Spending years with the same vehicle, you’re bound to acquire a collection of scratches on the body. While noticing these scratches can be deeply frustrating, keep in mind that not all hope is lost. The reality is, most scratches are cosmetic and can be fixed.
The severity of a vehicle scratch is determined by its depth. In this article, we’ll review the various layers of car paint, along with the types of scratches your car will endure and how they might be fixable. But first, how do cars end up getting scratched?
How Cars End Up Scratched
Vehicle scratches are inevitable, even for owners who take the utmost care. But of course, many accidents are preventable. Here are some of the most common ways vehicles become accidentally scratched:
- Car Washes
Some car washes are great and do well to maintain their equipment, but others do not. Especially in automatic car washes, dirt and debris gets lodged in the brushes and can scratch a vehicle when passing along the exterior. To ensure this doesn’t happen, take your car to a professional detailer.
- Oopsies
Nobody is perfect, and after years of car ownership, most of us are prone to a could self-inflicted injuries. Minor car collisions will cause scratches, as will unintentional contact with zippers, car keys, and even dog paws.
- Road Debris
Scratches from road debris is another instance you can’t really avoid. Especially when travelling behind other vehicles, small debris is bound to kick up at high speeds and throw itself into your vehicle.
Layers of Car Paint
Modern paint systems are designed with multiple layers, each with its own function and shared goal of preventing serious damage while maintaining visual appeal. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Body Metal
Underneath all the colour and layers of paint and primer is the vehicle’s body metal. This will be straight up steel or aluminum dipped in a water-based paint and applied with electric current, which fights off corrosion and allows the paint to stick.
2. Primer
On top of the body paint is the first primer layer. This first layer is applied directly to the metal with the goal of protecting against rust and corrosion. Depending on the age and make of your vehicle, the content of this primer will vary. Many modern vehicles will use epoxy-base or urethane.
3. Paint
On top of the primer is the paint that gives your car its colour. This is the only layer that can be seen with your eyes. This paint layer is strictly for aesthetic purposes, and does not provide any real protection or durability. Water-based paint is now the standard option, given it’s environmental friendliness vs. solvent-based paint.
4. Clear Coat
The fourth and final layer is the clear coat. You’ll notice this layer on most modern vehicles, providing a subtle gloss and shine. This layer has the important role of protecting the paint from environmental damage, sun, dirt and airborne chemicals.
How Deep is This Scratch?
The best case scenario for a scratch is a clear coat scratch. These scratches are definitely the most common and easy to incur. Clear coat scratches are noticeable in certain lights in not in others, as the light reflects off of them differently. In the sun, they’ll be easy to spot. Another way to identify a clear coat scratch is by rubbing it with your fingernail – if your nail is able to pass along the surface without catching, it’s only a clear coat scratch. Phew!
Paint scratches are more serious, which penetrate not only the clear coat layer but the paint colour as well. These ones will be easier to spot, as they’ll be white or discoloured and visible in all lights.
Primer scratches are the deepest and most dangerous for your vehicle. These scratches require some serious might to produce, as they penetrate the clear coat, paint, primer, and even the metal body in some cases. As soon as the primer or metal body is scratched and exposed, the door is open for rust. If you spot bare metal exposed on your car, that’s a primer scratch and should be dealt with immediately by professionals.
Scratch Removal Techniques
Clear coat level scratches are the least damaging scratches and the easiest to repair. Super light clear coat scratches caused by dirt, dust and improper washing can often be removed with light buffing with polish. They could even be removed with a quick hand polish.
Slightly deeper clear coat scratches will be a little more noticeable and could cause swirl marks caused by car washing techniques. Still, your fingernail shouldn’t catch on these. With these scratches, your auto detailer should be able to safely remove them with machine polishing techniques without too much effort.
Paint layer scratches will require more work. If you can see another colour beneath the paint – often white, that’s a paint layer scratch. Your fingernail will catch more easily on these. Your detailer will be able to machine polish these scratches and make them far less noticeable, but perfection can only be achieved with a paint touch-up.
Primer or metal scratches are the worst of their kind. No level of machine polishing will do the trick. Instead, you’ll need to bring your car to a paint touch up shop to protect the exposed primer and metal.
Buffing Out Scratches
Buffing out scratches with a machine polishing machine is a super effective method at removing clear coat scratches. It works by using ultra fine abrasives mixed together in a compound (think liquid sandpaper) to sand down the surrounding clear coat area. Once the layer is level, the clear coat scratches will disappear. After that, a sealant is applied to restore a slight shine and protect the paint underneath the sanded area.
Take your vehicle to Mill Bay Auto Spa for a complete interior and exterior detailing. We’ll even buff out those clear coat scratches and do what we can to address minor paint scratches. Afterwards, our ceramic coating will add an extra layer of protection.
Contact us today to request a service.