The hazy sheen of a matte or satin finish on a car looks amazing. That is, until you have to deal with a scratch in the paint.
A scratch on a matte finish is a major annoyance for two reasons:
- Disrupts Uniform Look: A scratch in a matte finish visually interrupts the beauty of the paint.
- Can’t Be Polished Out: Matte finishes have a textured clear coat that scatters light to produce the muted sheen. Polishing to remove a scratch would sand down the texture, creating a smoothed-out semi-gloss.
So wait… if you can’t polish a matte finish, how are you supposed to hide a scratch in the paint?
In this article, we’ll break down some of the various methods for reducing the visual impact of a scratch on matte paint. This varies from outright re-painting to just cleaning the affected area. Let’s begin.
Method #1: Clean the Scratch
When you’re dealing with a scratch in a car’s matte finish paint, always clean the scratch before doing anything else. Here’s why.
When paint is scratched, the scratching object transfers contaminants like dirt and grime into the gouge. Those embedded contaminants will contrast with the paint’s color and make the scratch look bigger than it actually is.
Cleaning the scratch removes the contamination and leaves a bare surface that shows how severe the scratch actually is. A lot of times, people find cleaning the scratch makes it almost unnoticeable.
To clean a scratch on a matte finish, follow the steps below.
- Spray the affected area with a matte-safe spot remover. This will help to chemically break down any embedded paint transfer or other hard-to-remove substances.
- Let sit for 30 seconds to a minute. Do not let dry.
- Wipe clean with a soft microfiber towel.
- Additional applications may be necessary for more stubborn contaminants.
Method #2: Apply Touch-Up Paint
For minor scratches that haven’t gone deeper than the primer coat, matte finish touch-up paint can be the perfect way to hide a scratch on a matte finish car.
The biggest concern with touching up a matte finish paint is matching the color to the rest of the paintwork. Always be sure to use touch-up paint provided by the OEM (the car’s manufacturer) to ensure the perfect blend. For more information on how to use touch-up paint, check out our blog here.
Method #3: Re-Paint the Panel
Bigger scratches and scuffs can’t be covered up with a small amount of touch-up paint. Situations like these call for re-painting entire panels. This can be a little trickier, and it’s not something we recommend you do at home.
Instead, find a reputable body shop with experience working with matte finish cars. Make sure they have access to the same paint that the factory used on your vehicle. The right body shop painters and technicians will be able to make it look like the scuff or rash was never there.
Method #4: Get a Matte Vinyl Wrap
Matte vinyl wraps hide scratches in matte finish cars by covering the paint completely with a vinyl material. The vinyl can be the same color as the factory paint or a new color entirely. Either way, it will completely hide the scratch and also prevent the underlying paint from getting scratched further.
Method #5: Embrace the Wear & Tear
Our last method for hiding a scratch in a matte finish is all about hiding in a crowd. Basically, if you’re squeamish about paying for re-painting or wrapping and you don’t want to start over with a new car, it might be a good option to just accept the scratch for what it is and embrace the “worn” look of a scratched-up matte finish. Some find this gives their car a hardened military look that can be appealing to a lot of folks.
So those are the top five options we’d recommend to anyone dealing with a scratch in a matte finish. Obviously it can be a little frustrating to know your only options are re-painting, wrapping or just dealing with it, but those are the realities of owning a car with a matte finish!
Have a unique method for hiding a scratch in matte? Need help hiding one yourself? Comment below!