Apply the filler to the pre-prepared surface of the damaged area of the body panel using a spatula. To achieve the desired surface contour and filler level, each stroke of the spatula should go through the entire repaired surface. As soon as the contour of the filled surface becomes close to the required one, immediately stop applying the filler, as it will begin to stick to the spatula when hardening, forming lumps and leaving tears on the treated surface. Continue applying layers of paste at intervals of about 20 minutes until the level of the filled surface begins to protrude slightly above the surrounding metal of the panel.
After the putty has hardened, remove its excess with a file. Next comes the stage of sanding and grinding the putty surface. Waterproof sandpaper is best suited for this purpose. Start with coarse-grained paper No.180 and then, successively reducing the graininess, finish with No.600. In order to achieve adequate flatness of the surface being treated, first wrap the paper around a block of dense rubber (wood or foam) or stick it on it. During the processing, wet the paper regularly and frequently with water. This technology allows you to achieve absolute smoothness and evenness of the processed surface at the final stage.
As a result, the treated surface should be surrounded by a ring of clean metal. Rinse the treated surface with clean water, washing off all the dust formed during grinding.
Apply a thin layer of light primer, the so-called developer layer, to the treated surface from an aerosol can. This will reveal all the defects made during sanding, which can be eliminated by applying a new layer of putty. Repeat sanding and sanding. Repeat puttying, processing and priming the surface until a satisfactory result is achieved (by the quality of the resulting surface) result. When finished, rinse the treated surface with water and dry it.
The surface is now ready for painting. Apply paint from an aerosol can in a dry room. If circumstances force you to paint the body outdoors, you should take the selection of suitable weather conditions very seriously. If you are painting one panel of the car body, cover the surrounding undamaged panels. This precaution will minimize the effect of a slight difference in the tones of the old and new paint. Trim elements such as chrome decorative strips, door handles, etc. should also be covered (or better yet, removed completely). To protect surfaces that are not to be painted, use special adhesive tape (masking tape) and old newspapers laid in several layers.
[Original version of the article on the website www.MAZbook.ru]
Before you start painting from an aerosol can, shake it thoroughly, then apply paint to a test surface, practicing the painting technique. Cover the surface prepared for painting with a primer in several stages. Do not spare water, with moisture-resistant sandpaper No.600, process the primed surface, achieving its absolute smoothness. Before starting the final painting, let the primer dry completely.
Apply a layer of paint, again achieving the required thickness by applying it multiple times. Start painting from the center of the area being repaired, making circular movements with your hand and the spray can. Increase their radius, moving in a spiral until the entire damaged area and part of the old paint coating to a width of about five centimeters are covered. After 10-15 minutes(no later, so as not to damage the edge of the fresh paint that is beginning to harden) after applying the final coat of paint, remove the newspapers and adhesive tape that covered the surrounding body panels. The paint will fully polymerize in about two weeks, after which, to smooth out the transition from fresh paint to the previously applied one, treat the restored surface with the finest sanding paste. Finally, apply a layer of protective agent with wax to the panel.