So I got a new bumper. I ran over a deer and insurance is replacing the bumper. My car is Solar Orange. We agreed at the shop that it would be really hard to match and he said he would "blend it" So my question is... to a body shop repair guy what is his definition of "blending"?
My impression that there would be a contrast between the hood and the bumper due to age of paint and just matching the color naturally, so he would sand the hood to remove the clear, lay the orange down and fade the paint/pressure to where it would fade to the original color that was there so there would not be a hard line of the color difference.

However when I read up on blending, most threads seem to only be talking about the clear coat matching not the paint itself.

The reason I ask is I paid extra to have it "blended" so I get the car home and look at it and notice all of the teeny tiny little rock chips in the hood 20-30 most right within one inch of the edge of the bumper. The hood was totally cleared however no paint applied. So before I go back to the shop raising hell, i wanted to make sure my definition of blending is the same as industry standard when it comes to what painters do to blend.


Sorry so long thanks for reading

 

Blending is just that, to blend the paint together. There isnt a single technique to do it. But the first one "sanding and repainting the color" is the more expensive way to go. But to be honest, just blending the clear coat is consider blending.

No matter what though, i have yet seen a leman sunset that has been repainted that isnt noticeable. Its a hard job and evening blending, its still noticeable.

 

All paints fade as they age, and blending of the paint on your bumper is done simply to match the color on your hood and fenders. Unless the damage extended to those parts, in which case the estimate would have included labor to repair and repaint them. If you were assuming the body shop would repaint your hood, you assumed wrong.

 

Depends on the shop. Every shop I've ever worked at blending is when you spray a new bumper you blend the color on adjacent panels (hood, fenders). When you spray your blend panels typically a shop will talk to you about it if there's a ton of rock chips or dents on the panels to be painted. Just like you've seen it looks horrible when you just paint over them.

Obviously when you have damage like that it can make the small spot job turn into a large one. In most of my cases you typically fix the first 5 or 6 inches of the panel if there is rock chips. Saving room to still blend the color. Which is typically sprayed in a Christmas tree pattern to keep the eye from focusing in on a straight line down the panel. Only problem with spraying it like that is if you don't have the color close your screwed. You'll end up painting the next panel.

 

blending is a tough go. also depends on the lengths the shop wants to do to get a top notch job / make you happy / and maintain a good reputation - which their quote for the job would have reflected that.
if any of those things mattered - you probably wouldn't be on here starting this thread.
unless a written quote said repainting of hood would be done, going back with issues might just yield more headaches. I have found it best to let it be and work out what other exterior mods you are wanting (if any) and then get car repainted in full.
FYI - when my front end got smashed the body shop told me the current color on the car faded a good 1-2 tones lighter than the actual oem paint code so he would have to eyeball the match and blend to hood and fenders and doors which wouldn't be covered by the insurance of guy that hit me. Also that its a 50/50 chance i'd be happy so I opted to get whole car painted and paid balance on my dime.