Stone chip damage was the first issue I had to deal with on my new car. I was carefully driving and maintaining it, but I could not avoid this damage. Sounds familiar? If yes then you must have wondered how to repair stone chips on metallic paint.

The vehicles that drive in front of you mainly cause the stone chips. Depending on the stone size and the vehicle’s driving speed, the damage might be minor to invisible or deep and big.

If you leave it like that, the repairs might be much more costly. So, I advise you to act immediately and fix the minor holes before it’s too late. Let me tell you how to repair stone chips on metallic paint with a repair kit and fewer expenses. Thus, let’s begin!

How to Repair Stone Chips on Metallic Paint

Find a car color in the same shade as your car, or buy a paint marker if the chips are minor. Wash the car with soap and water, or wipe the area with rubbing alcohol if smaller. 

Fill the stone chips with a tiny brush or a toothpick dipped in color. Polish the area to remove the excess paint and apply wax to make it shiny. That can be it in a few words, but the whole story is a little longer.

The first step in learning how to repair stone chips on metallic paint is to determine the depth of the damage. You cannot fix all stone chips at home with a toothpick. So, if the damage exposes the base metal, has caused rust spots, or the chips are huge, you should not fix them on your own.

If the damage is home-repairable, wash the car or clean the damaged area. Use water, soap, rubbing alcohol, and a soft towel or cloth. Ensure the surface is clean before spray paint or marker dye the holes.

Tiny holes should be dyed using a toothpick since it can be the tiniest tool to assist you at that moment. For a little bit larger holes, use a tiny brush. Wait until the paint completely dries out.

Stone Chips Repair and Protect

When to repair stone chips on your car

Because this damage is unavoidable, as I previously mentioned, you can fix it when you notice it. The faster you fix the stone chips, the smaller the damage will be. Also, if the stone chips are relatively big and deep, you should let a professional do the repair.

You can repair the car chips on your own when the damaged spots are no bigger than rice. They should not be deep and show the metal layer underneath the color layers.

Small car chips are easy to repair at home since they would not show up on the surface and be so noticeable. You might notice the repaired spots only if you look at them closely in daylight. If you choose to fix the car chips damage at home, you should follow the steps below.

Also read: How to Get Paint off Car

Identify the car paint code

The DIY option requires a few materials, like car paint, sandpaper, polishing compound, wax, toothpick, a small brush, microfiber cloth, and alcohol.

Everything is easy to find except the right paint. There are thousands of shades available on the market, and if you choose a lighter or darker one, it will be pretty noticeable. Even black paint comes in multiple shades, so don’t rush and check which black shade to buy.

You should check the sticker on your car door to identify the car paint. This information is written on most cars manufactured after 1983 on a sticker placed on the driver’s door or jamb.

Also, this information might be written in the owner’s manual. The paint code will be useful and help you find the right color if your vehicle has the original color on it and it was never re-painted before. So, follow these steps on how to repair stone chips on metallic paint:

Step 1

The first step is finding the car paint code and purchasing the needed tools. You will need a few simple things for the process, like a toothpick, paint, rubbing alcohol, a microfiber cloth, a small brush, wax, a polishing compound, top coat lacquer, and sandpaper.

Step 2

The next step is washing your car with soap and water. You can wash the entire vehicle or just the part where the stone chips are.

Let the water dry out, and wipe the excess with a microfiber cloth. It is good to remove the contaminants and dirt before repairing because that way, you will see all the stone chips and impurities on the surface.

Step 3

Clean the stone chips areas with rubbing alcohol to remove the built-up waxes. Then, fill up the holes. You can do it with a paint pen, toothpick, or small brush dipped in car spray paint.

Step 4

Let the paint dry out. Then, use sandpaper to make the paint dots the same level as the car paint.

Step 5

Apply a top coat of lacquer on the filled spots and polish the surface with the polishing compound. Then, add a wax coat on the bonnet and all parts where you have repaired the stone chips. The wax will give an extra protective coat to your paint and make the metallic paint glossier.

When not to repair stone chips on your car

If the stone chips have exposed the base metal on the damaged surface, caused rust spots, or very big stone chip holes, do not touch them on your own! This kind of damage needs professional treatment. You might only increase the damage and pay a lot more for the entire car painting.

Conclusion

Knowing how to repair stone chips on metallic paint might be an excellent thing to protect your car from bigger damage.

You can not add an extra protective layer to avoid the stone chips, but these corrections might keep your car in a much better condition.

As I said, be careful because you may not be able to repair all stone chips; thus, you will need professional help!