Not everyone is a car expert. Some people know very little about automobiles, while some could be amateur mechanics. Whatever your skill level is, it’s important you know which touch up paint to look for. Use this short guide to see the different car touch up paint options and determine which is right for your vehicle.

Let’s get to know the modern multi-step paint system. First comes the Primer, which lays down a base layer that offers protection and allows the paint to stick. Then comes the Colorcoat. Every vehicle has a base color paint coat. Whether it’s white, black, blue, red, silver, grey, yellow, brown, or green, typically, one color makes up the entire exterior. Sometimes, multiple colors exist together. But overall, there remains one solid base color that makes up most of the exterior paint job. Keep in mind that many manufacturers repurpose car paints and label them as new colors. Even if your vehicle sports a unique color variation, this is likely a repurposed color from previous model years. Finally, the Clearcoat is here to create a shield for the other layers from everything from UV damage to bird poop. Clearcoat also enhances the paint job, helping create a more vibrant color.

Metallic

Metallics are unique types of exterior paint composed of little shiny pieces of aluminum mixed into base colors. Unlike matte finishes, which appear neutral and dull, metallics offer a unique shine and visual aesthetic. Additionally, they can make selecting touch up paint easier. If you know your exterior paint or feel stuck between two colors, make sure the metallic option you go with matches the OEM paint code. You never want to mix two colors and have an uneven paint job.

Examples

Matte

In the last few years, matte has become an incredibly popular trend in the car paint industry. Matte is notable as it has no shine at all, giving it a flat and subtle effect. This is created by absorbing or obstructing the reflection of the light. While some worry about the glossiness of Clearcoat ruining the cool effect of matte paint, TouchUpDirect sells several different levels of matte Clearcoat from Flat to Semi-Gloss. Not sure which matte Clearcoat your paint needs? Don’t worry! When you order your paint, our experts will send you the appropriate Clearcoat with your paint.

Examples

Tricoats

Tricoats are another type of car touch up paint option that you should know. Tricoats require an additional layer of paint in the touch up process. The new color creates a fun effect on your paint job, such as a Pearl or Candy shine. Repairing a scratch on a Tricoat is similar to a regular touch up job with one extra step. After putting down your Colorcoat and waiting for it to dry, you simply add the second color on top. To find out if your car has a Tricoat, simply find and check your car’s paint color code. We can help with that. Just go to the TouchUpDirect website and pick the make, model, and year of your car and we will assist you in figuring out what your color is.

Examples

At TouchUpDirect, we help you find the best touch up applicator for your automotive paint, no matter the color or style. Whether you’re looking for Chevrolet, Tesla, Toyota, Ford, BMW, Subaru, Volvo, or Honda OEM touch up paint or another product, call us. We’ll help you find what you need. Choosing the right automotive touch up paint may seem tricky, but TouchUpDirect makes it quick and easy for everyone.

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