How to Fix Your Car's Deep Paint Scratches With Spray Paint

In this tutorial you will learn how to repair deep paint scratches using spray paint and save yourself $100s, without the typical flaws you see in spray paint repairs.

What You'll Need:

Time Required:

1 hour.

Step 1: Clean and prepare the panel.

Wipe down the entire panel (door, fender, hood) you are repairing with wax and grease remover. First, wipe with a wet towel, then wipe with a dry towel.

Scuff the entire panel with a grey scuff pad with medium pressure.

Step 2: Fill and sand scratches.

Wrap 220 grit sandpaper around a foam sanding block or your grey scuff pad and sand with firm pressure.

If you find that not all scratches will sand out, fill them with body filler. Wait 5-10 minutes for the filler to harden, then sand with 220 grit sandpaper. A heat gun can speed up the hardening of the filler.

This process may need to be repeated 2, 3, or 4 times.

Step 3: Apply primer.

Mask off only the areas you've filled and sanded. Shake your primer can for about 60 seconds. Apply multiple light coats of primer. Wait 15 - 20 minutes, then wetsand with 600 grit sandpaper.

Step 4: Apply base coat paint.

Mask off the area with paper and tape.

Shake the spray can for about thirty seconds. Check your spray pattern against a piece of cardboard. Apply multiple lights coats of paint, from about 10 - 12 inches away.

If you find any flaws, wait 5 minutes, and lightly sand out the flaws with 600 grit sandpaper. If you have a silver or gold car and notice "stripes", follow up with some vertical passes.

Step 5: Apply clear coat paint.

Wait at least 5 minutes after applying clear coat.

Apply multiple light coats of clear coat, overlapping each "pass" by about 50%. Wait 10 mintes, and remove your tape and paper. You are done! Wash your car, wax your car...it's permanent.

Note: if you create a 'run' or other major flaw in your clear coat simply wait 24 hours, sand out the flaw with 600 grit sandpaper, then re-apply clear coat.