Don’t Let Peeling Paint Ruin Your Ride: 4 Prevention Tips

Maintaining the paint job on your automobile can be a hassle. While you’re struggling to keep it clean, everything else seems to work against you, and even though you’ve done your best to take care of the coat, you’ve noticed a patch of paint peeling. Before you find yourself picking at that paint flap, watching it worsen, or going to just any old mechanic, here’s what you’re dealing with.

What causes a vehicle’s paint to peel?

The paint we see is actually comprised of several layers. There is the primer, the base coat that gives your car its color, and the clear coat. When one or more of these layers has separated from the others, it is known as peeling or delaminating.

There are many factors that can cause this, but the most common are exposure to weather and elements, faulty repairs, and ignoring surface damage, all of which break down the adhesive bond these layers have with each other.

What can you do to prevent it?

Your car’s paint undergoes stress each time it is taken out on the road or parked outside, so damage to a coat is a normal part of car ownership. You cannot always prevent peeling, but there are steps you can take to prolong the life of your paint.

• Park in a garage
  The sun’s UV rays are responsible for the most constant damage to your vehicle’s paint. Parking inside minimizes the time spent in the sun. It will also keep your car out of the weather and prevent unnecessary damage. If you do not have a garage, try your best to park in the shade.
• Keep it clean
  Even though it will not help with deeper damage, washing and waxing your car can prevent grit, dust, dirt, and pollution from the road from scratching or corroding the coatings, and are a good step toward making your paint job last longer.
• Timely fixes
  Often a delaminating paint job originates from a ding, scrape, or damage to a small spot on your car that spreads and results in a greater area of peeling. So if you notice any minor damages, don’t put off repairing them.
• Find a trustworthy body shop
  If you hire a pro to give your car a new paint job and notice the paint peeling too soon afterward, chances are it wasn’t applied the right way. If this is the case, you might want to find a new body shop.

At World Wide Auto Body 2, we know what it takes to make sure your paint won’t be peeling anytime soon.

Click here to learn about the benefits of a professional paint job.