23 May, 18

Car Paint Scratch: How Deep Is It?

How Deep Is The Paintwork Scratch?As most people who own a car would agree, getting scratches in your paintwork is a very common yet annoying problem. Not only do they dull your cars visual appeal, but they can also be difficult to remove. It’s quite irritating, isn’t it? Especially if you’ve just had your car washed and then you walk past admiring it, only to find a group of scratches have popped up on your paintwork!

One of the questions you ask when you’re in this situation, may be ‘what causes common paintwork damage?’ For a detailed list of these causes, read our article – Common Paintwork Damage: Problems & Solutions. However, if all you’re concerned with is how you’d go about removing them, read on to find out how the question ‘how deep is your scratch’ will decide whether the repair can be done by you or by a professional.

Depth Of The Scratch & Best Method Of Removal

Now you may be thinking, a scratch is a scratch, no matter how deep it is, they all need repairing the same way right? Well, that’s the thing, the depth of the scratch will decide what way you need to repair it, whether it’s with a quick polish, some filler or maybe its too deep for a DIY, and you’ll need to go to a professional. Here are a few types of scratches you might have:

Light, Surface Scratches

These types of scratches usually only pierce the clearcoat or the top layer of paint, in your paintwork. If you were to run your finger over it, it would feel like the thickness of a single sheet of paper.

If you’re lucky enough to get light scratches (well how lucky can you be getting scratches in the first place), then you may be able to avoid paying for professional paintwork repair and fix it yourself!

How Can I Fix It? There are a few different options for fixing surface scratches, usually a slightly abrasive product will do the job. As we have mentioned in previous articles, a popular option for many is T-Cut. If you’re looking for more information on this product, for example how to use it and when it isn’t suitable for use, check out our guide: How To: Remove Scratches With T-Cut.

Additionally, you have car scratch remover pens that are handy for these light scratches. Not only are they cheap, but they are also a fast way to remove those pesky surface abrasions you get on your paintwork. However, there is some uncertainty that surrounds these pens, as some people are wary of how long-term the results really are. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a quick-fix, a popular product would be the Simoniz Fix It Pro scratch remover pen.

Deep Paint Scratches That Don’t Reveal Metal

How Deep Is The Paintwork Scratch?When you get a scratch that has pierced more than just the clearcoat and has, in fact, travelled through a few layers of paint and maybe even the primer, you will definitely be able to feel the grooves and ridges of the scratch in the paintwork.

Believe it or not, it’s actually quite common to get a scratch with some depth on your paintwork. Some causes are usually rocks, keys or scraping your car against a wall or another vehicle.

How Can I Fix It? For deeper scratches, you’ll be looking at doing more than just applying an abrasive product. You will need to touch up the paint, which requires preparation and after-care. For more information on how to deal with these types of scratches, read our most recent article: Car Paintwork Scratches: How To Fix Them.

Deep Paint Scratches That Do Reveal Metal

Imagine you’re examining the scratch on your paintwork and you see a glint of metal peeking through at the bottom, the first thing that should come to your head is repairing it as soon as possible. By leaving it for a long period of time without it being fixed, you run the risk of the metal under the paint rusting, and that is a whole new problem you or your wallet do not want to encounter.

How Can I Fix It? If you find yourself having to deal with these deep, metal-revealing scratches, it’s recommended that you take your car to a professional bodyshop, as trying to fix them with a scratch remover kit, for example, will most likely inflict more damage than what you started with.

Regardless of what category your scratch falls in to, here at Bodyteq, we offer a range of paint correction services for any type of paintwork damage. We aren’t limited in resources, and we definitely are not limited in experienced and efficient paint technicians that will restore your car to its original condition in no time!

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