How To Fix Deep Scratches On Your Car

Whether it’s from a careless driver, a rogue keying or a rock flying off the road, a scratch in your car paint is very common. But if not dealt with quickly, deep scratches and chips exposing your car’s bare metal can rust within a few days and cause serious headaches. We explain how to deal with a scratch on your vehicle in this article.

5 Steps To Fix A Scratch On Your Car

If you want to have a go at fixing your scratched car at home, we have put together five simple steps that should help you out. But, if you are unsure or feel the damage is too deep, it’s best to consult a professional.

1. Clean, Prep And Repair

Start by washing your car with a car shampoo and sponge or microfibre cloth – you should be able to find all of these items at your local garage or supermarket. It’s important that you ensure that your car is completely dry and clean before you continue.

At this stage, you should now be able to properly assess the depth of the scratch. A minor scratch might not be able to break the boundaries of the clear coat, whereas a huge scratch may have damaged your car deeper within the primer.

It’s best to start by putting masking tape and newspaper on the surrounding area to avoid spraying your undamaged paintwork. If in doubt about how far to cover, always mask off a much larger area.

Next, use a paint rubbing or cutting compound (this can be easily sourced online) on and around the scratch, to help blend the new coats when you add your paint. Use a circular motion to remove a very thin layer of the surrounding paint.

2. Apply Colour Coat

You will need to buy touch-up paint that perfectly matches your car’s paintwork. When you have this, apply the colour in thin layers using a fine paint brush or spray. It’s best to leave between 10 and 30 minutes between each of your layers to let it dry properly.

3. Apply Clear Coat

Once you’re happy with the level of the colour coat and it has completely dried, apply the clear coat in thin layers too. Again, allow around 10 to 30 minutes between applications.

4. Smooth The Area

Following step three, you might need to leave the paint to harden for a day or two before moving on to the next step.

When you feel the paint is fully hardened, you need to smooth the area so it’s flat and can’t be noticed next to the original paint.

You’ll either need to use a very fine grit wet and dry sandpaper or an abrasive rubbing/cutting compound depending on the size of the scratch. Work this in a circular motion a couple of centimetres either side of the repair.

5. Polish

To create a high-quality finish, use a polish. In terms of application, just follow the instructions on the polish bottle.

Should You Remove Scratches from a Car by Yourself?

If you are unsure as to whether you want to tackle the scratch on your car at home in fear of making it worse or not having the right products, it’s always best to consult a professional.

If the damage is more than a scratch and your car needs repairs that require part replacements, search our stock of car breakers online or visit one of our car breakers yards in Edinburgh and York. We have thousands of vehicles available, and our stock is changing all the time, so even if you don’t have a popular car, we may have the spare parts you need.