Small scratches inevitably occur on the car body during its operation. They can be caused by branches of trees and bushes, animals, small pebbles and particles of dirt. Serious chips will have to be fixed by professionals, but removing scratches on a car body can be done with your own hands.
- Self-repair of defects - is it possible
- Types of External Damage
- Scratch Repair Methods
- Painting
- Polishing
- Painting works
- Liquid glass polishes
- Pencils and markers
- Removing scratches on the car body
- On the varnish
- On the paint
- On plastic
- Deep scratches and chips
- The presence of rust
- Removing scratches on glass and headlights
Self-repair of defects - is it possible
The easiest way to eliminate scratches and scuffs is to contact a car service, where for a certain amount any defects in the car body will be fixed. If the work is done professionally, painted parts will not at all differ in appearance and color from new ones. Will it be possible to do such manipulations on my own? It all depends on the nature of the damage, the depth of the chip or scratch, the experience in such actions.
The driver may well make many scuffs invisible without the help of specialists, but sometimes the question of how to remove defects on a machine can be solved only by a car dealer using professional equipment. First you need to find out what is the depth of damage to the paintwork.
to contents ↑If a white surface appears through a scratch, it is not deep. In the case where metal is noticeable inside the defect, the parts cannot be dispensed with. Painting will have both an aesthetic and functional role, because the lack of protection will lead to rusting of the metal at an accelerated pace.
Types of External Damage
Defects of the paintwork can occur for various reasons - from minor accidents, stones falling onto the edge of the hood, bumper, radiator grille, due to weather events, branches or from hooligan actions. Depending on the depth, they can be as follows:
- Superficial. They affect the varnish layer, are easily eliminated by polishing or other methods. Usually they are noticeable only upon careful examination of the machine after washing.
- Medium. They relate to the varnish and the primer, are clearly visible on a clean body. Necessarily require repair, while they can be eliminated by local methods.
- Deep. Reach the metal, cause damage to all layers of the bodywork. They need to be repaired with a complete removal of paint, straightening the part and re-painting, varnishing. With a long existence combined with the rusting of the lesion.
As for the area of occurrence of scratches, then most often they are formed on the bumpers, fenders, doors and hood of the car. When driving regularly in forest, rough terrain, minor defects may be present over the entire area of the side surfaces of the machine. To determine the depth of the crack, you need to take water and a rag, rinse the body area well, wipe with a dry rag. If a scratch that is not completely dry has for some time acquired the main body color, it only affects the lacquer layer. When the shade of the defect remains unchanged, it is deeper.
to contents ↑Scratch Repair Methods
There are various ways to remove defects from the car body. All of them have their own characteristics and are selected depending on the size and severity of the defect.
Painting
If the scratch is on an inconspicuous area of the body, it can be eliminated by spraying paint. Such materials are sold in automobile stores and are specifically designed to remove scratches. The procedure will be as follows:
- wipe the damaged area with solvent;
- take a sheet of paper, cut a hole in the center, approximately corresponding to the size and shape of the scratch;
- gently stick paper to the body with masking tape;
- spray paint through the hole in the sheet, holding the balloon at a distance of 15-20 cm and performing a thin coating layer;
- allow the paint to dry a little, then smooth the area of the scratch on a level with the undamaged base with a rubber grinding sponge;
- if necessary, repeat the process again, but only 24 hours after the first stage;
- polish the body area with a special polish.
Polishing
This method is ideal for removing minor scratches that affect only the varnish layer, are superficial. They regularly occur on any machine during its operation and are easily eliminated with their own hands. Polishing from scratches is done using special pastes, aerosols, and liquids. The most convenient and economical to use are creamy, thick pastes that reliably close up flaws on the body. After applying the paste, protection from chips and scratches will last several weeks or months (depending on the frequency of pressure washers).
The polish for the machine can be made on the basis of silicone, acrylic or other polymeric materials. It is advisable to choose the means of proven brands, since in cheap polishes the concentration of the main substance is lower, so the beautiful gloss of the car will come down after a couple of weeks. If the scratch is a little deeper, you can first use special restorative abrasive polishes that are applied with vigorous circular movements or a polishing machine. After completing this step, wax or protective polish is applied to the defect area.
An effective means for polishing is considered "Antirisk". It quickly patches small scratches, brings the body into proper shape, gives the coating a radiance, and also fights stains that arise from:
- road salts;
- ultraviolet light;
- reagents.
to contents ↑Inexpensive, but high-quality composition for polishing is "Anti-scratch". Many motorists always have it available so that they can easily get rid of shallow body defects. The polish is applied to a damp cloth, wiped the damaged area, wait a couple of minutes until it dries completely and polish the body to a shine. After applying the paste, you can additionally apply a liquid protective wax.
Painting works
Deep scratches, as well as defects that are old, having time to rust, have to be removed by professional methods. In the presence of corrosion, the process will be even more complex and expensive, including thorough grinding and applying anti-corrosion compounds (primers). If you neglect such actions, the rusting of the metal under the paint will continue.
The procedure for painting is as follows:
- Training. Dirt, rust is eliminated, dents are covered with car putty, the entire surface of the part is degreased.
- Padding. Apply soil with a brush, spray.
- Staining. Paint in 2 layers with a break of half an hour.
- Varnishing. The final layer is varnish, which is sprayed in 2-3 layers.
to contents ↑
Liquid glass polishes
Such funds are sold in liquid form, they are on sale in any car shop. The effect of using polishes will be the same as when using non-abrasive wax pastes, but they are more resistant. Small scratches are filled with polish, and a protective film is created on the body, withstanding up to 5 pressure washers.
Pencils and markers
These funds are widely advertised, while they are inexpensive, affordable, easy to use. There are two types of markers and pencils:
- Wax. The properties resemble polishes, but they contain pigments in the color of the car body. Based on artificial and natural waxes.
- Gel. They contain silicone or polymers, are squeezed out of a tube for application, and consist of gels in consistency.
Gel markers eliminate the smallest scratches. Repair with wax pencils is more effective and helps protect the surface of the part from future damage. After processing the scratches, remove the excess with a soft cloth and polish the problem area well. It is important to apply the pencil only on a non-fat base, or on the area treated with anti-silicone.
to contents ↑Removing scratches on the car body
Defects can appear on different parts of the body or on the plastic parts of the machine, and when disposing of them, the particular situation should be taken into account.
On the varnish
Some scratches on the lacquer layer are visible only at a certain angle, but on a wet surface they are not visible at all. The easiest way to get rid of them. You need to buy a regular wax polish, apply it after washing and drying the machine. A layer of wax will fill in the defects and create a reliable protective coating. This method does not require skills, tools and is available to every car owner.
Larger scratches on the varnish are removed using a finely abrasive paste and a polishing machine. You will also need P2000 sandpaper, a spray with water, wipes:
- wash, dry the machine;
- gently treat the scratch with sandpaper dampened with water;
- wipe the part dry;
- apply a little paste to the circle of the machine, polish the defect without causing the varnish to overheat (for this you need to periodically spray paint with water);
- After the scratch has disappeared, polish with car wax using a cloth.
On the paint
Defects of medium depth can be repaired with spray paint or a special restoration pencil, reminiscent of nail polish in quality and consisting of acrylic resins. It is important to choose the color of the material with the maximum correspondence to the main tone of the body, otherwise the defect will stand out ugly on the surface. First, the area is cleaned, dried, degreased, then paint is applied. It is not recommended to wash the car during the week - so much is needed for the complete polymerization of the product.
On plastic
Scratches can occur on the plastic parts of the machine - sills, door cards, interior elements. You can bring them into proper form with the help of plastic restorers, which are sold in the form of a spray, milk, aerosol. Such compositions have a high penetrating ability, therefore, they easily and reliably fill scratches. The polishing components in the composition update the details, making them more attractive.
The easiest way to get rid of plastic defects is to heat a building hair dryer, a lighter. As the temperature rises, the material melts, the crack tightens. Even deep defects after such a procedure will become less noticeable. It is important to work carefully, without lingering in one place for a long time - this can lead to severe melting of the site or burning upholstery.
Deep scratches and chips
The only reliable method for removing such defects is to completely paint the part. First, the old paint is removed, then primed, stained and varnished. After drying, polishing the product and its installation in the same place. In the presence of rust, anticorrosion compounds are used, if there are dents, they are straightened or puttyed.
The presence of rust
Rusted body elements are subject to complete restoration with thorough anti-corrosion treatment. If you do not grind the base to a pure metal, corrosion will continue to develop, which will ultimately lead to complete destruction of the site. First, a rust converter is applied to the part, then it is ground with a sandblast or a special machine. At the end of the work, complete coloring of the product is done.
Removing scratches on glass and headlights
Scuffs, cobwebs on the glass reduce the attractiveness of the car and interfere with the view of the road, create glare. You can remove them by polishing with special tools based on cerium oxide. Scratches from wiper blades are especially well removed with polishes. The work is done as follows:
- wash the glass, dry it;
- mark scratches from the inside with a marker;
- install the polishing nozzle on the drill; polish the glass at medium speed;
- periodically spray glass with water so that it does not overheat;
- continue polishing until a quality result is obtained.
Headlight scratches are removed in the same way. You need to buy a special polishing kit and carry out all the work according to the instructions. In conclusion, you should apply a layer of special varnish that is resistant to ultraviolet radiation. Accuracy, careful adherence to the recommendations is the key to the successful removal of any scratches with your own hands, as well as savings on contacting professionals!
