Paint repair gone bad

[pipspeak]

I need help (in many ways). I managed to gouge a deep, inch-long scratch on my tailgate (low-clearance garage door) and have systematically gone through all the repair steps -- multiple layers of touch-up paint, thin layer of clearcoat, and voila. The scratch is filled and repaired.

The final stage was to lightly sand the clearcoat level with the rest of the paint. So I got out the 2000-grit wet'n'dry, and gently went at it until it looked smooth. Then I used a polishing/fine rubbing compount to shine up the dull surface. It's a procedure I've used before and has worked like a charm. BUT, this time there's now a patch around the scratch in which the paint is a lighter shade of gray than than original paint.

What caused that? Does this mean I managed to destroy the clearcoat from the original paint? If so, how the heck can 2000-grit sandpaper (used zealously) do that?

The result is my "repair" is now more obvious than the original scratch. Any advice appreciated.

 

[rook]

It would take a lot of sanding to go thru the clear w/2000 grit. But, if you chased it with a gritty compound it may very well be what happened. That is why using a sanding block is imperative. Look at the sandpaper, is there any grey paint on the paper or just white. You may be able to start over by wiping down with laquer thinner, re touching and go real easy with the sanding. Remember, this is touch up work, dont get too fussy.

Can you post a pic? I may have more insight as to whether you cut into the touch up paint or the orig. basecoat.

 

[BenSD]

You probably just roughed up the clear coat around the touchup area. As a result, it gives more of a matte finish than a glossy finish. This will make the paint under it seem lighter in color. If you polish and wax it, it will likely blend in because it is glossy again.

 

[pipspeak]

I also thought it would be hard to go throught the clearcoat with 2000-grit paper by hand. I find using a block is really not much help in preventing sanding the surrounding paint. I usually use a finger tip and target the sanding.

The compound I was using was "polishing compound" although it seems more like fine rubbing compound. It shined up the sanded finish leaving very shallow scratches that scratchX took out.

I'll try to take a pic tomorrow. Meanwhile, I will take some thinner to the spot to take off all the touchup clearcoat and start from scratch, so to speak.

 

[rook]

I also thought it would be hard to go throught the clearcoat with 2000-grit paper by hand. I find using a block is really not much help in preventing sanding the surrounding paint. I usually use a finger tip and target the sanding.

That's good to read. I doubt you went through since you were carefully spot sanding.