How to Apply Touch Up Paint Using the Brush Cap BottleQuick Steps 1) Clean the area (soap and water or wax and grease remover) 2) Apply very thin coats of basecoat. 3) Apply Clearcoat over the basecoat. 4) Use Rubbing Compound (apply with clean soft cotton only, paper products will scratch your paint surface) to smooth and shine the area. Always test the rubbing compound on your vehicle in an inconspicuous place to check for surface compatibility and shine. 5) If this is your first time, try one small chip from start to finish before repairing other areas. Temperature Make sure the temperature is at least 50°F degrees. Clean and Protect the Area Wash the area with soap and water, then use a wax and grease remover or equivalent product (some painters have suggested tar and insect remover, available at the supermarket) before starting the project. You may wish to use masking tape (automotive quality only!) all around the scratch or chipped area to prevent accidentally marring the surface. Rust The first thing to determine is if the scratch has started to rust. We are talking about a surface scratch and not rust that is bubbling up beneath the paint, as this is too far-gone for touch-up paint! If the area is rusty, you should take a little extra effort to remove all traces of rust using 220 grit sandpaper or a wire brush. Follow this with Mar-Hyde One-Step Rust Converter (sold on our site) and apply this to the bare metal. Just follow the directions on the product. Applying Primer/Paint or Clearcoat with the Brush Cap Bottle Dip the brush into the paint and wipe away the excess. Apply several thin coats. For very small areas, you can use the end of a paper matchstick. Do not load up the brush with paint as it will dry quickly into a blob on the vehicle. Primer If you have an unpainted surface, either bare metal, plastic, rubber, etc., APPLY PRIMER! Primer is made to stick to unpainted surfaces and paint is designed to stick to primer! Primer can also be used to fill small imperfections in the surface. If you are spraying the paint, make sure you are using the correct type of primer. Rubberized surfaces should use a rubberized primer, metal surfaces a metal primer, etc. Call us if you have any questions. Rubberized primer is only needed if you are spraying the paint and is not necessary if you are brushing the paint on. Clean the area of all dust with a tack rag and apply primer to the unpainted surfaces. Let the primer dry thoroughly before applying the color coat. You can let it dry overnight for best results. Lightly sand the primed area with #220 grit sandpaper followed by #600 wet and dry. Applying the Basecoat The Basecoat is the actual color you have ordered. Apply several thin coats of paint to build up the chip to the same depth as the surrounding surface. Let it dry for ten to twenty minutes between coats. Let the paint dry thoroughly before applying the clearcoat. You can let it dry overnight for best results. Clearcoat Make sure the basecoat is dry. Apply several thin coats of the clearcoat, drying for ten to twenty minutes between each coat. You may sand the clearcoat to remove imperfections. Use 1000 grit wet and dry sandpaper and wet sand the area smooth using plenty of water. Let the area dry for at least three days and use a good quality automotive rubbing compound to polish the area. Make sure you use a clean soft cotton fabric such as a T-Shirt. Wait 30 days before applying automotive wax. Don't use a bath towel, wash cloth, etc. Using the Rubbing Compound Rubbing compound is not normally needed when using the paint pen but you can apply it to the entire area to make the area smoother and shinier. Let the clearcoat dry for at least three days before using the rubbing compound. Use a clean, very soft cloth like an old tee shirt (for example DO NOT USE PAPER PRODUCTS as the wood fibers will scratch the paint!). Place a small quantity of rubbing compound on the vehicle and use circular strokes and apply even pressure to the vehicle. It's almost like waxing a vehicle except the rubbing compound is like an extremely fine liquid sandpaper. Buff with a clean cloth to a high gloss. (You may want to spray some paint and clearcoat on a smooth surface and practice to get the feel of it.) Sometimes lots of pressure is required to make the clear shine. The rubbing compound can also be applied by machine, but careful, it's very easy to burn the paint! You can get the same results by hand, it will just take a bit longer. The rubbing compound is also good for removing oxidation from your finish. Let the paint dry for a 30 days and apply a good quality automotive wax. Waxing Allow the paint to dry for 30 days before waxing. |