A few stone chips can stand out on otherwise well-presented paintwork. Repainting the affected panel offers the best cosmetic result, but the cost can be difficult to justify for a handful of small chips.
Paint touch-ups offer a more affordable way to reduce their appearance. The aim is to make missing paint less noticeable, with results that depend on the colour, paint type and extent of the damage.
How does a paint touch-up work?
At Royal Automotive Care, we use a specialised brush or blade method to carefully fill areas where paint is missing. We apply paint directly to individual chips.
A touch-up can improve the overall appearance of the paintwork, but it does not recreate a freshly repainted finish. The repaired areas may still be visible up close or under certain lighting.
How do we match the touch-up paint?
We source touch-up paint to suit your vehicle’s existing colour. Most factory-painted vehicles have a manufacturer’s paint code identifying the original colour specification. This gives us a useful starting point, particularly on newer vehicles.
To achieve the closest possible colour match, we scan the existing paintwork using advanced colour-measuring equipment and computerised colour-matching software. This helps us account for differences between the original colour specification and the finish on the vehicle today.
For example, a custom-painted vehicle may no longer match its factory paint code. An older vehicle may still have its original code, but years of sun exposure and weathering can change the paint’s appearance. Previous repainting can also introduce colour differences.
Matching against the existing finish helps us select a more suitable colour than relying on the paint code alone. However, even a carefully matched colour has limitations when applied as a touch-up, particularly on metallic finishes.
Which colours give the best results?
Solid colours generally give us the best touch-up results. Without metallic flakes to match, repaired areas tend to blend more effectively with the surrounding paint.
Metallic colours are more challenging. Their appearance changes with the way their reflective particles sit in the paint, the lighting and the viewing angle. Reproducing that appearance with a brush or blade is difficult, so the repaired areas can remain more noticeable.
In our experience, silver metallic is typically the most difficult colour to achieve a discreet touch-up result on.
Even when the repair remains visible, filling a chip with a closely matched colour can look considerably better than leaving contrasting white undercoat or exposed metal showing.
We assess each vehicle individually and explain the likely outcome before recommending a touch-up.
Can you touch up pearl white or candy red paint?
We do not offer this touch-up service for three-stage paint systems, also known as tri-coat finishes, such as certain pearl whites and candy reds.
These finishes achieve their appearance through a ground colour, a pearl or translucent colour layer, and a clear coat. The colour and depth depend on how those layers are applied, making them unsuitable for our brush or blade touch-up method.
Not every pearl or red finish is a three-stage system. We can check your vehicle’s paint type when assessing its suitability.
Why address paint chips?
Paint chips can affect more than appearance. When a chip exposes bare steel, moisture and oxygen can allow rust to develop. Left untreated, corrosion can spread beneath the surrounding paint, potentially turning a small defect into a more involved repair.
The speed of corrosion depends on the material and environmental conditions. Plastic bumpers do not rust, and aluminium behaves differently from steel, so the location of the damage matters.
Any existing rust needs assessment and appropriate treatment. Applying touch-up colour over corrosion does not resolve the underlying problem.
A real example: reducing the appearance of stone chips
The before-and-after photos accompanying this article show chips around the headlight and grille of a MINI
Before the touch-up, the missing paint creates small, contrasting marks across the yellow finish. Afterwards, those marks are much less noticeable, giving the area a more consistent appearance.
This illustrates what a touch-up is intended to achieve: a visible improvement without repainting the entire panel. Individual repairs may still be detectable on close inspection.
Should you choose a touch-up or repaint?
Repainting offers the best cosmetic result when your priority is a uniform finish. It may also be more appropriate for larger areas of damage or paintwork unsuitable for touch-ups.
For a few small chips, however, repainting can be a significant expense. A touch-up may provide a practical improvement at a lower cost, provided you understand the limitations.
At Royal Automotive Care, we assess the damage, paint type and colour before recommending an approach.
Have stone chips you would like improved?
Send Royal Automotive Care clear photos of the affected areas, and we can advise whether paint touch-ups are suitable for your vehicle.
