Damage to the paintwork spoils not only appearance auto, but can also cause corrosion. In the publication we will talk about such an unpleasant phenomenon as a scratch on a car. How to remove or mask it as much as possible, as well as what is best to use in this case - we will consider further.
The first thing you need to know about damage to the paintwork
It is not possible to remove scratches on a car without painting in all cases. First of all, the quality of a do-it-yourself repair depends on the depth of damage to the paintwork layers. Recall that the factory coating consists of several layers:
Typology of scratches
There are several types of scratches that can form on a car:
- small. Only the lacquer coating is damaged, while the base layer of the pigment is not exposed. In the case of an acrylic coating, there are only slight furrows in the paint, and the ground is still relatively far away;
- medium size. The base paint layer was broken, through which you can see the ground;
- deep scratches on the machine that lead to the destruction of the protective anti-corrosion coating. If the metal is not galvanized, damage will become a hotbed of corrosion in the future. Such damage cannot be repaired without painting.
Dealing with small scratches
Even numerous small scratches can be removed by polishing with abrasive compounds. In order to remove scratches on the car, you will need: 
Do-it-yourself polishing basics can be placed in several positions:
Subtleties
elimination paintwork damage this way has a number of pitfalls:
- do not linger for a long time in one place, so as not to overheat the varnish. Medium speed for polishing will be enough to remove small and smooth out medium scratches;
- be careful not to wipe the varnish to the base layer of paint;
- the quality of polishing depends on the color of the car. For black colors, you will need a finishing anti-hologram (holograms are barely noticeable scuffs left by a circle and small rubbish, dried paste) polish and many others.
The topic of do-it-yourself polishing is quite complicated and requires separate consideration.
Middle link scratches
You cannot remove scratches from the base coat of paint with polishing. They can be made almost invisible. There are polishes with the addition of color pigment. It can only be used for simple acrylic enamel. Complex shades or metallic paint should not be processed with such compositions.
On the market, you can find several types of aids with which you can make repairs yourself:
If the scratches have only slightly damaged the base coat of paint on the vehicle, we strongly discourage repairs in this manner. It will not be possible to completely remove scratches, since 100% hit in the shade is almost impossible. It is better to mask the damage with polishing as much as possible.
deep scratches
The compositions described above are best used if the scratch width is more than 1 mm. In this case, the pigment will cover the peeled paint, and the varnish will protect the surface and add shine.
Containers with brushes are only suitable for acrylic enamels. If the scratch is even and deep, seal its edges with masking tape. Degrease the surface and apply the composition. It is important to fill the hole that has formed in the layers of the paintwork. Then remove the adhesive tape, sand the surface with P2000 sandpaper and water and polish the repair area. So you will achieve the maximum effect. Repairing chips and scratches with brushes and markers is a good option.
Unfortunately, if car paintwork- base for varnish, then you need to buy more expensive compounds. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. It is best to give preference to firms with the largest range of shades offered.
Any of the compositions requires mandatory degreasing. Never apply paint if rust has appeared on the car at the site of damage. Sand the spots as much as possible with sandpaper before removing the scratches.
When things are really bad
If there are a lot of scratches, and now a 10 cm area on your car is densely dotted with deep "cuts", it is more rational to resort to high-quality painting.
The good news is that the entire element will not necessarily be painted. Often the elimination of paintwork defects on a car can be carried out by the method of local staining. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to do such a repair with your own hands. For this you will need:
- air compressor;
- knowledge of the rules for preparing a part for puttying, priming and painting;
- airbrush and skills to work with it;
- spatula, grinding bars, sandpaper of different gradations;
- covering material, masking tape and much more.
The main thing that was missing from the list is the experience that you will not have. No “artisanal” repair method can remove deep scratches like a competent colorist and experienced painter can.
Now you know how to remove scratches or hide them as much as possible.
During the operation of the car, the appearance of small scratches, microcracks and other minor defects, which subsequently lead to the loss of aesthetics. If they are not removed in a timely manner, then a simple scratch can cause serious and costly repairs. With basic knowledge and a small set of tools, all minor defects in the paintwork can be eliminated by yourself with your own hands.
The main types of damage to the paintwork and how to eliminate them
All paint damage classified according to their nature. It also depends on the technology of their elimination. Minor damage that affected only the top layer of the lacquer coating can be repaired by hand by secondary using special abrasive and protective pastes.
Deeper scratches that have reached the ground layer cannot be removed with a single polishing, unfortunately. Such defects are eliminated in several stages and involve the application of putty, primer, local painting and polishing.
Do-it-yourself local polishing of a car element in the video:
However, the most difficult case is the removal of scratches on the car body, which have affected all layers of the paintwork and reached the metal. To eliminate them, a lot of effort, patience and certain skills will be required, since restoring the integrity of the coating will require restoring the geometry of the damaged part, its puttying, priming, varnishing and polishing. If the defect in terms of the damage area exceeds 50% of the entire part, then its elimination will require its full painting and varnishing.
How to get rid of a fairly deep scratch without full painting element:
In the event that corrosion formations occur at the site of damage, it must first be cleaned to the ground using special abrasives or a conventional metal brush, and then anti-corrosion treatment and only after that, proceed to the above stages of restoring the paintwork.
Removing scratches on a car body without painting
It is possible to remove scratches from the car body without painting only if the geometric integrity of the damaged part has not been violated. That is, when only the upper layers of the paintwork are affected. Such damage is easily repaired with the help of special abrasive pastes and a protective polish for car bodies from scratches.
Removing minor scratches and scuffs with a pencil:
Every car owner should have such a polish. With regular application, it can protect for a long time. paintwork from minor scratches and minor damage that can cause sand particles and small pebbles constantly flying out from under the wheels of the car. With its help, the body will always shine with cleanliness and grooming.
How to remove scratches on the car body with your own hands?
It is possible to eliminate scratches on the car body with your own hands only with minor and superficial damage. This will require special restorative products, which are sold in specialized stores. However, their action is short-lived and, in most cases, requires repeated application.
With more deep damage the restoration process may require more serious actions, namely: preliminary cleaning of the damaged area, degreasing, applying putty and priming, as well as the subsequent opening of the putty surface with paint and varnish.
Basic steps for removing scratches on a car body
Removing scratches from the surface of the body is quite difficult process, which requires a strict adherence to a certain sequence. Despite the responsibility, it is quite possible to cope with this activity on your own without involving specialists and additional costs for their services.
Removing serious scratches involves the following steps:
1. Sanding. At the first stage, it is necessary to prepare the damaged surface for subsequent restoration. To do this, with the help of fine emery or a special nozzle, the factory layer of paintwork and primer is removed. After that, the cleaned surface is degreased. This is necessary in order to ensure good adhesion.
2. Puttying. After the degreasing procedure, a small layer of putty is applied to the cleaned surface, which, after drying, is re-sanded.
3. Coloring. Before painting, you should carefully check the selected paint color for compliance and make sure that it is identical to the factory one, since the slightest discrepancy can lead to a loss of aesthetic appearance. Usually, the factory color number is written in technical passport car and find it is not difficult, however, do not forget about the detrimental effect of sunlight on the coloring pigment, which as a result can change its original shade.
4. Varnishing. Immediately after applying the paint, the surface must be covered with several layers of varnish. Thus, the technology of applying paints and varnishes will be observed.
5. Polishing. At the final stage of removing scratches, you need to eliminate the visible transition of the freshly painted area. For this, special abrasive and protective polishes are used, which make the transition imperceptible to the human eye and allow you to achieve amazing results.
Removing scratches on the bumper of the car.
The bumper is the place that is most prone to minor damage, all kinds of scratches and chips. Bumpers are plastic and metal. In case of plastic bumper, experts recommend that you always carry a special can with a coloring pigment of the corresponding color, which in any situation will help to quickly restore color to the damaged area. Of course, with more serious damage likely to require specialist assistance or complete replacement details.
Metal bumpers are extremely rare today, they can mainly be found on old domestic cars. If they are damaged, the repair will be somewhat more difficult, because in this case you cannot do with an ordinary can of paint.
The main difficulty in removing a scratch on a metal bumper lies in the selection of the appropriate paint, because in fact, a natural mother-of-pearl shade is quite difficult to pick up. However, with a great desire and desire, you can cope with this, and then the sequence of restoring a metal bumper will not differ in any way from the restoration of a car body.
In order to understand how to remove scratches on a car body and produce timely repair with your own hands, it is enough to show desire and endurance. Armed with certain knowledge, with a simple set of tools, it is quite possible to perform such a heroic deed as restoring a paintwork own car without going to a car service.
It is important to remember that the timely elimination of minor defects, scratches and other damage is an opportunity to keep the factory paintwork for many years.
deep scratches - a big problem, which only masters at the service station can solve, you can, of course, try and get rid of an unpleasant scratch yourself, but there is no guarantee that it will work out fine.
Another thing is small scratches on the body, they just can and should be “patched up” at home, while you will save on expensive body repairs.
What does that require?
And so, in order to repair a scratch on the body you will need:
1. Detergent(car shampoo).
2. Water naturally.
3. Sponge or rag.
4. Scratch remover.
5. Sandpaper.
6. Microfiber or natural cotton towel.
7. Brush or toothbrush.
8. Primer.
9. Plastic spatula.
10. Paint of the same tone.
11. Leveling compound.
12. Old newspapers and 3 - 7 o'clock time.
This procedure should be performed in the shade, the sun's rays are useless here. The work must be carried out with the utmost care and accuracy, so as not to cause even more harm to the body. Before proceeding, it is necessary to remove everything from your hands, as they say “stabbing and cutting”, that is: watches, rings, bracelets and other jewelry that can harm the paintwork in the form of additional scratches.
Getting Started with Scratch Removal
1. Thoroughly wash the scratched area or the entire vehicle to remove dirt and other unacceptable contaminants. Use shampoo or soap. After that, let the surface dry thoroughly, you can use an absorbent sponge or towel. Surface must be 100% dry.
2. Assess the severity of the damage, make sure it is not too deep. If the scratch is not very deep, you can use a microfiber cloth to remove the scratch. Rub the cloth over the scratch as needed until the damage is invisible. You may have to repeat the process several times.
For deeper scratches, use sandpaper. For of this type damage you can not do without a primer and leveling mixture.
4. As a rule, a primer for a car body is available in the form of a spray different color. For these works, it is better to take a primer with light shades, as they are better suited for this type of work.
5. Clean up using sandpaper. Your goal is to clean the scratch from small pieces of paint and rust.
6. Using a plastic spatula (do not try to use metal counterparts), apply a leveling compound and let it harden, it will take some time (read the instructions for it).
7. Then sand the mixture, and after that you can spray the primer. She also needs time to dry.
Every car owner is faced with the appearance of scratches on the car body. And it's not about hooliganism: getting a kind of scars without the participation of intruders occurs more often. The culprits of the trouble are hard branches of bushes, grains of sand on the rags of the washing staff, hail, or even a cat sheltering on the hood. Fortunately, these effects are reversible if the right countermeasure is taken.
Types of external damage
Before moving on to solving the problem, you should determine how big the damage is. In other words, it is necessary to analyze what is the depth of penetration of the defect into the paintwork. The latter consists of four levels:
- outer layer- high-strength varnish that performs a protective function;
- Enamel- forms a shade of the car;
- Primer designed to improve the adhesion of the finish coating and the metal structure;
- Phosphate layer- improves resistance to corrosive processes, however, it is not present in all models.
Damage to the top coatings and a split that reaches the metal are two dissimilar situations associated with repair operations of a different nature.
How to remove scratches on the car with your own hands
If the cost services seems to you unreasonably high, then you can do without on your own. To do this, you need tools:
- Suitable paints and varnishes. Search in specialized stores best coverage implemented using a computer. The task will be simplified if you know the car code: in this case, it will be possible to paint the model provided by the manufacturer.
- Another nuance is connected with the complexity of the color of the car. If the body has a shade of metal or mother-of-pearl, then the coating contains two layers, the first of which is applied a quick-drying base. When it is fixed, the procedure is repeated. It is this versatility that explains the metallic luster.
- If the appearance of your car does not differ similar effect, then you can not do without the involvement of professionals.
The severity of the damage must first be assessed. If the scratch touched only the upper layers, then a sufficient measure would be regular polishing. Looks surface scratch like a white line. It ceases to be visible while the machine is damp, and appears after drying.
So, as a means to “treat” the defect, a non-abrasive polish will serve, leaving the car paint intact. Having spread the substance with a napkin, the polishing device comes into play. It is necessary to repeat this action up to 15 times for best result. And you need to take breaks after each approach so that the treated area cools down.
How to remove small scratches from a car body? Use Anti-Risk for this. It is also good for removing stains that form when driving on roads treated with an anti-icing agent.
Removing deep scratches on a car without painting is possible using colored wax or a pencil. Having smeared them trouble spot, proceed to the same polishing with a non-abrasive composition. The advantage of this method is to eliminate the need for tone selection. Depending on the shade of the car, select the appropriate pencil - light or dark. The disadvantage of this approach is its fragility: after several washes, a repetition of the described actions is required.
If there is a wide and deep scratch on the body, then a special paint is used, which is sold in small bottles. They also come with a brush.
Taking a lint-free cloth and moistening it with a degreasing liquid, the surface is cleaned. After wiping the area, paint is applied with a brush, followed by varnish. The only difficulty is finding the right shade.
When to Seek Professional Help
If using the above methods it is not possible to achieve a satisfactory type of car, it comes into play. service center and his systematic approach. First, preparation is carried out: the damaged area is washed, allowed to dry and degreased with gasoline or other means. Then wipe first with a damp and then dry cloth.
The next stage involves covering the problem area with a thin layer of anti-corrosion primer. This point of the instruction is not recommended to be ignored, since rust can spread under the paint, and after a while it will break out. After applying the usual primer, which is responsible for the adhesion of the paint. It will swell or fall into a crack if you skip this step. Filling the gap with more paint: such a disguise of a defect will last a very short time.
In conclusion, proceed to painting in the color chosen in advance. Without a spray gun, a satisfactory result is unlikely to be obtained, so not a single service employee can do without it. Spraying occurs in several approaches. With a three-layer painting, the car will certainly look no worse than before. People who are unfamiliar with aspects of the operation of car services have probably formed the following misconception: restoring the appearance of a car is beyond the power of an ordinary person. However, in order to avoid turning to straighteners, it is enough to arm yourself with the algorithm described above.
Outcome
In a situation where you doubt that you can solve the problem without outside help, it would be wiser to pay for the services of specialists than to bring the car into an even more deplorable state by rash actions.
This article belongs to the subsection.Finding scratches on the doors of your favorite car is unpleasant. Especially when the cause of this was, even a small, but an accident. After all, because of this incident, “cosmetic damage” is applied to the car. However, in such situations, it is important to maintain your composure.
Well, damn it, I touched it a little, and the rust went ...
You should not worry too much, because in our time there are several ways in which you can with my own hands remove damage from the car such as scratches, rust, etc. So, we will look at three ways, using which you can easily repair these damages.
Method 1. Use a polish
Before proceeding with applying polish to the body, you need to carry out preparatory operations. So, the area around the scratch is washed out very carefully. Then it must be wiped dry.
Polish is our friend and brother.
Only then can polish be applied. To do this, you need a soft cloth, which must be dry. The application of the composition in question is carried out by gentle rubbing. After drying, the treated area is rubbed with a cotton rag (it must be dry). This should be done before until the shine. If necessary, repeat the procedure.
Method 2. Buy a special pencil
Removal process special pencil similar to the one described above. However, there is one difference - it manifests itself in the ease of use and the relatively high price of this tool. All of these materials, with which people begin to paint a place on a car in order to get rid of scratches, can be purchased at the car market or in car showrooms. AND give preference to proven and famous brands because you may not get the result you want.
The pencil works! Even if you hold it in your left hand...
Method 3. Contact a car service
In addition to these methods, which allow you to get rid of scratches yourself, you can also contact a service center or a car wash. In such institutions, in a fairly short time, the master will easily hide the damage on the body ( shallow scratches). This is done by grinding using specialized compounds.
Turning to serious guys is also an option.
Removing deep scratches
How to cover up scratches on the bumper, if we are talking about deep damage? In such cases, damage to the varnish layer and paint occurs. In this situation, you will need the following materials and substances: paint, toothpick, special restoration pencil, polish. The most important thing here is to implement correct selection paints. If you carefully cover up the scratch, then it will practically not be visible.
Preparatory measures
Before starting to cover up a scratch, you need to thoroughly wash it, as well as degrease it with a solvent. After that, it is necessary to glue the place around the damage with masking tape. Then the volume of damage (scratches) is filled with paint using a toothpick or pencil. The paint must be allowed to dry.
The process is non-trivial!
It is extremely important that the paint evenly and completely fills the entire scratch. After it is completely dry, you need to apply a polish, and then begin the steps that are used as when polishing ordinary, shallow scratches.
Get rid of rust
When automotive coating rusting, this is a very unpleasant situation. In this process Special attention should be given to surface preparation. It can be either smooth or uneven. To find rust, even in its small amount, you need to wash the car. And it would be nice to process it after that with the help of a wax composition.
On a surface that is still shiny, it is easy enough to notice the nailed rust. It is worth noting that the rust stain spreads longer under a layer of paint. And from the outside it may not be visible at all.
And even rust can be overcome.
How to remove scratches on a car so that it does not rust? To do this, it should be covered with the already mentioned pencil with paint that dries quickly. However, before that, it is necessary to clean the place of the scratch with a degreaser. You can also clean the scratch using iron brushes. That is, a layer of paint is removed. After that, the place is treated with "anti-rust". It is worth noting that there are a whole lot of them and you should be very careful about the choice, otherwise you can "defeat" in the fight against rust.
After a good cleaning, only dots of rust will remain, which have eaten in, but these are trifles. And after a very good cleaning, there will be nothing left.
If, due to the dried treatment agent, the place remains uneven, then it should be rubbed. Sometimes antirust leaves dust behind, or rather after it dries. Therefore, before priming, the surface should be treated with a solvent.
What is the conclusion?
Do-it-yourself repair of scratches will help not only save your money, but also save time and nerves (after all, you yourself will know what is under the paint). After all, not all services employ highly qualified workers who have extensive experience in car restoration. So not all "specialists" are able to cope with the task that is set before them. And regarding the choice of means and materials - you need to trust only proven (or at least well-known) brands.
This article belongs to the subsection.
