If you have bodywork damage, look for one of our older parts where we fully cover the repair options that may arise. Currently, we will focus on the one that is the most common today. They are really very small scratches that appear on the body mainly in connection with the operation of our car. So in connection with the fact that we often drive and flying stones can rub off the paint layer on our car. In this case, it is definitely not necessary to change the specific damaged part, just as it is not necessary to look for a car repair shop that would carry out a new paint job. Repairs of minor damage to the bodywork are much simpler and faster. See together how to proceed.
What will we need?
The first thing to do is to prepare a few basic tools that we cannot do without. The first thing that is highly recommended is the so-called touch-up pencil. An ideal tool that will be appreciated by anyone who has small scratches on their car that they need to get rid of. In this case, it is necessary to buy the pencil in question, ideally in a specialized store with spare parts. We strongly do not recommend going the route of supermarkets and hypermarkets, as their quality may not always be sufficient here.
As soon as we already have the given pencil, we can start the repair itself. The procedure in this case is really very simple and there is no need to worry about any complexities. We take the pencil and make one, ideally continuous stroke within the given scratch. Thanks to this, we basically paint it. We then take a dry and soft cloth and simply polish the entire area. We proceed in this way for all other scratches as well, until everything is in perfect order and our car looks like new.
Sanding paste can also help
There is another option that can help us when we want to repair minor scratches on our car. In this case, it is sanding paste. It is also a unique tool that we should buy best at an auto parts store. This is the only way we can be sure that we will come across real quality. Apply the sanding paste in a thin layer to the damaged area and gradually sand the area in circular motions using a soft and delicate cloth. And that is until the time when the scratch itself definitely disappears.
The given procedure is interesting primarily in that we simply sand the entire varnish with this paste, which also results in the fact that we gradually thin its layer. And that over the entire area, thanks to which the particular scratch will gradually disappear. In the case of this procedure, there is definitely no need to worry about any problem, which would perhaps be connected with the fact that we would scratch the paint even more. This abrasive paste is effective, but it is also gentle. For this reason, it is usually recommended to repeat the entire procedure several times to be sure.
Also pay attention to the environment
Remember that any scratch repairs should be done in a clean environment, such as your garage area. The damaged body part should not only be washed, but also clean. Its temperature also plays a role, as it should definitely not be heated by the sun. Even that alone is not a very good helper. In the same way, a dusty environment can also be a risk, as it can subsequently cause that instead of eliminating a specific abrasion, we create several more. So, as we mentioned, the ideal place for repair should be the covered area of the garage. If you do not have it available, at least use a shelter that does not reach the sun's rays.
How to get more pronounced lines?
Here, the procedure is a bit more demanding, as it is primarily necessary to take into account that proven methods may not help in all cases. In any case, as a first step, we recommend a combination of sanding paste and touch-up pencil. If this solution is not the right one, there is no choice but to embark on a more demanding repair. It can have two phases. The first is the use of body sealant, which we apply to the crack itself and then sand the entire area flat. And in such a way that everything connects with the bodywork itself. If we do not succeed in this way, it is possible to go another way.
This is connected with the fact that we use special sanding corners to sand a larger area of the paint, right down to the base layer. This allows us to level the created groove. Now we will apply the body sealant again, in such a way as to once again create a layer whose thickness will be comparable to the surrounding paint. As soon as this happens, the last phase, which is related to painting, takes place.
When is it worth repairing scratches?
Ideally at the moment, if we are really talking about the smaller ones that we fix with a pencil or sanding paste. In this case, the given repair may not cost us more than a few tens of Czech crowns. At the same time, it won't take us much time either. In the case of deep grooves, however, remember that it is often not necessary to repaint the entire part. And here we are already talking about thousands of crowns. Therefore, it is better to put up with this damage, as the costs of a definitive repair are unnecessarily high. In addition, no one guarantees that a new scratch may appear in the same place in a few days.
What should not be forgotten is the fact that it is good to at least fill deep grooves with body sealant. And that's primarily because this scratched spot can be where corrosion most often appears. And it will gradually spread to other parts of the paint, which you definitely want to prevent sufficiently. This way it will not only go relatively well, but it will also go relatively efficiently.
