Scratches and chips
Paint Scratch Repair in Nevada, TX for Brush Marks and Rock Chips
Squeezing past a brushy fence line or following a gravel hauler on SH 78 leaves its mark. We figure out how deep it goes and pick the gentlest fix that works.
Scratch on the truck? Reach the shop at (000) 000-0000How Deep Does It Go?
Paint is built in layers: a clear top coat, the color under it, primer and then bare metal. A light scratch that only cuts the clear can often be polished away. One that reaches color or primer needs filling and a small refinish, and one down to metal should be sealed soon, before rust gets started. Around Nevada, Texas, we see a lot of brush scratches from tree lines on County Road stretches, rock chips from trucks on FM 6, and the occasional key mark. We measure before we polish so we don't take off more clear than we have to. You'll hear which repair it needs and why.
Ways We Take Care of a Scratch
The fix depends on the depth. Here's the range of what we do.
Paint thickness gauged
A gauge tells us how much clear coat is left, so we know how much polishing the panel can safely take.
Wash, clay and a bright lamp
The area is cleaned down so grit doesn't get ground into the paint, then we study the scratch up close.
Brush marks buffed away
Those fine streaks from mesquite and fence lines usually live in the clear coat and can be leveled with careful machine polishing.
A gentle wet sand when needed
Slightly deeper marks get a light wet sand before polishing so the surface ends up flat and glossy.
Hood chips built up even
Chips on the hood and rocker panels get filled with matched paint in thin layers until they're level with the surface.
Spot refinish for deep lines
Scratches down to primer or metal get a small area refinish, blended so it doesn't show.
Bare metal closed off
Any exposed metal is primed and sealed so moisture can't start rust under the edge of the paint.
Shine matched to the panel
We finish by comparing the gloss on the repair to the surrounding paint so it looks the same in the sun.
Taking Care of a Scratch, Step by Step
- 1
Clean it and measure it
We wash the area, take a thickness reading and look at the scratch closely. The fingernail test and the gauge together tell us how deep it runs. Then we explain your options. Often the simplest fix is all it needs.
- 2
Do the smallest fix that works
Shallow marks come out with polish. Deeper ones get filled or a small refinish with matched color. Anything down to metal gets sealed before color goes on. We stop as soon as the scratch is gone instead of taking off extra clear.
- 3
Polish and walk around it
The repair gets a last polish to match the gloss around it. We check it in daylight from a few angles. Then you get a look before you head home.
Why Small Scratches Deserve Care
Clear coat doesn't grow back
Every pass of a polisher takes a little off. We measure first so your factory finish lasts as long as it can.
Rust starts small
A scratch to bare metal on a vehicle that sees wet gravel roads can bubble before long. Sealing it early saves bigger work later.
The right-sized repair
We won't repaint a panel when polishing will do, and we won't keep polishing when paint is the honest answer.
A Scratch You Keep Noticing?
Call and describe where it is and how it happened. We'll tell you whether it's likely a polish or a touch more work.
Describe the scratch over the phone: (000) 000-0000