I picked up a car and there was a pretty haggard touch up job done on the rear quarter panel.
The clearcoat and paint had clearly been scraped off by something, and they did a half-assed job applying the touch up paint. It looked like they used the touch up paint brush and just slapped some on and let it dry. There wasn't any sanding or anything done so it looked pretty bad.
What I've done so far:
I cleaned with dish soap and let it dry overnight, then I cleaned with a paint-prep and let it dry prior to sanding. I wet sanded the small area where it was scratched with 1000 grit. I got the area I wanted to repaint down to metal. I couldn't find any 1200 grit, but I think it'll be fine. After sanding, I cleaned the area again and applied primer with a small artists paint brush - I let this dry overnight.
This morning, I used a #2 artists paint brush and applied a small layer of touch up paint. Now, this was the first layer and the area looks uneven and blotchy, as you would expect.
Here is what I'd like to ask:
I am going to apply a couple more layers of touch up paint. Should I smooth out or sand the painted area with 1500 grit PRIOR to applying clear coat, or afterward?
I have a feeling, if I apply clear coat of the blotchy area of paint before sanding it, then it will look pretty bad. I am told that clear coat can fill in imperfections, but I am not sure what to do.
I play on doing 3-4 layers of paint and 2 layers of clear coat, then wet sanding down to make it smooth, and then polishing. My concern was, if I applied clearcoat and then sanded, I'd just be sanding away the clear coat and I wouldn't be able to smooth out the paint.
So.. to summarize:
1.) Do I sand the touch up paint before applying clear coat?
2.) Should I apply the clear coat to the blotchy touch up paint, and then sand?
Thanks in advance,
Darren
The clearcoat and paint had clearly been scraped off by something, and they did a half-assed job applying the touch up paint. It looked like they used the touch up paint brush and just slapped some on and let it dry. There wasn't any sanding or anything done so it looked pretty bad.
What I've done so far:
I cleaned with dish soap and let it dry overnight, then I cleaned with a paint-prep and let it dry prior to sanding. I wet sanded the small area where it was scratched with 1000 grit. I got the area I wanted to repaint down to metal. I couldn't find any 1200 grit, but I think it'll be fine. After sanding, I cleaned the area again and applied primer with a small artists paint brush - I let this dry overnight.
This morning, I used a #2 artists paint brush and applied a small layer of touch up paint. Now, this was the first layer and the area looks uneven and blotchy, as you would expect.
Here is what I'd like to ask:
I am going to apply a couple more layers of touch up paint. Should I smooth out or sand the painted area with 1500 grit PRIOR to applying clear coat, or afterward?
I have a feeling, if I apply clear coat of the blotchy area of paint before sanding it, then it will look pretty bad. I am told that clear coat can fill in imperfections, but I am not sure what to do.
I play on doing 3-4 layers of paint and 2 layers of clear coat, then wet sanding down to make it smooth, and then polishing. My concern was, if I applied clearcoat and then sanded, I'd just be sanding away the clear coat and I wouldn't be able to smooth out the paint.
So.. to summarize:
1.) Do I sand the touch up paint before applying clear coat?
2.) Should I apply the clear coat to the blotchy touch up paint, and then sand?
Thanks in advance,
Darren