• Car Club Directory
  • Event Calendar
    • Add Your Event
  • Gauge Swag
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Google Plus
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Gauge Magazine

Hot Rods, Mini Trucks, Lowriders, 4x4 and Imports

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Pinterest Instagram
  • Home
  • Issues
  • Gauge Girls
  • Gauge Store
  • News
  • Featured Rides
  • Event Coverage
  • Videos
    • Live Coverage
  • Buy Printed Edition
  • Latest Issue

How to repair car scratches – Big or Small

July 1, 2019 By Gauge Magazine

Car scratches are inevitable. It doesn’t matter how much care you give your car. Depending on the force of impact, car scuffs may be superficial or deep. All in all, car abrasions are pretty much annoying. They need to be fixed as soon as possible. If your car gets a graze, you don’t have to worry as it can be easily fixed. Well, without further ado, let’s go through the steps required in the repair of a car laceration.

car scratches

Examine the car scuff

This is the first step. Examining the scuff will help you determine if it’s superficial or deep. Once you’ve determined what layers of your car have been affected, you can proceed with the appropriate methods of repair. How will you know if it’s a superficial car scrape or a deep one? You need to know the layers of a car. The following are the layers of a car from the outside to the inside.

  • Clear coat
  • Base coat
  • Primer
  • Steel

The base coat is also called the color coat. The primer layer not only protects the steel, but also helps in adherence of paint to the surface. The following are the types of scratches.

Small/light car abrasions

  • They affect the outermost layer.
  • They are easy to repair.

Big/deep car abrasions

  • They affect the layers deeper into the clear coat.
  • They cause serious damage.
  • They aren’t as easy to repair as the light scrapings.

How to fix small car grazes

Start by thoroughly cleaning the surface of your car and remove any debris or small objects. After that, cover the areas around the abrasion with masking tape. Once you are done with that, put a small polishing compound to a microfiber cloth and polish the laceration. Finally, dry the area with a terry cloth or a microfiber cloth.

How to fix big car grazes

Removal of gashes can be tricky at times. However, any scratch through the clear coat can be removed by a scratch remover. The problem currently, is that fake or poor quality scratch removal products are flooding the market. Therefore, The best deep scratch remover reviews might help you decide which products to use. Once you succeed in finding the right product, you can proceed with the following steps of fixing a gash.

car scratches

 

  • Buy paint – Ensure you buy matching paint. If you are unable to find it, get in touch with your car dealer.
  • Clean the surface of your car – Wash your car thoroughly and dry it properly. As you do this, concentrate on the damaged areas. Thorough cleaning also involves getting rid of debris that may result in more damage as you fix a car scuff.
  • Sand the damaged area – Use 1500-grit sandpaper to sand the affected area. You should ensure that you sand through the clear coat only. Furthermore, ensure that you sand towards only one direction. Use clean water to periodically rinse the area so that you clearly see the areas you sand. After that, dry the surface with a microfiber cloth.
  • Masking tape and primer come in handy – Cover the area around the scuff with masking tape. This will ensure the primer gets nowhere else but to the laceration. After that, apply a thin primer to the scratched area and allow it to dry off.
  • Painting – Start by mixing the paint. After that, apply it on the grazed surface from the border inwards. Use a small tissue to absorb the excess paint. After painting, you will have to wait for several days for the paint to dry.
  • Polishing – Polish the whole of your car to ensure that the paint you applied blends in. The polish on this 1947 Mercury Coupe is amazing. 

This article has discussed the ways in which you can fix both big and small car abrasions. It has also highlighted some of the basic knowledge in fixing a car scrape, for instance, the layers of a car wall. With this information, you can now determine whether a laceration is superficial or deep. As if that is not all, you can now fix any car abrasion following the steps above. You can eventually save on the cash you would have used in hiring a mechanic to fix your car. Isn’t that awesome? 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: repair

Related Articles

Gauge Magazine June 2026 Issue

Street Rod Nationals 2025 Fills Louisville with Thousands of Classic Cars and Hot Rods

Sundown Audio Show 2025 Brings the Bass to Newton, North Carolina

Grand National Truck Show 2025 Brings the Best Custom Trucks to Pomona, California

White Trash and White Walls 2025 Car Show Fairborn Ohio

Showdown in the Valley 2025

Severed in the Midwest 2025

Gauge Magazine April 2026 Issue

Certified Summer Car Show 2025

Moon Eyes Open House 2025

Camp-N-Drag 2025

Why More Drivers Are Choosing OBD2 Performance Tuning Over Traditional Modifications

Best F1 Races to Attend in 2026: Where You Shouldn’t Miss Out

Engine-Bay Wiring in Tight Spaces: Why Long-Nose Parallel Pliers Beat Standard Needle-Nose

The Real Cost of Running the Show Circuit for a Season

What Happens Behind the Wheel Before a Truck Accident Occurs

The Importance of Preserving Evidence After a New Mexico Truck Collision

Steps That Can Strengthen Your Case After a Vehicle Collision

Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Car Accident Claim

Dealing With Insurance Adjusters After an Injury

What to Do Immediately After a Car Accident

Search Site

Latest Issue

December 2022 Gauge Magazine Cover

SITE SPONSORS

slamology automotive and music festival
adaptit usa wheel adapters

custom made wheel tubs

Ridetech suspension

Dakota Digital Gauges

Indy Body Werks indianapolis auto body shop

 

BUY PRINTED COPY

Gauge Magazine June 2026 Issue Find out more on MagCloud)

Hot Links

Visit our Hot Links page to see our partners and favorite vendors and sponsors who can help you make the most out of your ride. Hot Links
Copyright © 2026 · Gauge Media Group Inc.