DIY Dent Repair Saves You Hundreds of Dollars
These steps will allow you to fix a car dent in an afternoon. You can also save hundreds of dollars over buying a body shop.
Tools required
- Angle grinder
- Corded drill
- Dust mask
- Extension cord
- Hearing protection
- Safety glasses
- Sanding block
- Materials Required
- Body filler
- Finishing glaze
- Latex gloves
- Sandpaper
- Use a tack cloth
- Wax Remover
Here Are The Steps
Step 1
Make sure to clean up before you start filling and wash and dry your vehicle.
Step 2
Take off the paint
Begin by removing any paint from the inside and around the dent using 24-grit paper.
Use 80-grit sandpaper to hand-sand your entire dent.
You can use the same sandpaper for roughening up and feathering the paint around dent edges.
Use a wax remover to clean the entire area.
Use a tacky cloth to wipe the area clean.
Step 3
Mix the Filler
Spread the filler along the mixing board in an S-shaped shape.
Next, take it out and fold it in half.
Continue this process until you have a consistent filler color.
Do not mix body filler with a piece of cardboard scrap. Use a mixing board, or a clean, old cookie sheet that you are willing to toss (credit for this tip to car recovery Bradford)
Step 4
Use a “Tight First Coat”
Grab some filler and work it into the metal.
Spread the filler evenly to create a tight coat. This will remove air from the scratches and wet any metal.
Step 5
You can add more filler
To fill in the entire dent, apply a thicker layer of filler.
Step 6
Sand to Shape and Glaze
Use 80- or 180-grit sandpaper to sand the filler to match car’s contours.
Next, feather the edges of filler up to the painted edge.
Apply a finishing glaze to the entire area and then sand using 180-grit sandpaper and then 320grit.
Spray the patch
Prime it with primer and then paint it.