Ford Sterling Gray Metallic (Cladding) (UJ) Touch Up Paint

The Look

If you own a Ford truck or an SUV like the Escape or Edge, you are likely intimately familiar with this shade. It is the industrial workhorse of the Ford palette, specifically designed to handle the lower sections of the vehicle where the road hits hardest. Because this is a cladding color, your finish has probably spent years shielding your metal panels from road salt, gravel, and mud. It provides a rugged, professional contrast that makes the primary body color pop while maintaining a stealthy, metallic depth that hides everyday grime better than almost any other shade.

Technical Details

This is a metallic finish, which means the paint is suspended with tiny flakes that provide its signature shimmer. These flakes are the most important part of the repair, but they are also the most difficult. Because metallic particles are heavy, they naturally settle at the bottom of the container. If you apply the paint without proper mixing, the color will look muddy or dark. To get a factory match, those flakes need to stand up and catch the light evenly. Failing to distribute them properly often leads to a patchy appearance where the gray looks inconsistent across the repair area.

Best Practices

Your paint code is located on the driver's side door jamb, usually listed under the heading "EXT PNT" on the silver compliance sticker. Before you spray or dab Ford Sterling Gray Metallic (Cladding) (check for code UJ), you must shake the container for at least sixty seconds to wake up the metallic flakes. Test the color on the included card to ensure the flake density looks right before you touch your vehicle. Work in a cool spot like your garage or the shade to ensure the paint flows correctly. As you apply it, keep the container moving to prevent the paint from pooling. Allow for plenty of drying time between thin layers rather than trying to cover the damage in one heavy pass.