How to Sand Out Car Paint Damage

If you have some scratches on your car due to a minor accident, you might want to make some repairs. You'll need to sand the damage to the car's paint to fix these scratches. There's a bit more to it than simply grabbing some sandpaper and rubbing over the spot. Here's how to sand out car paint damage.

Instructions

1

Wash the damaged area with soap and water. Allow it to dry before sanding the area.

2

Use an ultrafine-grit wet/dry sandpaper wrapped around a rubber or wood block to sand over the damage. Dip the sandpaper into a bucket of cold water before starting, and frequently dampen the sandpaper to keep it wet as you work.

3

Employ short, light strokes over the damage. Work over the entire length of the damage. Use the edge of the wood or rubber block.

4

Stop sanding once you have sanded the level of the paint down to match the level of the damage. Do not sand down to the point where you have removed the entire layer of clearcoat and paint.

5

Dry the sanded area with a dry, clean cloth. You are now ready to buff the area and repaint.