If you had an incident occur where a rock or ball had hit your vehicle, causing it to dent as a result, you will most likely want to make a repair right away. Dents caused by impact from a small object may be able to be repaired on your own. Larger dents caused from a collision with another vehicle or structure would necessitate repair work from a professional. Here are some instructions you can follow in filling in a dent in your vehicle so the metal appears uniform and smooth once again.

Materials You Will Need

  • Course, medium, and fine-grit sandpaper
  • Auto body filler
  • Auto body hardening agent
  • Plastic bowl
  • Plastic putty knife
  • Brick sized wood block
  • Spot putty
  • Painter's tape
  • Primer
  • Auto paint pen in color of vehicle
  • Paint polish
  • Buffing pad

Fill In The Dent With Body Filler

Before filling in the dented part of the metal, the paint will need to be sanded off so the filler will adhere properly. Use a piece of course-grit sandpaper to remove the paint from the area in its entirety. Read the package directions on your auto body filler and hardening agent to find out the ratio needed of each to make a putty to add to the dented portion of your vehicle. Mix the appropriate amounts in a plastic bowl and apply into the dent using a plastic putty knife. Spread the material over the edges of the dented portion so they overlap over the smooth part of the metal. Allow the putty to harden thoroughly.

Sand The Filler To Smooth The Appearance

Place a piece of course-grit sandpaper around a block of wood. You can use a piece of painter's tape to keep it in place if needed. Rub the sandpaper along the hardened putty to help remove any jagged pieces. Switch to a piece of medium-grit sandpaper to remove some of the smaller protrusions. Add a dab of spot putty to the area you are repairing and allow it to dry. Finish with a piece of fine-grit sandpaper to smooth surface. Make sure to sand the portions of putty that had overlapped onto the metal that was still intact as well. This will make the putty appear uniform with the rest of the vehicle's body.

Finish The Job For A Polished Look

Once the auto's body is smooth, the putty will need to be covered so the flaw is not noticeable. Spray an auto body primer over the area you had just repaired and allow it to dry. Do your best not to cover too much of the existing paint job in the process. This can be done by applying painter's tape around the flawed area to help contain the primer in one area. After it dries, use a paint pen to apply color back to the area. This will need to dry overnight before adding another coating. 

Apply several coats of color with a night of drying time in between each one. The instructions on the pen will alert you to an appropriate number of coats for the job. Remove the painter's tape and gently rub a piece of fine-grit sandpaper over the edges of the newly applied paint to help blend it with the old paint. Afterwards, use paint polish and a buffing pad to shine the surface. Contact a business, such as the Select Collision Centers Inc, for more information.   

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