Best way to stop flaking white paint?

mikez71 · May 12, 2026

I have several spots where the paint has flaked. Looking for a cheap & easy way to stop it from spreading.. OK a little rust here too..

I'm thinking about cleaning the surface, sanding the edges down a little, spraying some primer, then spraying matched color from a rattle can.
Doesn't have to be perfect, but it would be nice if it looked decent and stopped the paint from flaking more..

Any tips, suggestions?

ReaperHWK · May 12, 2026

Only real fix is to sand the whole hood down and do a compete respray; anything else is a bandaid.

If you don’t care how it looks your method would work in the interim. But it will flake again as it’s compromised and will continue.

Or sand the whole hood down and wrap it.

Doubeleive · May 12, 2026

paint job

mikez71 · May 12, 2026

ReaperHWK said:
Only real fix is to sand the whole hood down and do a compete respray; anything else is a bandaid.

Bandaid was what I was thinking.. My hood is actually NOT flaking. Most spots are half dollar size, one hand sized spot at front roof.
Doesn't have to look great.. But hoping it doesn't look terribly bad, and can keep it from flaking & rusting for awhile..

I sure don't want to sand the whole hood or car! At least not as the truck sits currently.. (Bought to be a 'work' truck basically)
If the build progresses, maybe someday.. (even then I don't want to do the sanding!)

Fless · May 12, 2026

mikez71 said:
I'm thinking about cleaning the surface, sanding the edges down a little, spraying some primer, then spraying matched color from a rattle can.

I say do just this for the time being.

Doubeleive · May 12, 2026

ya you could sand it down real nice and rattle can it and cover that with some kind of clear.
When this happens it tends to just keep spreading though

strutaeng · May 12, 2026

Question 1: Are you in the Rustbelt?

I think California, right?

Is that the roof at the liftgate hinges?

Just sand it with 220, then 320 feathering into the good paint (maybe try 120 first to get rid of the rust). Hit it with an aerosol self-etch primer, then matching white spray paint.

Clearcoat: A 2k clearcoat will be best. But you don't want to mess with that, you can get some protection with the 1k clear aerosol cans from the auto parts stores. Not sure how long those last TBH. They do sell 2k aerosol cans though. They only have a few hours pot life, so if you go that route, at least get something else lined up, like the wiper arms.

mikez71 · May 12, 2026

Yep California, and that is the roof above liftgate.
I'm going to stick with aerosol cans, no compressor or spray gun and I hate cleaning up paint mess

Doubeleive · May 12, 2026

it's pretty typical for the gm white paint of that era, it just peels off (like a onion) and exposes bare metal then the metal will get a smidge of surface rust.
just like the red paint fades of the same era

strutaeng · May 12, 2026

These are the 2k aerosols:

Only issue on a large panel is that you'll have to sand beyond to like 800 grit. Then buff out that area as a blend. Some folks will spray an additional product like a blending additive to help smooth out the edges of the clearcoat while its still wet. Probably not needed since it's a roof? IDK?

mikez71 · May 13, 2026

Doubeleive said:
it's pretty typical for the gm white paint of that era, it just peels off (like a onion) and exposes bare metal then the metal will get a smidge of surface rust.
just like the red paint fades of the same era

Yup, remember my '94 gmc sierra peeled too.. and my '91 mazda miata.. and her '12 toyota rav4..
BUT NOT my '94 bmw 318ti...

strutaeng said:
Only issue on a large panel is that you'll have to sand beyond to like 800 grit. Then buff out that area as a blend. Some folks will spray an additional product like a blending additive to help smooth out the edges of the clearcoat while its still wet. Probably not needed since it's a roof? IDK?

Yea, it's just going to be spotted in to protect the metal and hopefully keep it from flaking more. Don't think I will buff it at all!
Hopefully it won't stick out TOO much.. I'll try to sand it smooth enough so I don't see lines.
Only planning to buy sandpaper, primer, paint. Maybe clearcoat.. and some plastic so I don't get overspray everywhere..

Seen tack rags before.. but never knew you could use glass cleaner to prep for paint..
We'll see what else the paint shop sells me..

strutaeng · May 13, 2026

mikez71 said:
Yup, remember my '94 gmc sierra peeled too.. and my '91 mazda miata.. and her '12 toyota rav4..
BUT NOT my '94 bmw 318ti...

Yea, it's just going to be spotted in to protect the metal and hopefully keep it from flaking more. Don't think I will buff it at all!
Hopefully it won't stick out TOO much.. I'll try to sand it smooth enough so I don't see lines.
Only planning to buy sandpaper, primer, paint. Maybe clearcoat.. and some plastic so I don't get overspray everywhere..

Seen tack rags before.. but never knew you could use glass cleaner to prep for paint..
We'll see what else the paint shop sells me..

You could just also sand it and prep it, and shoot it with the white Rustoleum primer and a white paint, both in spray bombs. I just saw your photo again and that looks very small. And no one will ever notice it.

Yes, you can do a solvent cleaner like wax and grease remover (or 1:1 isopropyl alcohol with water). Then follow it with Sprayaway glass cleaner. Some folks do the alcohol last because it removes the static charge to minimize attracting dust.

Those wide paper masking rolls work fine for protecting adjacent areas. Just don't use polyethylene plastic because the dry paint flakes off and will land on the next paint coat you are doing. Specialty plastic used for body work is coated to prevent this, but not the plastic stuff from the home centers meant for painting your house.

mikez71 · May 13, 2026

Thanks, I didn't think about the plastic issue!

I can't just use rubbing alchohol by itself without other cleaners? And why 1:1 with water?

strutaeng · May 13, 2026

mikez71 said:
Thanks, I didn't think about the plastic issue!

I can't just use rubbing alchohol by itself without other cleaners? And why 1:1 with water?

Umm, I never wondered why 1:1 TBH? I've never used the alcohol, since I have a gallon of wax and grease I'm still using.

When I repainted the roof of my suburban back in 2024, I ran a strip of paper, then home depot plastic, since that's all I had. Even then I would see the paint flaking on the plastic sheething below, but it didn't land on the roof paint.

mountie · May 19, 2026

Back in the ’80’s, GM was slow to finish paint the white, …when the primer had already cured. Hence all the white paint peeling.

mikez71 · May 24, 2026

I'm slow to paint!.. I just primered some yesterday..
Had an issue with first primer coat too wet, and it rippled along some of the feathered edges.. Sand the ripples out, and do it again.
But sometimes they lay flat while sanding and you can't see where you need to sand anymore.. (until you spray again!)

Then I discovered, when peeling off the blue tape.. it will rip more paint off! Ripples under primer on the right...

So now I have a couple more spots to prime.. Will try ~~green~~ purple tape next round..

At least the big bare flaking spots are covered.

The rusty spots mostly sanded out, and was not deep like the photo seemed.
Used a little rust remover for some tiny pinhead specks because I didn't want to sand the metal too thin. Rusty spot in first post on the right.

I got 1k paint and no clear coat..
I know the sheen will be off, but I don't see myself painting this whole truck and polishing it..
If it's just solidly white looking and stops flaking I'll be happy for now.

Being white, it doesn't look like it's getting on there, but the primer built up to the thickness of the tape already..
Now I got a couple more spots to prime, then I need to feather the primer edges where I masked it off..
Then I'll try spraying the paint.. with a natural edge I guess?

mountie · May 24, 2026

mikez71 said:
I'm slow to paint!.. I just primered some yesterday..
Had an issue with first primer coat too wet, and it rippled along some of the feathered edges.. Sand the ripples out, and do it again.
But sometimes they lay flat while sanding and you can't see where you need to sand anymore.. (until you spray again!)

Then I discovered, when peeling off the blue tape.. it will rip more paint off! Ripples under primer on the right...
View attachment 486131
So now I have a couple more spots to prime.. Will try green tape next round..

At least the big bare flaking spots are covered.
View attachment 486132
View attachment 486133

The rusty spots mostly sanded out, and was not deep like the photo seemed.
Used a little rust remover for some tiny pinhead specks because I didn't want to sand the metal too thin. Rusty spot in previous post on the left..
View attachment 486134

I got 1k paint and no clear coat..
I know the sheen will be off, but I don't see myself painting this whole truck and polishing it..
If it's just solidly white looking and stops flaking I'll be happy for now.

Being white, it doesn't look like it's getting on there, but the primer built up to the thickness of the tape already..
Now I got a couple more spots to prime, then I need to feather the primer edges where I masked it off..
Then I'll try spraying the paint.. with a natural edge I guess?

White only covers white….. Be patient with the coats…….

mikez71 · May 24, 2026

mikez71 said:
Then I discovered, when peeling off the blue tape.. it will rip more paint off! Ripples under primer on the right...

So now I have a couple more spots to prime.. Will try green tape next round..

NVM, green tape is stronger than blue tape! I guess it's purple tape, listed as 'delicate surface'.. $9 a roll, for my delicate flower..
I've spent more on tape, paper and sandpaper than the paint itself...

mountie · May 24, 2026

mikez71 said:
NVM, green tape is stronger than blue tape! I guess it's purple tape, listed as 'delicate surface'.. $9 a roll, for my delicate flower..
I've spent more on tape, paper and sandpaper than the paint itself...

Masking tape for a paint edge…...
LIGHTLY lay the tape down…. ( for all surfaces including the edge )
The edge you are protecting…. Just use the top of your finger…. your flat fingernail, against ONLY the tiny leading edge of the tape.
The rest of the tape is barely pressed against the surface, so’s not to lift the paint under it.

( I was taught by Ed “ Big Daddy” Roth, and others in the trade… painting multi colors on cars -n- such.

mikez71 · May 24, 2026

Fake race car holes?!!

Best way to stop flaking white paint?

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