Scratch removal
Paint Scratch Repair in Lavon
Mesquite branches on a ranch gate, gravel flung off a trailer tire on FM 2755, a careless key in a parking lot. The fix depends on how deep the line goes, and we check that first.
Tell us about the scratch — (000) 000-0000Scratches Come in Layers
Think of the finish as a stack: clear on top, color under it, primer under that, and steel or plastic at the bottom. When a mark lives only in that top clear layer, polishing alone usually handles it. Once it cuts into color or primer, touch-up or a small refinish is the answer. One that reaches bare metal needs sealing before rust gets started. Around Lavon, plenty of the marks we get are brush scrapes from the overgrown edges around the dam road area and gravel marks along rocker panels from washboard county roads. So the first step is always to look closely and figure out how deep each line goes. That's what decides the repair and what it involves.
What Scratch Repair Can Involve
Scratch repair runs from a careful polish to a panel refinish. These are the pieces we use.
Depth reading
A fingernail drag, a magnifier and a thickness gauge tell us which layer a scratch stops in.
Polisher on the clear coat
Shallow marks in the clear get leveled with compound and a polisher, and the paint the vehicle came with stays put.
Wet sanding for deeper clear marks
Marks a little too deep for compound alone can be wet-sanded with very fine paper and brought back to a deep shine, as long as enough clear remains.
Precise touch-up
Small chips and short scratches into the color can be filled with matched paint applied in thin layers and leveled.
Partial-panel refinish
Longer scratches into primer get sanded, primed and refinished on a portion of the panel, blended into the surrounding paint.
Bare metal sealed
Scratches down to steel are cleaned and sealed with primer before color, so rust doesn't creep under the paint.
Plastic bumper scratches
Scrapes on plastic bumpers get a flex agent mixed into primer and paint, so the new finish flexes along with the plastic and stays put.
Shine checked from every side
We compare the repaired spot to the surrounding paint from several angles to make sure the shine and texture match.
Working Out a Scratch
- 01
Clean it and look closely
The area gets washed and wiped so dirt doesn't hide the real depth. We measure paint thickness around the scratch and see which layer it reached. Some marks that look bad turn out to be transfer from another surface and wipe right off. We tell you what kind of repair the scratch needs.
- 02
Polish, touch up or refinish
Clear coat scratches are polished out by machine. Scratches into color get careful touch-up or a spot refinish. Anything down to metal is sealed and primed first. We take off only as much material as the repair needs.
- 03
Blend and look again
Repaired areas are blended and polished to the same gloss as the paint around them. We look at the panel under shop light and outdoors. If a line still shows from any angle, we go back after it. Then the vehicle is ready to go home.
Why Bring Your Scratches Here
We don't over-repair
If polishing will do it, we won't repaint the panel. Keeping original paint is better for the vehicle and for you.
We don't under-repair either
A scratch to bare metal that only gets touch-up will rust from underneath. We seal it properly so it stays fixed.
Country scratches are familiar work
Brush marks, gravel scuffs and gate scrapes are regular jobs for us. Drivers from Copeville to Lucas bring us the same kinds of scratches, and we know how to handle them.
Scratch Bugging You Every Time You Walk Up?
Most scratches are easier to fix before weather and rust work into them. Give us a ring, describe where it is, and we'll tell you what kind of repair it sounds like.
(000) 000-0000 — get the scratch looked at