Using a paint pen is a great way to fix up small scratches in your vehicle's finish, especially when you use our precision-matched touch-up paint. It's also a pretty simple process. If you're hesitant to try it because you don't know how to use a paint pen on a car, truck, or SUV, you don't need to worry; if you can use a marker, you can use a paint pen to repair your vehicle's paint job. Let us walk you through the best way to apply touch-up paint to a car: With our high-quality products and a little bit of know-how, you'll be well on your way to a flawless paint fix!
Step 1: Preparing the Surface to Be Painted
Before you give any thought to how to use a touch-up paint pen, you need to make sure that the surface you'll be working on is ready to accept the paint. For the best results, move your vehicle so that the area you're painting isn't in direct sunlight. Then, thoroughly clean the area to be repaired with dish soap (Joy, Dawn, etc.) and water and dry it completely. Following up with prep solvent and a clean, lint-free towel ensures that the surface is perfectly clean, free of wax, grease, and other oil-based surface contaminants.
Step 2: Loading the Pen Tip With Paint
Before applying auto touch-up paint, you'll need to get your paint pen ready. Follow this step for each pen that you're using. First, keep the paint pen tightly capped and shake it until the ball inside rattles freely. Then, remove the cap and press the spring-loaded tip of the paint pen on a flat surface (not your vehicle) until the paint flows through the tip. You may need to press the tip in a few times for some colors. This process may need to be repeated between coats.
Step 3: Using the Primer Paint Pen
Apply touch-up primer over the bare metal or plastic. Wait 5 to 10 minutes in between each coat of paint pen primer, and layer on enough coats of primer so that the area to be painted is thoroughly covered. Wait 30 minutes before you sand with 600-grit wet sandpaper or apply the paint. Do not use prep solvent over fresh primer.
Step 4: Applying the Touch-Up Paint
Thoroughly shake the automotive base coat color pen and prepare the tip as before. Then, apply as many coats as necessary to cover the area of your repair, waiting at least 5 minutes between each light coat. Do not wet sand or use prep solvent in between coats of touch-up paint. Wait at least one hour before using clear coat.
Adding the Second Paint Layer (Tri-Coat Colors Only)
If your paint color is tri-coat, you'll need to use the base coat color first (one coat at a time until the area is covered), then use the mid coat on top of that afterward. Apply one coat at a time until you achieve the pearl effect of the factory color.
Step 5: Protecting the Paint With a Clear Coat Paint Pen
The final step in how to use a paint pen on a car is protecting your new paint with our high-quality clear coat. Allow at least 1 hour after the last coat of paint before you use the clear coat paint pen. Apply two or three coats of clear coat using a light dabbing motion, waiting 10 to 20 minutes in between each coat. Be gentle with the tip; you do not want to scratch the base coat layer with the clear coat pen. Wait one day to use rubbing compound to bring out a higher level of gloss. Do not wax the repair for one month.