Blending Paint

Blending a new repair into existing paint

Blending paint creates a seamless, invisible transition between your new touch-up paint and the original finish. This technique is especially important for metallic paints, which are very difficult to match perfectly due to natural variations in temperature, humidity, and the angle of the metallic flakes.

Best Results

Blending requires spray application. You cannot successfully blend paint using a paint pen or a touch-up brush. Brushed-on paint typically dries darker than the surrounding finish, leaving the repair area visible. If perfection is your goal - always go with spray application.

Before You Start

Make sure you prepare a large enough area before spraying. You must scuff the existing paint up to two feet around the repaired area. This creates the proper surface texture for the new paint to stick to and seamlessly fade into the old finish.

How to Blend Paint

1. Apply graduated paint coats
   Starting from the edge of your repair, gradually spray less and less paint as you move outward. End with a very light mist coat about one foot around the repair. You want a smooth, gradual fade so the eye can't tell where the original paint stops.
   
   
2. Apply the clearcoat
   Let the basecoat dry thoroughly. Apply full coats of clearcoat over the entire area, extending about a foot past the edge of your mist coat. Do not mist the clearcoat at the edges. For the best result, take the clearcoat right to the edge of the vehicle panel. Shop Clearcoat > 
   
   
3. Apply clearcoat blender
   While the newly-applied clearcoat is still wet, spray clearcoat blending solvent around the outer edge of the repair. Spray exactly where the new clearcoat meets the existing paint. The solvent will "melt" the hard edges into the surrounding paint for a smooth, professional look. Shop Clearcoat Blending Solvent >
   
   
4. Polish the finish
   Once the clearcoat and blender have dried completely, polish the area. Use cutting creme and a clean, soft cotton cloth to buff the repair and bring back a high gloss that matches the rest of your vehicle. Shop Cutting Creme >

Helpful Tips

• Practice your fading technique on a scrap piece of metal first.
• Only use spray cans for blending, never pens or brushes.
• Always apply full coats of clearcoat instead of lightly misting the edges.
• Take your clearcoat all the way to the panel edge whenever possible to completely hide transition lines.

Need a perfect match?

Some metallic colors, especially gold, fade rapidly and are notoriously difficult to match even for trained professionals. If your blended area is still visible after your repair, you may need to paint a larger section of the vehicle or consult a professional body shop.