How to fix the chip of paint on the car on their own

A small chip on the body exposing the metal requires immediate treatment with anticort and soil to prevent the spread of rust under the layer of varnish. If you ignore the damage even small, the moisture quickly gets to the steel base, and after a few months the defect will turn into a corrosion focus, the elimination of which will require expensive body repairs with a complete repainting of the part.

Restoration of paintwork (LAC) at home is an affordable procedure that allows you to save significant money on the services of specialized services, subject to strict adherence to the technology of applying materials. For a high-quality result, you will need not only the right paint in body color, but also an understanding of the physicochemical processes of drying the polymer, as well as the presence of a minimum set of tools for local work.

Diagnostics of damage and assessment of the scope of work

The first stage of recovery is always a thorough inspection of the damaged area in bright daylight or under a powerful lamp. It is necessary to determine the depth of the chip: whether only the upper layer of lacquer is affected, whether the base (colored layer) is pierced or the damage has reached the metal and primer. The list of necessary materials and the complexity of the upcoming manipulations directly depends on this.

If the chip is only a scratch on the varnish, which is not felt by the finger, it will be enough to polish with abrasive pastes. However, when the nail clings to the edges of the damage and contrast metal or gray soil is visible, more serious intervention is required using the use of the nail. archetypal and reductive enamel. It is also important to check the edges of the chip for the presence of detached paint, which must be carefully removed.

Particular attention should be paid to the areas around the wheel arches and rapids, where aggressive chemicals are most often accumulated from roads and sand. Here, the damage can be hidden under a layer of dirt. Before starting work, the car must be thoroughly washed and degreased to see the real picture of the destruction of the LCP.

Required tools and materials for restoration

For high-quality work on the elimination of chips will need to collect a certain set of materials, the quality of which depends on the durability of the result. The use of cheap analogues can lead to the fact that the paint will change the shade after a short time or begin to peel off along with the varnish.

• 🎨 Selected enamel - the paint code is usually on the plate in the hood space or on the body rack, it is important to take the material with a margin.
• 🧪 Degreaser - special antisilicone for surface preparation, not leaving films.
• 🖌️ Applicators - Thin brushes, toothpicks or medical syringes for spot application of the composition.
• 📄 abrasive sandpaper of various grains (P2000, P2500) and polishing pastes.

Additional may be required soil to protect the metal from corrosion if the chip is deep. For finishing, two-component varnish is indispensable, especially if repairs are made on dark cars, where any defects are more noticeable. Also prepare paint scotch and microfiber napkins that do not leave a pile.

Do not forget about personal protection. Work with chemical solvents and paint materials should be carried out in a well-ventilated room, it is desirable to use a respirator and gloves. This will save the airways and skin from getting toxic substances.

Preparation of surface for recovery

Surface preparation is 80% of the success of the entire operation. It is not enough to simply wipe the chip with a cloth; it is necessary to remove all oxides and contaminants that can disrupt the adhesion. First, the damage site is carefully cleaned with a small abrasive, trying not to touch the whole lacquer coating around.

⚠️ Warning: Never apply paint to rust without pre-treatment with a rust converter or converter, otherwise corrosion will continue to develop under the new layer.

After mechanical cleaning, the surface is thoroughly washed with water with shampoo, dried and wiped. degreaser. Movements should be progressive, without strong pressure, so as not to smear pollution over a larger area. It is important to work with gloves, as fatty fingerprints from the fingers also impair the adhesion of materials.

To protect the surrounding areas from accidental paint ingestion, they can be sealed with paint tape, leaving only the directly damaged area and a small area around it free. This is especially true when using aerosol cans or if the chip is large enough.

Technology of applying soil and paint

The recovery process begins with the application of soil, if metal is visible in the chip. The soil creates the necessary roughness (risk) for adhesion of the enamel with the body and provides anticorrosion protection. Apply it should be the thinnest layer, strictly within the boundaries of damage, using a thin brush or sharpened match.

After drying the primer layer (time indicated on the package, usually 15-30 minutes) begin to apply the base enamel. The main task at this stage is to fill the chip volume, comparing it with the level of the main varnish. The paint is applied in stages, allowing each micro-layer to dry for 10-15 minutes.

Often there is an effect when the dried paint is drawn in, forming a recess. In this case, the procedure is repeated until the level of paint is equal to the main coating or becomes slightly higher. The excess will be removed during the polishing.

Polishing and finishing of the body

The final stage involves leveling the surface and giving it a gloss. After the paint is completely dryed (it is desirable to wait a day), the repair site is carefully polished with water using P2000 or P2500 abrasive. The movements should be light so as not to rub the varnish around until metal.

Then the polishing pastes come in. First, use an abrasive paste to remove the drawings from the sandpaper, then a fine abrasive or finishing one to create a deep shine. It is better to work with a polishing machine with a soft circle, but you can also manually, although it will require more effort.

The result of proper polishing should be an imperceptible transition, where the chipping place cannot be determined by touch or visually from a meter distance. If the transition is still noticeable, the polishing procedure is repeated using softer compositions.

Typical errors and precautions

One of the most common mistakes is to apply too thick a layer of paint at a time. This leads to the formation of flows, prolonged drying and possible wrinkling of the coating. It is better to make several thin layers than one greasy one, which will spoil the appearance of the part.

It is also important to consider the temperature. It is not recommended to work in the cold or at temperatures above 30 degrees, as well as under direct sunlight. The optimum temperature for polymerization of materials is from +15 to +25 degrees Celsius.

⚠️ Warning: Do not try to accelerate the drying of paint with a building hair dryer at maximum power, this can lead to boiling of the solvent and the appearance of bubbles on the surface.

Ignoring the varnishing stage on large chips will lead to the fact that the restored area quickly loses its shine and begins to differ from the main coating. Lacquer protects the pigment from ultraviolet light and mechanical influences.

Long-term protection of the rebuilt site

After completion of the work, the new section of the body requires careful treatment in the first weeks. Wash the car using active chemicals can not earlier than 7-14 days after repair, when the lacquer coating finally gain strength.

To extend the service life of the restored LCP, it is recommended (every 3-4 months) to treat the body with protective waxes or ceramic compositions. They create an additional barrier between the aggressive external environment and the thin layer of paint at the repair site.

Regular inspection of risk areas will allow you to notice new damage in time and eliminate them according to the same scheme, preventing large-scale destruction of the body. The car, well-groomed and protected from rust, lasts longer and pleases the owner with its appearance.