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How can I fix flaking clear coat on a car?
My car looks like it got a sunburn! The top layer of paint is kind of flaking off. How do I fix a flaking clear coat on my car?
Bellina Gaskey · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Flaking clear coat is probably the closest thing to a car sunburn since UV rays eventually wear down your car’s paint. To fix flaking clear coat on a car, try using fine-grain sandpaper, a microfiber towel, clear coat spray paint, rubber compound, polish, and a buffer.
Here are the steps to complete:
- Take your car to a car wash or wash it by hand. It should be free of dirt, bugs, and grime before you proceed.
- Identify the flaking area(s).
- Take sandpaper (800- or 1000-grit), soak it, apply it to a sanding block, and carefully sand the areas up and down, then left to right. Keep the sandpaper wet and don’t work in circles.
- Between each sanding, use a soft microfiber towel to remove dust and debris from the area.
- Once the flaky areas appear to blend in more with the surrounding area, move to a second sandpaper grade (around 1500-grit) and repeat the wet sanding process. Be careful not to remove all the clear coat, expose the color underneath, or leave big scratches.
- Finish with a third, super fine sandpaper grade (2000-grit or more). This will make super tiny scratches in the coat compared to the larger ones from coarse sandpaper.
- Wipe down the area again with the microfiber towel. If you want, you can dip the cloth in some isopropyl alcohol to make debris removal easier
- Now, the flakes should be removed and the damaged clear coat should blend in more with the surrounding good clear coat. Apply several light coats of clear coat spray paint to touch up the area, being careful not to spray too heavily to cause a run.
- After letting the spray paint dry completely, apply some rubber compound around the edges of a buffer pad. Buff the area to spread the compound by hand or with a dual-action machine polisher.
- Once the compound is spread throughout the affected areas, switch to a different buffer pad and pour a polisher of your choice on it. Buff the area by hand or with a machine again.
Your flaky clear coat should look restored—but it might not be perfect. If you’re planning on driving this car for a while yet, you may want to take the car into a paint shop. Be warned—they’ll likely opt to redo your entire car body, which can be expensive.
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