What is a car touch up pen?

It’s a small pen containing 20ml of car paint with a fine needle-like point (or optional brush) for application.

A car touch up pen is a high precision tool designed to help anyone make their own minor paintwork repairs like scratches and stone chips. 

The colour matched paint inside a car touch up pen is mixed specifically for your make and model - all you need is your paint code or your car registration number.

Even if you haven’t used a touch up pen before, you can get good results. They aren’t going to be bodyshop-professional, but it’ll be close - they’re a fast, cost-effective way of getting a good enough result that blends in.

At PaintNuts, we use state-of-the-art paint mixing technology to measure and mix your paint to order.

When to use a car touch up pen

You can use a car touch up pen to repair:

• Stone chip damage
• Scratches
• Small scuffs

Damage checklist - can you use a car touch up pen?

You can use a touch up pen if:

• Damage is light and on the surface (dents should be filled, sanded and primed)
• The white base layer is visible (if metal is visible, use a primer)
• There’s no rust present (if so, use a rust treatment)
• The paint isn’t bubbling or flaking (if it is, this needs to be fixed first)
• Your vehicle is a modern or classic model

How to use a car touch up pen

1. Shake

• Shake the bottle / pen thoroughly for at least 60 seconds.
• Remove the clear lid from the needlepoint with a firm pull. Unscrew the white collar to access the brush.
• Test or practice in a discreet area and let dry for 10 minutes.

2. Prepare

• Make sure your surface is clean and dry, and free of wax and polish. 
• Use your primer if you can see metal or plastic showing.
• Use a rust treatment if rust is present.

3. Paint

Apply thin, light coats in smooth strokes with the brush, rest the needlepoint nib in the scratch or chip and squeeze gently.
Don’t apply too much paint - to get best results, the paint should not be proud of the original paint. 
Ensure you only apply the paint within the damaged area.
Leave paint to dry for 10-25 minutes before applying a second coat. 
Leave paint to cure for 24 hours till hardened before applying lacquer or polishing with PaintNuts Professional Scratch & Scuff Remover to blend the work in.

See and print our full guide on How to touch up chips, scratches and scuffs in 3 easy steps.

Got questions?

Can you get good results from car touch up paint?

Yes, even if you haven’t used a touch up pen before, you can get good results. It won’t be bodyshop-professional, but it’ll be close. 

Can you see the white base coat?

That’s fine - as long as there’s no rust, you’re good to start applying thin layers of car touch up paint.

Can you see down to the metal/plastic?

You’ll need to apply a rust treatment and a primer before you use your touch up pen.

Is a touch up pen suitable for a wider area?

In this case, we recommend using an aerosol colour match paint. This type of repair will require more experience to get a good result, so it’s great for professionals or car hobbyists/petrolheads.