Automobile paint is designed to last for at least ten years with proper care. But when the finish is damaged, people turn to inexpensive touch-up solutions to protect their vehicles.
A good question to ask is, how long will this touch up paint last?
The answer isn’t as simple as we’d like it to be. Some touch-up paints are formulated differently from the original paints used by the factories.
And even when the formulation is the same as the paint used in the factory or paint shop, the conditions under which touch up paint is applied often differ from the original paint job conditions.
Environmental conditions, type and quality of paint use, and the repair job’s skill all factor into the life expectancy of a touch-up job. It helps to understand what the risks and rewards are, to put everything in perspective.
The smaller the damaged area is, the longer a decent touch up should last. But here is what you should know about what can cause car paint – and touch up paint – to lose its luster and its ability to protect your vehicle.
Factories Apply Paint in Controlled Environments
To ensure even and proper application of a vehicle’s paint, factories use environmental control filters to manage their paint shops’ dust and humidity. They paint every vehicle under identical conditions.
Factories that don’t use robotic systems use highly skilled painters with a lot of experience. Body shops also have paint specialists who know what they are doing.
Both factories and paint shops use specialized equipment to dry the paint evenly and quickly.
The conditions and the skill used in applying paint do make a difference in how long the paint job should last.
Air Quality Affects A Vehicle’s Paint
Car paint is first exposed to the highly filtered air in the factory’s paint booth. From that point on, the finish is exposed to the elements.
You should regularly wash and wax your vehicle because it encounters caustic substances in so many ways. Salty air near the ocean is one of the worst corrosive environments for cars, but your car’s paint may take a beating in other places.
Fallout contamination is a common problem for every vehicle. There are three types: acid rain, metal flakes, and airborne chemicals.
Acid rain is the result of industrial air pollution. It precipitates to the ground as rain or snow, and it’s not kind to any painted surface.
Have you ever found yourself sitting at a railroad crossing as a long freight train rolls by?
The sound of the heavy wheels clanking on the tracks in methodic rhythm can put a baby to sleep. But it also signals that a spray of fine metallic particles is floating into the air. They slowly shave off the wheels from friction.
Metallic air contaminants come from factories, steel and other foundries, industrial furnaces, and even your own car’s engine. When you stop to look at all the possible sources of metal particles that can land on your vehicle (and in your lungs), it’s tempting to start wearing industrial masks to protect yourself.
Anything that can erode a vehicle’s surface by chemical reaction or friction is terrible for your car’s paint job. The more pollution and grit you drive through, the less time your car’s paint job lasts.
Rust Makes Things Even Worse
Metal flakes by themselves aren’t that much of a threat to a car’s surface. They fall to the ground quickly, so they’re not floating around like dust in the air.
When you allow damage to go untreated, your car begins to rust. The rust helps airborne contaminants stick to and penetrate your paint. That allows the damage to spread.
A vehicle’s paint job may look great, but its primary function is to protect the metal from rust and corrosion. Once any part of the metal becomes exposed, the paint can gradually flake away, allowing more metal to oxidize into rust.
When not properly cared for, a factory paint job can lose its shine in only a few years.
Polishing and Buffing Wear Down Paint
Many people are surprised to learn that car polish is not always as helpful as one might expect. A harsh polish can cause the paint to flake.
The least harsh polish you can use won’t damage the car’s finish. These products are sometimes calledpre-wax cleaners.
Polishers remove dirt from the car’s surface through a chemical process. The polish is a compound of chemicals. It has to be active in some way to remove the dirt.
Professionals use rotary buffers, and they get a lot of practice. Most people polish their cars by hand, unaware they are subtly scratching their cars’ finishes.
When it comes to do-it-yourself polishing, less is usually better.
And there are different kinds of polishes for different jobs. If you’re unsure which type of polish you should be using (if any), ask a professional for tips. Or don’t polish the car. You might be wiping that beautiful clearcoat shine right off the paint.
Touch Up Paint Should Last At Least 4-5 Years
You’re unlikely to get ten years out of touch up paint, but it could happen. A more reasonable life expectation is 4-5 years.
The smaller the damage, the better the application, the more likely the touch-up paint will last until you’re ready to move on to another car.
You still need to wash and wax the car. And if other scratches or damage occur, they should be fixed.
Touch up jobs may be more prone to damage from overzealous attention. You don’t want to put more power into the task. You want more finesse.
Some Touch Up Paints Last Longer
When you retain a body shop to repair extensive damage to your car, they should have factory-quality paint systems and use high quality touch-up paint.
A professional-grade touch-up paint may be waterborne or solventborne. The highest quality paints are waterborne, and can last for many years when applied correctly.
A Bad Paint Job May Cost You
No matter how good you are with a spray paint gun, if you try to paint your car in the open air, you will trap dirt, dust, and moisture in the paint.
A messy paint job won’t look good, but it won’t last very long either because now you’ve introduced contaminants into it.
You may not be able to set up HEPA filters and industrial-grade air conditioning, but it’s best to touch up your car’s finish in a closed area where there are no drafts, and little dust or dirt.
Conclusion
How long should touch up paint last?
That depends on a lot of different things. Don’t be afraid to fix a few scratches on your door panels. It helps to practice the touch up first before you go in for the final finish.
But the more substantial the repair job, the more care you should take. When you hire a local shop to do the job, ask them how they match their paint to your car’s finish. Ask them what guarantees they offer and how long those guarantees last.
You should be happy with your car’s finish when the job is done. But don’t expect it to last forever. You may need to touch up the touch up in a few years.
Keep your car clean, go easy on the polishing and buffing, and keep an eye out for blurs and blemishes.
