After a vehicle has been in a wreck, one of the most challenging parts of the restoration process is getting the new paint color to match the old one. However, thanks to advancements in technology, auto body shops are more capable than ever of creating a shade that is identical or closely matches the original. Typically, they do this by following the steps below.

Spectrophotometer Reading

To create a paint formula that will blend in with the rest of the vehicle, auto body shops now use a spectrophotometer. This device measures the amount of light intensity relative to the wavelength to separate each visible color in the region from the white light. This allows the technicians to get a reading of the car’s current finish. They then pair this information with the vehicle’s vehicle identification number (VIN) to get a formula match from the manufacturer.

New Formula Creation

After the auto body shop has the spectrophotometer reading and the original paint formula, they input this information into a computer system. Doing this allows them to alter the original amount of pigments and resins to match the car’s current shade, which might have changed due to environmental factors like sun fading. The computer system will then create a new batch of paint for the collision repair technicians to apply. However, this often requires a few trial and error attempts and blending techniques to ensure the new color matches seamlessly.

Whether your car’s paint was damaged because of a small scratch or a serious accident, the professionals at Airport Paint & Body can help to restore its natural hue. This auto body shop has served the Northern Kentucky region for over 60 years. Today, they have three locations to make getting collision repair work easy. Speak to one of their mechanics today by calling their Wilder, (859) 441-5000; Erlanger, (859) 491-5880; or Hebron, (859) 689-5700 location. For more information about their services, you can also visit their website.