Nothing makes your heart sink faster than an ominous bump when you’re in the driving seat.
Even if you’re in standstill traffic, a knock ricochets around a car’s interior, reverberating through a motorist’s body like a tornado siren.
Awful full-body chills are followed by irresolute anger and frustration at our own mistake, a feeling which is comparable only to returning to your parked car and finding someone has tarred your wheels with an unruly scratch on the front, back or door.
Rather than letting panic take over and ringing up your insurer, consider whether the scratch, as glaring as it might be to you, is worth having your vehicle sent to a garage. Provided that whatever or whoever caused it has agreed that the damage isn’t worth getting the higher-ups involved, why not try a DIY solution instead?
We consulted Emma Bailey, the Head of Workshop and Body Repair at Halfords for top tips.
“Car touch-up paint is a specialized type of paint designed to cover up small scratches, chips, or imperfections on your car’s bodywork. It works by filling in these blemishes with paint that matches your car’s original colour, helping to restore its appearance and protect the underlying metal from rust and corrosion,” Bailey explains.
What are the different types of car touch-up paint?
- “Touch-Up Pens: These are ideal for very small chips and fine scratches. They offer precision and are easy to control.
- Aerosol Sprays: Suitable for larger areas, spray cans cover a wider area and are often used when the damage is more extensive.”
What is the proper technique for applying car touch-up paint?
- “Preparation: As with any paintwork, preparation is crucial. Start by thoroughly cleaning the area to remove any dirt, grease, or wax. Get the surface clean to remove microscopic iron particles. A Clay Bar can then be used to remove any remaining contaminants.
- Sanding (if necessary): If the scratch or chip is deep, lightly sand the area to smooth it out. Ensure the area is dry before applying paint.
- Applying the paint: Use the touch-up paint sparingly. For pens, simply draw over the scratch. If using a brush, dip it lightly in the paint and apply in thin layers, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. Spray cans should be used with even, sweeping motions from a distance of about 6-8 inches from the surface.
- Drying: Allow the paint to dry completely. This might take a few hours, depending on the temperature and humidity.
- Finishing: After the paint has dried, you can lightly polish the area to blend it with the surrounding paintwork. Using Super Resin Polish will help fill in any fine scratches and provide a uniform finish.”
What’s the best way to colour-match car touch-up paint?
“Colour matching is critical for an invisible repair,” says the expert. “The best way to ensure a good match is to use the vehicle’s paint code, which can usually be found on a sticker inside the driver’s door, under the hood, or in the trunk. When buying touch-up paint, provide this code to ensure the closest match possible. Additionally, test the paint on a small, inconspicuous area first to verify the colour before applying it to the scratch.”
Should car paint be sealed with a clear top coat?
“Yes, applying a clear coat after touch-up paint is essential, especially for metallic or pearlescent paints,” Bailey warns. “The clear coat seals the paint, provides UV protection, and restores the shine, making the touch-up area blend seamlessly with the surrounding paintwork. Applying a clear coat also ensures that the repair is durable and long-lasting.”
Do you have any tips for ensuring touch-ups last?
- “Cleanliness is key: Ensure the area is thoroughly cleaned and free of any contaminants before applying the paint.
- Multiple thin layers: Apply several thin layers rather than one thick layer to avoid unevenness and improve durability.
- Follow up with polish and wax: After the paint has dried, use a polish like Super Resin Polish to blend the new paint with the old and apply a protective wax or ceramic coating to seal and protect the paintwork. The Ultra High Definition Ceramic Coating is an excellent choice for long-lasting protection.”
We’ve curated a selection of the best car touch-up paints for quick cosmetic fixes at home.
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Chipex Touch Up Kit
Complete with all the accessories you could possibly need to repair a chip or scratch at home, the Chipex Touch Up Kit includes micro brushes, a blending solution and a finishing polish to deliver professional-grade results. The included paint is mixed depending on your vehicle registration number, so you can be sure it’ll be a perfect match. It comes with easy-to-follow instructions so even absolute beginners can give small aesthetic repairs a proper go.
Buy now £40.95, Amazon
Meguiars Quik Scratch Eraser Kit
The Meguiars Quik Scratch Eraser Kit removes cosmetic irregularities on your vehicle like magic.
It includes Meguiar’s proprietary 4” Scratch Eraser Pad, which is designed to attach to any standard household drill to take the elbow grease out of blemish repair.
The Eraser Pad, with the help of the drill, buffs the included Scratch X 2.0 solution into the problem area. A quick swipe of the included microfibre cloth to remove any excess, et voilà! A car that looks like it’s rolled out of the showroom.
Buy now £22.79, Amazon
Mixed by Reg Registration Plate Car Touch Up Paint
Whether your car’s finish is solid direct gloss, metallic, pearlescent, three stage, gloss, matt, satin, or anything else under the sun, Tailored Paint can mix the necessary touch-up shade for a seamless DIY repair. The three-in-one formula removes the need for any additional primer or lacquer, and the included mini brush helps to fill-in even the smallest scratches with ease.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
Hycote Touch Up Brush XCPB309 White Paint Primer 12.5ml x2
Hycote Touch Up Colour Brush paints have been matched by experts to over 100 different specific vehicle manufacturers and models. Browse the various quick-dry, durable and anti-fade touch-up pens here, and add this set of two handy primer pens to your basket in the meantime in order to ensure a weather-proof finish.
Buy now £11.99, B&Q
Touch Up Paint Factory “All in One” Paint Pen
Think of this genius all-in-one pen by the Touch Up Paint Factory like Tipp-Ex for your car. It’s another option that is mixed by a registration plate to ensure the perfect colour match, and also comes with a microfibre cloth to remove any excess paint, wax and grease.
Buy now £22.90, Amazon
Touch Up Paint Factory - Aerosol Scratch Repair Kit
For larger scratches and flaws, the Touch Up Paint Factory offers an aerosol scratch repair kit. It’s once again mixed and matched via your vehicle registration number, and is designed to cover a larger surface area quickly and evenly. Though the paint is UV and fade-resistant, you’ll also need to purchase a clear coat when using aerosol.
Buy now £26.90, Amazon
Jenolite Alloy Wheel Silver Spray Paint
Alloys are fantastic until you accidentally curb them. Those who didn’t get the parallel parking gene will rejoice for Jenolite’s fantastic silver spray paint, designed to cover up any unruly scratches and scrapes on those precious wheels. It has a wonderful, high-gloss finish and is incredibly easy to apply.
Buy now £11.99, Amazon
Halfords Metallic Black Touch Up Paint Pen 12ml
Perfect for small scratches and stone-chip damage, the Halfords Touch Up Paint Pen offers brilliant coverage and filling and can be used with all paint and lacquer systems. Build up coverage in two to three layers, using the paint sparingly with each coat in order to achieve a flawless finish.
Buy now £4.99, Halfords
