Touchuppaint advice
Sanding & paint preparation guide
Choose abrasives for the job, protect the surrounding finish and prepare the surface for your chosen coating.
Assess the surface first
Decide whether you are dealing with intact paint, missing colour, bare material, rust or a previous repair. Have heavy corrosion, holes or structural damage assessed before treating the job as cosmetic.
Choose the coating system
Check the primer and paint instructions for substrate suitability and preparation. The abrasive grade, wet or dry method and final surface finish depend on that system.
Clean before sanding
Remove surface dirt and contamination using products suitable for the finish. Keep cleaning cloths and materials clean. Avoid dragging contamination into the area you are preparing.
Choose abrasives and a suitable block
Match the abrasive size and backing to the block. Use the grades specified for the stage of the repair and progress as directed. Abrasives are not included with a block unless the pack says so.
Control the sanding area
Protect edges and surrounding sound paint. Use a wet or dry method only where appropriate for the abrasive, substrate and coating system. Stop and reassess if the surface condition changes.
Remove dust and check the surface
Remove sanding residue and clean the surface as the coating instructions require. Tack cloths remove loose dust; they do not replace cleaning or degreasing. Let the area reach the required condition before coating.
Mask and make a final check
Check the surface is sound, prepared and ready for the chosen primer or paint. Keep adjacent surfaces protected and follow the coating label and safety information.
A question about your repair?
Tell us the product, colour reference and what you plan to paint.
