How to Apply Touch Up Paint (to Almost Like New!)

This video includes tips and how to methods on getting rid of unsightly scratches in your automobile, but without the expensive auto-body bill.

Check out my Amazon Store. There you'll find similar paint buffer and polishing compound that I show in this vid.

This is a follow up video to my original video, "How to Apply Touch up Paint". Thanks to viewer feedback and comments, I was able to make my car look almost as good as new.

Thanks for watching!

[saleemkader]

Thank you its people like you on youtube who are helping others who cannot afford taking it to paint shop.

[Calendyr]

If you are working by hand, after you are done with the 2000 grit sandpaper, do a 3000 grit sand paper sanding. It will make the scratches a lot easier to remove with the compound. As others have mentionned, that wax spreader is useless for componding and polishing... just do it by hand. Use a small wax applicator pad (microfiber, cloth or sponger, doesn't matter) and compound until you can no longer see the haze. Then do a polishing step with a finishing polish. The best combo you can buy on a retail level is Meguiars Ultimate Compound and Ultimate Polish. That will bring the shine back to the paint. Then apply a wax or sealant to protect the area. Also when sanding, using a sanding block or something that makes the sandpaper really flat is pretty much a must if you want to do a good job. In a bind, use a kitchen sponge. Just make sure only the sand paper touch the paint, not the scotchbrite pad, or you will ruin the paint.

[RoyalBlue]

It's great to see you being so positive in your replies. Most people get really mean when people start criticizing their videos, but I have noticed everything you have said has been nice.

[brandonsteele]

I've been painting cars for close to 20 years What you did wasn't bad I just have 1thing. That haze you have isn't because you sanded too hard its because that wasn't a buffer you were using to buff with Its was more of a polisher used for aplying wax and polish, not compound. they sell little buffer pads you can stick to an electric drill at auto parts stores that would work better. You need more friction and heat to get those scratches out. Don't listen to these shade tree detailers who know nothing, what you did was fine (not at all perfect lol but fine )just next time use a real buffer

[maxtap]

great video 11 years later! this is still one of the very best videos on blending crappy touch up paint out there. thank you

[Karmickey]

Thanks bro, I am ordering some touch up for my pickup. Wasn't quite sure how to do such a small amount of paint. I'm glad some experts chipped in too in the comments! Good work

[nickkhoury]

Hey Rich, that looks good bro! As a professional detailer, can I give you some helpful tips for the future? First of all, you NEVER wanna sand in a circular motion! You do more damage that way to your paint. You always sand from left to right and stay as consistant as possible with light to moderate pressure. Second, stay away from the paste compounds. What you should be using for sanding jobs on any vehicle is Meguiars M105 Ultra Cut Compound. It's the best liquid compound around for tough jobs. It'll make your job a hell of a lot easier. Last, anytime you sand, you don't want to be using an orbital polisher cause there's not enough speed to take the haziness out completely. You should be using a DA Buffer or rotory high speed buffer. It takes half of the time instead of workibg 5 times harder and 20 times longer. Just apply the liquid compound on the yellow pad (compounding pad)and and smear it on the surface you're going to be working on a little bit so it doesn't splatter when you turn the buffer on, then you can start buffing the compound into the paint with low RPM's to start. After you start seeing the compound starting to haze a little, then you can crank up the RPM's a little more. As I noticed, you were polishing in circles also. That's how you can put haze marks, also known as holograms into the paint. You gotta move from right to left bro. Other than that, I think it looks good man. You sure did put some work into it. Maybe a little more than it should have been but that's because you were using an orbital polisher, not a high speed buffer. Great work man. I hope you can use those techniques I mentioned to you to cut your time in half and work less? It's up to you though. Hope this helped a little. Keep the world clean, one shine at a time!

[KarlOrsborn]

For someone who's just about to try to touch up a few chips on my pretty new BMW 430i I found this video really useful, basically cos you're just like me: ain't got a clue but learning as you go! Cheers

[rockinrew]

I use this to touch up chips and dings in guitars. I found it best to use a tiny brush with lacquer thinner to smooth the edges of the scratch or chipis. Then fill up the scratch with paint a couple layers. Then fill the rest of the way up the clear until it sits up proud of the surface. Then sand 1500 then with 2000. Then hit with a scratch remover compound with a drill and buffing wheel. (The rotation works better then the vibration buffer) Then a polish.
And I try not to stand the original finish so much.

[RichsMethods]

Yes, it did save me money as well as the hassle of having to drop my car off and not have it for a few days. It probably saved me around $100 or more. The buffer was only $20 and the paint was around $15. Honestly, I have brought my car multiple times to the auto-body shop, and I got sick of doing it (and wasting money). Thanks for the comment!

[ww]

Never seen a body shop painter sand in circular motion. Always sanded a 90 degree angle to the area that needed to be sanded. Even when using a da sand 90 degrees to the area. Now there up to 6000 grit sand paper which makes pull out that sanding marks so easy. You can do it with a da instead of a rotary polisher and a wool pad with a heavy cutting compound. 

[dragonbud]

The 2nd video is an improvement.  The rubbing alchohol trick helped me to removed the dirt and grime, showing the real paint underneath which I thought was a scratch.

Keep it up and thanks for the tips.

[grayhines]

Thanks for making this video.  My car got scratched while sitting in the parking lot and I totally freaked me out (new car!).  After watching your detailed video, I'm now in the process of fixing this myself.  I'm not finished yet, but thanks to you, I know have a clear plan of action on how to fix it.  Plus I can take care of small chips in my car from random rocks and such.  Great job!

[stevo]

Hi good video, was very informal to watch. I tried your method but I think I was to harsh on the sanding. My car door looks very hazzy even after adding the wax. Dilemma..can you please advise me. Thanks

[albertsanchez]

Scratched the FRS and this video will be my guide...looking forward to letting you kow it goes...this was a great help to build confidence for me to DIY. Thanks

[larsdahl]

My recommendation to you (or anyone watching this video looking for good info on scratch repair) is to watch any (preferably several) of the literally thousands of videos on YouTube on this subject made by people who actually know what they're doing. No disrespect, just keepin' it real.

[LRBScarecrow]

Had a tilted street sign jump out and graze the rear side of my car last night...just enough to take about 6 inches of paint off. I'm waiting on an estimate for repairs, but I may just try your method if it costs too much for a shop to do it. Thanks for posting!

[JimBailey]

Super Great Video. A truck pulled into the same panel on my Toyota yesterday. Mostly rub marks with a few places where the paint came off. I used wax and it cleaned up about 99% of the rub marks. Now I will be fixing the five spots of missing paint. Could not believe she pulled into me. Thanks for all your help. :)

[tkusterb]

I have a very small (2 inch) scratch on a side body panel of my car and have watched your video about 4 times and will try it out later today and tomorrow.  Like I said, a much smaller repair but I'll let you know if it worked.  Thanks!

[pla]

Nice job, Rich. Three questions:
1. you mentioned that this is the bumper, which is likely a plastic. use the same technique on metal?
2. I have a black BMW with many chips on the front. Some of the chips show an exposed white color while others show an exposed reddish color.. same technique and products on both?
3. what do you think of using a paint stick rather than a brush.?
Thanks for the video and tips.