Alfa Romeo Touch up Paint
Audi Touch up Paint
BMW Touch up Paint
Citroen Touch up Paint
Fiat Touch up Paint
Ford Touch up Paint
Ferrari Touch up Paint
Honda Touch up Paint
Hyundai Touch up Paint
Jaguar Touch up Paint
Kia Touch up Paint
Landrover Touch up Paint
Lamborghini Touch up Paint
Mercedes Touch up Paint
Mini Touch up Paint
Peugeot Touch up Paint
Porsche Touch up Paint
Toyota Touch up Paint
Volkswagen Touch up Paint
Vauxhall Touch up Paint
How to Repair Stone Chips on a Car
Learn how to clean, prepare, prime, paint and protect stone chips using colour-matched car touch-up paint before exposed metal develops into rust.
Stone chips are among the most common forms of car paint damage. They usually appear on the bonnet, front bumper, wings, roof edge, side skirts and wheel arches after loose stones or road debris strike the vehicle.
A small chip may look harmless, but once the paint layers are broken, moisture can reach the surface underneath. Repairing the chip early can improve its appearance and help protect exposed metal against corrosion.
What Causes Stone Chips?
Stone chips happen when gravel, stones and other road debris are thrown against your car’s paintwork. The impact can fracture the clear lacquer, remove the colour coat or expose the primer and metal underneath.
Stone chips are especially common on:
- The leading edge of the bonnet
- Front bumpers and lower grilles
- Front wings and wheel arches
- Side skirts and lower door sections
- Door edges
- Wing mirror covers
- The front edge of the roof
Cars used regularly on motorways, rural roads or freshly resurfaced roads are particularly vulnerable. Following larger vehicles too closely can also increase the amount of debris striking the front of your car.
What You Need to Repair Car Stone Chips
The products required depend on the size and depth of the chip. A shallow chip may only need colour-matched paint and lacquer, while exposed metal will normally require primer first.
For a broader overview of products for scratches, scuffs and chips, visit our complete car scratch repair guide.
Touch-Up Pen, Bottle or Aerosol?
Choosing the correct applicator makes the repair easier and helps prevent unnecessary paint from spreading onto the surrounding panel.
Touch-Up Pen
Best for tiny stone chips, pinhead marks, narrow scratches and precise door-edge repairs.
Shop Touch-Up Paint PensTouch-Up Bottle
Best for several chips, slightly wider damage and repairs requiring more paint than a fine-tip pen provides.
Shop Brush-In Touch-Up PaintAerosol Spray Paint
Best for widespread damage, prepared bumper corners, mirror covers and larger panel sections.
Shop Colour-Matched Aerosols| Damage | Recommended Product | Additional Products |
|---|---|---|
| One or two tiny chips | Touch-up pen | Lacquer where required |
| Several small or medium chips | Brush-in touch-up bottle | Primer and lacquer as needed |
| Chip exposing bare metal | Pen or bottle | Primer, colour coat and lacquer |
| Widespread bonnet or bumper damage | Aerosol paint system | Preparation products, primer, lacquer and blending solution |
Before You Start: Check the Depth of the Chip
Examine the damage in good light. The products you need depend on which layers of the paint system have been broken.
- Clear-coat damage: the coloured paint remains intact and the mark may improve with polishing.
- Colour-coat damage: paint is missing, but primer or metal is not clearly visible.
- Primer exposed: a grey, white or differently coloured underlayer can be seen.
- Bare metal exposed: shiny metal or early corrosion is visible and primer is required.
Learn more about identifying damage depth in our complete car paint damage guide.
How to Repair Stone Chips Step by Step
Find the Correct Paint Colour
The best starting point is your vehicle’s manufacturer paint code. The code may be shown on a label inside a door shut, in the engine bay, inside the boot or within the vehicle documentation.
You can also use our registration paint-matching service to identify colour-matched touch-up paint for your car.
Prefer to locate the code yourself? Use our car paint-code location guide.
Wash and Degrease the Area
Wash the damaged area to remove road dirt and loose contaminants. Dry the panel completely with a clean microfibre cloth.
Next, use a suitable degreaser wipe or panel cleaner to remove wax, polish, silicone, grease and fingerprints. Touch-up paint should never be applied over dirt, moisture or detailing products.
Contamination can cause poor adhesion, bubbling, cratering or an uneven finish.
Remove Loose Paint and Surface Rust
Inspect the edges of the chip. Any loose, raised or flaking paint should be carefully removed before the repair begins.
If light surface rust has formed, remove it using a suitable fine abrasive. Work only within the smallest area necessary and avoid aggressively sanding the surrounding factory finish.
Once the unstable material has been removed, clean and degrease the area again.
Apply Primer When Bare Metal Is Exposed
Primer creates a stable base for the colour coat and helps protect exposed metal from moisture and corrosion.
Apply a very small amount directly inside the chip. Keep the primer off the surrounding factory paint whenever possible.
If the chip is deep, two thin coats are easier to control than one heavy coat. Allow each coat to dry in accordance with the product instructions.
View suitable products in our automotive primer collection.
Shake and Test the Touch-Up Paint
Shake the paint thoroughly before use. This is especially important with metallic and pearl colours because pigments can settle during storage.
Test the applicator and paint flow on a clean test card before touching the vehicle. This helps you judge how much paint is released and makes it easier to avoid overfilling the chip.
For more product-specific advice, read our touch-up paint application guide or touch-up pen instructions.
Apply Thin Layers of Colour
Place a tiny amount of colour-matched paint directly into the chip. Do not sweep the applicator across the undamaged paintwork.
Build the repair gradually using several thin coats. Allow each layer to dry before applying the next.
- Use less paint than you think you need.
- Keep the colour inside the damaged area.
- Do not try to fill the entire chip in one coat.
- Avoid painting in direct sunlight.
- Do not apply paint to a hot, wet or frozen panel.
Apply Clear Lacquer Where Required
Clear lacquer protects the colour coat and restores gloss. It is normally required over metallic, pearl and other basecoat colours that use a separate clear-coat system.
Once the colour has dried sufficiently, apply the lacquer in controlled thin layers. Keep it inside the repaired area and avoid creating one large raised drop.
Shop suitable finishes in our automotive lacquer collection.
Allow the Repair to Cure
Paint can feel touch-dry before it has hardened underneath. Allow at least 24 hours before polishing or applying pressure to the repaired area, unless the individual product instructions advise otherwise.
While the repair cures:
- Keep the area dry.
- Avoid washing or pressure washing the vehicle.
- Do not apply wax, sealant or ceramic coating.
- Do not pick at or press the repair.
- Allow extra curing time in colder conditions.
Polish the Repair if Necessary
Once fully cured, a small amount of finishing compound may help soften the edge of the repair and improve the gloss.
Apply compound gently with a clean microfibre cloth or suitable applicator. Check the area frequently and stop once the finish has improved.
A raised repair can sometimes be levelled using very fine wet sanding, but this carries a risk of cutting through the surrounding factory lacquer. Only attempt this if you are confident and understand the process.
Common Stone-Chip Repair Mistakes
Applying Too Much Paint
A thick drop can dry above the level of the surrounding paint. Build the colour using several small applications instead.
Skipping the Degreasing Stage
Wax, polish, grease and silicone can prevent proper adhesion. Always clean and degrease before applying primer or paint.
Painting Over Rust
Rust can continue spreading underneath the repair. Remove active corrosion before applying primer and colour.
Using a Similar-Looking Colour
Two colours can look almost identical in a photograph but differ noticeably on the vehicle. Use the manufacturer paint code or verified registration details.
Applying Lacquer Too Early
Clear coat applied before the colour is ready can disturb the basecoat. Follow the recommended drying and recoat times.
Working in Poor Conditions
Direct sun, rain, wind, excessive cold or a hot panel can affect paint flow, drying and adhesion.
How Long Does a Stone-Chip Repair Take?
The active application time may only be a few minutes, but drying and curing time should not be rushed.
- Clean and degrease the chip.
- Remove loose paint or corrosion.
- Apply primer where necessary.
- Build several thin colour coats.
- Apply clear lacquer where required.
- Allow the repair to cure for at least 24 hours.
- Lightly polish after full curing if necessary.
Temperature, humidity, paint type and the thickness of each coat can all affect drying time. Always follow the instructions supplied with the individual product.
Should Stone Chips Be Repaired Quickly?
Yes—especially when the chip has exposed primer or bare metal. Early repair can help prevent:
- Surface rust and corrosion
- Moisture travelling underneath loose paint
- The damaged edge becoming larger
- Paint flaking around the impact point
- A more expensive bodyshop repair later
Even a small, carefully applied touch-up can protect the panel until a more extensive repair is carried out.
Find the Right Stone-Chip Repair Product
For most isolated stone chips, a colour-matched touch-up paint pen offers the easiest and most precise application.
For multiple chips or slightly wider damage, choose brush-in car touch-up paint. If metal is exposed, add automotive primer. Finish metallic and pearl colours using clear automotive lacquer.