April 3, 2025
Traditional dent repair follows clear steps to fix damaged car panels. First, workers clean and prep the dent area carefully. Next, they put body filler in the dent to make it level with the rest of the panel. Then comes sanding - workers start with rough sandpaper and switch to smoother types until the surface feels flat and even. The final steps involve finding the right paint color, putting on primer, adding the paint, and finishing with a clear protective layer. Getting each step right helps make the repair look as good as new.
Apply body filler (Bondo) after thorough surface cleaning and preparation to fill dents and restore panel shape.
Sand the hardened filler using progressively finer grits of sandpaper until achieving a smooth, uniform surface.
Prime the sanded area to create proper adhesion and protect the base material before applying paint.
Match and apply automotive paint in multiple thin coats to blend seamlessly with the surrounding vehicle surface.
Finish with clear coat protection and allow proper curing time to ensure durability and optimal appearance.
To fix dents properly, you need the right tools and supplies for your workspace. Basic tools include different sizes of hammers for metal work, metal supports called dollies, special pulling tools to get dents out, and tools to spread body filler.
You’ll also need spreaders made of plastic and different types of sandpaper to get the surface ready.
For fixing materials, you’ll need body filler, putty to smooth things out, primer to cover repairs, and car paint that matches your vehicle’s color.
You also need glue for panels, cleaning liquids, tape and paper for covering areas you don’t want painted, and safety gear like face masks and goggles.
Good lights help you see the damage clearly and check your work. To finish everything off, you need an air compressor and spray guns to apply paint and other coatings.
Before starting any dent repair, repair workers need to look closely at the damage to pick the best way to fix it. Looking at dents means checking several key things that help decide how to fix them and what results to expect.
| What to Check | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Dent Size | How wide and deep it is |
| Metal Shape | Folds, stretches, paint harm |
| Where It Is | How easy to reach, effects on structure |
| Paint Look | Cracks, chips, peeling |
| What It’s Made Of | Steel, aluminum, mixed materials |
A good damage check means testing how bouncy the metal is, finding weak spots, and checking if someone fixed it before. Workers must check if the dent has sharp edges or smooth curves, since this changes how they’ll fix it. They also need to look at areas around the dent for hidden damage that could cause problems later.
Getting the surface ready and clean is a key first step for fixing dents properly. To start, the area needs to be cleaned well with special cleaners that get rid of dirt, wax, oil, and anything else that might stop repairs from sticking properly.
Workers follow clear steps, beginning with washing the area with water and then using products that remove wax and grease. They clean the area multiple times to make sure nothing is left behind that could hurt the repair work.
After the basic cleaning, they use strong cleaning liquids to remove any remaining grease.
The last step is to cover the areas around the damage with tape and paper to keep them safe from spray and mess during the repair. This careful cleaning and preparation makes sure the surface is ready for filling and finishing the repair.
Body filler is a key step in fixing dents, and you need to mix and apply it correctly.
Repair workers must pick the right type of filler for each job - from light fillers to stronger ones that come in two parts.
To start, mix the filler and hardener carefully following what the maker says, usually using about 2-3% hardener.
Spread the mix with a flat tool in thin layers that overlap, working from the middle toward the edges to push out air bubbles.
Let each layer partly dry before adding the next one.
Make sure to spread the filler a bit past where the damage is so you have room to sand it later.
Watch out for heat and moisture in the air, as these affect how long you can work with the filler and how fast it dries.
Body filler sanding needs to follow a step-by-step process using different sandpaper grades to get a smooth finish. Auto repair workers start with rough 36-grit or 40-grit sandpaper to cut down excess filler and shape the basic form. They move up to 80-grit to smooth out the rough spots and get rid of deep scratches.
Next, they use medium grades like 150-grit and 220-grit to make the surface smoother and ready for primer. Using the right sandpaper grade at each step is important - skipping grades leaves scratch marks that will show up under the paint.
Workers use flat sanding blocks on straight surfaces and bendy pads on curved parts. A final pass with 320-grit sandpaper helps the primer stick well and keeps the repaired area’s shape just right.
Choosing the right primer for car dent repair depends on three main things: what the car part is made of, weather conditions, and how good you want the final look to be.
You can pick from basic types like epoxy primers, urethane primers, and self-etching primers, which each work best for different jobs.
Epoxy primers stick very well to bare metal and stop rust, making them perfect for exposed metal areas.
Urethane primers are great at filling small dents and scratches and are easy to sand down.
Self-etching primers are special because they combine two steps in one - they both rough up and coat aluminum and zinc-coated surfaces at the same time.
When putting on primer, you need the right temperature (60-80°F) and not too much moisture in the air (less than 80%).
The spray gun must be set up correctly.
Put the primer on in light, smooth layers, and wait between each coat. This helps the primer stick well and gets the surface ready for the final paint job.
Paint matching and blending colors is key to fixing dents so they can’t be seen. Workers need to know how colors mix and match to get the same paint color as the car, looking at things like metal flakes, pearl shine, and how sun exposure changes the paint on different parts.
First, they use a special tool to find the exact color code and spot tiny differences in the factory paint job.
To blend properly, they carefully fade the new paint into the old paint around it. This means putting on many thin layers of paint, using less and less as they move toward the edges, then adding a clear protective coat over everything.
Getting colors right also means looking at how the old paint has aged and changed from weather and sun. Sometimes small tweaks are needed to make the repair completely hidden and look the same in all types of light.
Clear coat needs to be put on carefully to look as good as when cars leave the factory after fixing dents.
Workers spray several thin layers of clear coat in a back-and-forth pattern that overlaps to make sure it covers evenly and is the right thickness. Each layer needs time to dry before adding the next one to stop the paint from dripping or sagging.
Once the clear coat hardens completely, buffing makes the surface shiny and smooth.
First, workers use a strong buffing paste to get rid of any bumpy orange-like texture. Then they use medium-strength polish to remove small scratches. Last, they use very fine polish and special foam pads to make the surface crystal clear and deep-looking.
Workers must watch their buffing speed and how hard they press to avoid leaving swirl marks or wearing through the clear coat.
Quality checks are a key last step in fixing dents, where repair workers carefully check their work under different lights. They look at how smooth the surface feels, if the paint color matches, and whether the finish looks even all around to make sure the fixed area blends in with the rest of the car.
| Problem | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Bumpy Paint | Paint Not Sprayed Right | Sand with fine paper, polish |
| Wrong Color | Wrong Paint Code Used | Check code, blend with nearby panels |
| Wavy Surface | Poor Filler Work | Take off filler, put it on again correctly |
| Cloudy Top Coat | Dirt in Paint | Buff and add new clear coat |
Workers need to write down all their quality checks and fix any problems they find. This careful step-by-step process makes sure repairs are done right and customers are happy with the work.
Wait 15-30 minutes between each clear coat layer. For best results, put on the next coat while the previous one is still a bit sticky. This helps the layers stick together well and gives you a nice, smooth finish.
Both old-school dent fixing and modern methods can fix hail damage, but Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) usually works better, especially when dealing with many dents from hail. The standard way of fixing dents can work, but PDR tends to do a better job fixing the damage.
The best temperature for fixing dents is between 65-75°F (18-24°C). Heat plays a big role in how materials work - warmer temperatures help fillers dry better and make paint stick more firmly during repairs.
Dent repair certification usually costs between $2,000 and $6,000, with prices changing based on the type of training and where you take it. Getting certified is vital in the car repair field, and training at regular trade schools tends to be cheaper than going to special dent repair schools.
Fixing dents near tricky edges of car panels can be done, but it takes special tools and real skill. Workers need to work the metal with care, making sure they don’t weaken the panel or throw off how it lines up with other parts.
Traditional dent repair demands meticulous attention to procedural details and proper technique execution. Through systematic surface preparation, precise filler application, methodical sanding progression, and expert paint matching, technicians at Texas Collision Centers can achieve professional-grade results. Critical quality control measures and troubleshooting protocols guarantee ideal outcomes. When performed correctly, traditional dent repair methods restore vehicle panels to factory-specification appearance and structural integrity.
Learn more about the collision repair process with insights from the TCC team.
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