For the most part, typical stone chip damage consists of smaller chips, less than ¼ inch in diameter. However, chips larger than this, the size of nickels and dimes or larger, will occur. This type of damage is generally best addressed by a body shop, though it may not make sense to spend $1000 or more having an entire hood resprayed.
Often times, our kit can still do a pretty good job on such repairs. It may take a little finesse and patience, but your chance of getting a satisfactory repair is much better than using regular touch-up paint and less costly.
Apply the paint as usual to the underside of the beveled squeegee edge or on the panel next to the chip. Holding the squeegee at a 45-degree angle, pull the paint over the chip. Start and finish this process slightly to the outer edge of the chip so you have a smooth “smear” of paint over it. Immediately repeat as needed. If you can’t get the paint looking entirely flush and without any ripple effect, stop and let the paint cure for 10 minutes to an hour. But in the meantime, go ahead and remove all the excess paint outside the chip. Don’t rub over the paint inside the chip, obviously. Once the paint is dry to the touch, repeat the process again, taking care not to disturb the paint in the chip.
Can our paint be sprayed? Yes. Our kits are designed to address typical stone chip damage using our technique, but in certain cases where you have some skill and proper tools to spray it, you may be able to get an even better repair. If you choose this method, dilute the paint about 1:2, one part paint, 2 parts acetone (or even nail polish remover.) If you have an automotive paint reducer, that will work as well.
Spray in multiple coats, pausing between coats for a few minutes to let the paint set a bit. If you get crazy and spray too much at once, the paint may pool or lay out unevenly. When it looks good to your eye, remove the excess paint around the chip as noted above.
Wait a month before waxing over this larger chip repair. For typical chip repairs, only a few days is needed before waxing. But you’ll want to wait longer on larger chips so as not to disturb the repair.