Ding Repair

Today we’re filling a chip in a clear, lacquer finish using  Fill n Finish Thin.

The traditional way of doing this is to add drops of lacquer into the chip, wait for it to cure, and because lacquer shrinks 75% while drying, repeat the process until the void is filled. A fairly deep chip, like the one in this video, can take three weeks to repair, thanks to long drying time.

Fill n Finish lets us do this job way faster – in minutes instead of weeks.
This method works on most film finishes including shellac, lacquer, polyurethane, polyester, pre-cat lacquer, and conversion varnish, and can yield an invisible repair.

Carefully place drops of thin Fill n Finish into the divot using a fine whip-end tip. Let it flow and level for about 20 seconds before curing it with GluDry. The filled area should be just barely proud of the surrounding finish. Level the fill using fine paper (600 grit or higher,) backed with a hard sanding block to facilitate flat sanding. If your sandpaper is not self-lubricating, use a sanding lubricant, such as plain or soapy water, or mineral spirits.

Level the repair and check to make sure you haven’t missed any spots. If you have, add more Fill n Finish and repeat the process.

Once it is level, rub the finish with the proper medium to return it to its original sheen; satin, semi-gloss, or gloss. Or, if you prefer, you can respray the area with another coat of the same finish. Spraying is a good option for dead flat or matte finishes, which are difficult to duplicate with rubbing compounds.