Repairing Dents In Your Car
Sometimes your car will receive a dent or gouge that is too small to justify the expense of a full body shop repair but too big to simply ignore
. You can cut your repair costs by doing the body work yourself.
If used correctly, body filler can result in a well done repair. There is not a body shop out there that does not use a little bit of this material.
Aside from very few exceptions, body filler is a plastic resin that can be sanded, adheres well to metal, and lasts a long time. A rushed body repair never ends well, so take your time and you will have great results.
Be sure you block out at least three hours of time to do a proper repair. Before you can fill your dent, you will need to remove the paint.
The putty does not stick well to paint, so you need to sand it down to bare metal. For this job, you can use a heavier grit sandpaper like a 150-grit.
Even if your dent may be only a couple of inches long, you will need to remove at least 3 inches beyond the actual dent. Sometimes it is a good idea, especially if you are dealing with multiple dents, to mark the location of the damage so you know where to focus your repair easily.
Body filler is a two-part epoxy that you have to mix yourself. You add a cream hardener to the base, which starts a reaction to harden the filler.
The putty will harden pretty quickly, allowing for less than five minutes of working time. You can mix the hardener on pretty much anything clean.
Just remember that it will be more or less ruined afterward. The material will not stick to plastic, so when you are done you can pop the old stuff right out cleanly.
Follow the directions on the can to mix the proper amount of hardener with putty. Mix the two using a rigid plastic spreader.
Do not forget you have a limited working time once you mix it. Remember that once you have mixed the filler, you have less than five minutes to get it on the damaged area.
Spread it in an area at least 3 inches outside of the actual damage using a flexible plastic spreader. You will need the extra space to properly smooth and feather the hardened material.
Do not worry about being too neat with it, as you will be sanding away any ugliness once the putty hardens. Once it has completely hardened you should be ready to start sanding.
With your sandpaper wrapped around a sanding block, start smoothing the area using 150-grit sandpaper. Sand lightly and evenly over the entire surface of the repair with broad circular strokes.
Make sure you go past the edge of the area to create a smooth transition. When the putty is pretty close to smooth, switch to the 220-grit paper and continue until it is even.
It is not unusual to miss a spot or realize there are some gaps or pits in your filler. If this is the case, mix a new batch of filler and repeat the process until it is smooth.
You will smooth away most of the material, leaving the dent filled and a smooth transition between metal and putty. Spot putty is another version of filler, but much finer and easier to sand.
It does not need to be mixed and can be applied directly from the tube to the repair. The spot putty fills in any tiny impressions in the filler.
Smooth it across the repair surface with a flexible plastic spreader. It dries faster than other types, but be sure you give it enough time before you begin to sand it.
Using 400-grit sandpaper, lightly and evenly smooth the spot putty away. Sand it all away flat, and you should be left with only tiny amounts of putty remaining in small scratches and gaps.
To further prepare and protect your repair, you will spray the surface with a primer/sealer. Mask off an area around the repair to avoid getting paint on any trim or other non-painted areas.
Apply the spray primer in light, even coats. Allow the primer coat to dry, then remove your masking tape and paper.
Fill a spray bottle with clean water and spray the repair area and the sandpaper. Smoothly sand the primer using a straight back and forth motion.
When you begin to see the old paint show through the primer, you have gone far enough. If you sand away too much primer and you can see metal again, you will have to re-prime and re-sand.
by: Jack Landry
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