Leave it to the experts: When T-Cut just won’t cut it

Many enthusiasts when they find a scratch or scuff on their car will be tempted to fix it themselves with a spot of T-Cut rather than shell out on an expensive and possibly unnecessary paint repair. This is because as someone who is interested in cars you feel you must take hold of your independence; you don’t need a garage or body shop like those normies, you know what you’re doing, you’ve watched three YouTube videos, what could go wrong.

There is any number of issues that can occur when performing tasks yourself, but we’ll narrow it down to just the below

• Environment
• Preparation
• Equipment
• Technique
• Impatience

Environment

Many enthusiasts are limited in their options when it comes to where they can reasonably spray their cars, generally they are forced to park on roads, or in car parks. This causes a variety of issues due to the regular passing traffic that kicks up dirt and debris from the road, spoiling the air surrounding your vehicle and leading to increased contamination to the repair site.

While Revive! technicians also perform SMART repairs on driveways, they are equipped with quality masking paper to cover their working area, and if necessary are equipped with a tent that can surround the vehicle, limiting the surface contamination and allowing for a high quality repair to take place.

Preparation

First of all, when approaching a repair many people won’t take the necessary steps to prepare their car for painting, this includes cleaning the area of any dirt or debris that may affect the finish of the paint as it lands on the surface. Many people will skip this step entirely and jump right into sanding the paintwork, however this will push any dirt on the surface of the paint deep into the repair area causing deep scratches and essentially creating more work for the eventual repair.

Revive!’s IMI accredited paint technicians take the time to clean the damaged area of as many contaminants as possible using a complex combination of high-quality spray detergents and premium microfibre tack cloths. This creates a fresh starting point for the repair and limits the risk of further contamination when coming to spray the paint.

Equipment

Another issue many hobbyists will run into when trying to repair damage is a limit to the capabilities of their equipment, for example when it comes to sanding while the sandpaper may be the same grade as the professionals, the quality of the paper can cause repeated tearing and unevenness leading to a rough texture on the repair area which then requires more time spent sanding and filling to achieve a smooth finish. When DIYers do come to paint their car they are also often forced to use standard aerosol spray paints. These paints are rarely colour matched to the vehicle and can leave a nasty textured finish to the paint, which again needs repeated spraying to still only achieve a noticeably lack lustre finish.

Not only do Revive! technicians have access to the latest in refinishing technology they are also specially trained to get the best results from their equipment. Our technicians have access to power sanders which not only leave a smooth finish to repair areas but get to that point in less than half the time it would take to complete the same job by hand. Our technicians’ vans are fully equipped with a range of paint supplies giving them the ability to mix almost any colour, leading to an almost perfect colour match. This along with air compressors and paint guns allows them to perform body shop quality paint on a customer’s driveway.

Technique

Many people who try paint spraying for themselves will often find that they struggle to get the results of a professional, now while this may be the result of poor prep, improper equipment or any number of other reasons, often it is the result of bad technique. Spraying is a difficult job that takes many years to fully master, so you shouldn’t be downhearted if your work isn’t up to snuff.

Our technicians go through a rigorous training programme and are regularly reassessed to ensure they maintain the quality of their repairs. Revive! have a dedicated training facility at their head office where all technicians are assessed prior to going out on the road. This ensures that not only are Revive! repairs trusted, but they are also performed to the highest standards in the industry.

Impatience

Another requirement for performing high-quality paint repairs is to maintain your patience throughout the entire process, rushing or skipping steps will only lead to disaster and requiring further repairs. Not masking your vehicle up correctly can lead to overspray hitting the rest of the vehicle leaving a nasty residue on your paint. Not sanding enough can lead to a rough painting surface reducing the quality of finish available. Not giving paint enough time to dry between coats can lead to dips, runs and bubbling that can result in the paint never fully drying. All of these issues can be prevented purely by staying calm  and giving the processes the time to finish their work.

Our technicians understand the complex nature of paint and allocate their time accordingly to result in the fantastic finish thousands of our customers experience every day. They also have various tools such as heat guns and lamps to minimise drying time, making many of our jobs take only 3-4 hours.

Now while a little bit of T-cut and an old rag or doing it yourself with a spray can and some sandpaper may seem like the way to go, to have a professional repair that won’t make you grimace when you look at it, take it to the professionals. Revive!’s dedicated IMI accredited SMART repairers are waiting for your call.

For more information about our services please visit: revive-uk.com/request-a-quote/

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