Getting a car dent is one thing every car owner should expect to experience at some point in life. Even those who drives as careful as possible may not always account for endless traffic annoyances such as other careless truck drivers, out-of-nowhere light posts as well other real life annoyances.
For car owners who are worried about getting car dents, the good news is that mild to moderate dents can be fixed with minimal stress. This article explains how various techniques of car dent repairing. Continue reading to learn more.
Car Dent Repairing Techniques
1. Paintless Dent Repair
Paintless Dent Repair or PDR is a great way to fix car dents. Many dent wizards technicians use this method to remove dents safely without destroying or altering the original paint finish of the car. The technique is environmentally friendly, unlike many other methods which are used to repair dents. Also, the procedure removes a variety of dents. Body creases, dings and hail damage, making it suitable for many operations.
PDR is fast and cost-effective because there is no need for filling, painting and expensive panel replacement.
2. Hair Dryer & Compressed Air
This technique removes car dents out of plastic materials using two important household devices: a hair dryer and compressed air.
In this method, the car dent is first heated to high temperatures to allow the plastic of the car to expand. When the car dent is hot enough, the can of the compressed air is then turned upside down, and the same area is sprayed. When the cold air comes into contact with the heated plastic, it contracts, causing it to pop out.
3. Long Metal & Knockdown
Using metal & knockdown is another great way to fix a minor dent. This technique often requires the assistance of a technician to remove the dent without destroying the shape of the car. During a dent formation, many times, the metal goes inside as the surrounding edges of the dent go upward, creating a volcano-like feature. Thus, forcing the dent out is not often recommended. Instead, a long metal rod beneath the dent a knockdown on top are used to remove it.
4. Use Dry Ice
If used appropriately, the dry ice technique can also help to remove a dent. In this method, the ice is applied directly on the dent as many times as possible until the dent pops out completely. However, this method is only effective for small dents. Here, protective gloves should be worn when holding down the ice against the dent.
Like in the hair dryer and compressed hair technique above, the dent can be heated to a high temperature before applying the ice.
Some of the above car dent repairing procedures are DIY processes that are easy to learn and practice, while some of them such as PDR are performed by specialized personnel. While minor dents can be removed at home using DIY techniques, it is important to have major dents removed by qualified technicians to avoid inflicting more damage.