Learning repair a scratch or dent can help you save money.
No matter how well you take care of your car, a runaway shopping cart or a rock flying at high speeds as you drive down the road can cause an unexpected scratch or dent. You can always take your car into the shop for professional repair, but with a bit of technical know-how, you can repair a scratch or dent on your car yourself and save some money.
Instructions
1. Wash the entire panel with soap and water to remove any debris or dirt, which can interfere with the paint adhering to the panel. Allow to dry.
2. Determine whether you can pop up the dent from behind. If it's possible, place a wooden block on the back of the dent and gently bang it out with a ball peen hammer or a rubber hammer until the dent is removed. Avoid hammering the areas around the dent because that can create new dents. If you are unable to access the dent from behind, skip to step 3.
3. Drill a hole through the center of the dent with a 1/8-inch drill bit. Place the car dent repair tool into the hole. Pull on the tool until the dent pops out. Alternatively, moisten a rubber plunger and place it on the dent. Push down on the plunger to create suction and then pull away until the dent pops out. The suction from the plunger will pull the dent out. The plunger method is not recommended for plastic car panels.
4. Use 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper to sand minor scratches. Rub shoe polish into the scratch so you can tell how deep it is. Sand the damaged area until all traces of shoe polish have been removed and the damaged area is even with the rest of the paint. Sand about 1 inch around the damaged area. Wipe away sanding debris with a clean fiber towel. Use rubbing compound to smooth any scratches that were created by the sandpaper.
5. Use a putty knife to fill deep scratches with an auto body filler designed for aluminum, steel or plastic. Allow the filler to dry as recommended by the manufacturer's instructions. Sand the filler with 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper until it's even with the rest of the car paint.
6. Spray an automotive primer on the repaired area to conceal any surface imperfections. Continue to apply coats of primer until the repaired area is slightly higher than the rest of the paint. Allow each coat of primer to dry before applying the next coat.
7. Sand the dried primer with 1500 to 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper until smooth. Remove sanding debris with a fiber towel.
8. Apply an automotive paint that matches the color of the car. Allow the paint to dry as recommended by the manufacturer. Apply another coat of paint, if necessary.
Tags: 2000 grit, 2000 grit sandpaper, damaged area, grit sandpaper, rest paint, scratch dent
