Repair of minor body damage
If there is damage to the bodywork, remove nearby decorative trim parts, then tap the damaged area with a hammer.
Now remove the paint from the damaged area using sandpaper. You can also use a metal brush. At the border of the repaired area with intact paint, sand the paint using fine grit abrasive paper.
If the damaged area is covered with rust, it must be removed with a rust remover and a corrosion inhibitor.
Prepare putty following the manufacturer's instructions. If there are rust holes, they can be covered with zinc or aluminum tape. Make sure the work area is completely clean before moving on.
Apply putty. It is best applied with a flexible spatula. Apply coats of putty at intervals of 20 minutes until the area where the putty is applied slightly protrudes from the rest of the surface.
Profiling can be done using special tools. Then, using progressively smaller grit sandpaper and more water, sand the area to be repaired until it is smooth. Sand down the edges of the border with paint.
Now spray the entire repaired area with a primer from a spray can or apply it with a brush. If a spray can is used, protect other areas from being sprayed. The primer should cover the surface at a distance of at least 2.5 cm from the border of the repaired area. The primer has a liquid consistency, so the rollers will not form.
With sandpaper (grain size 400) and plenty of water, sand the primed area until it is smooth and blends with the adjoining paint. Small irregularities can be removed with a fine abrasive paste.
Once the paste has dried, sand the area to be repaired again before applying the final coat of primer. Make sure the primed surface is smooth and free from blemishes.
Now apply the top coat. To work outdoors, you need to choose a dry, warm and calm day. Protect other parts of the car from paint ingress. Apply spray paint, starting from the middle of the repaired area, in a thin layer, in circular motions. Apply paint in several thin layers.
After about two weeks, when the paint is completely dry, treat the repaired surface with a special polishing compound. When doing body work, remember that the final quality depends on the effort and time expended.
Repair of minor body scratches
If the scratch is shallow and does not penetrate the metal of the body, the repair is not difficult. Treat the scratched area with a restorer or a very fine polishing paste to remove loose paint from the scratch. Rinse the damaged area with water.
Apply thin layers of paint to the scratch with a brush. Continue to apply thin sprays until the level of paint applied to the scratch is equal to that of the surrounding paint. New paint should dry for two weeks. Then treat the painted area with a fine sanding paste. Finally, apply a polish.
If the scratch has penetrated deep enough into the metal to cause rust, the repair procedure will be different. Use a penknife to remove the rust from the scratch, then apply a rust inhibitor to prevent further rust. Using a rubber applicator, fill the scratch with primer paste. If needed, the paste can be mixed with a thinner to make a thinner paste that is ideal for filling in scratches. Before the paste in the scratch dries, wrap your finger in a cotton cloth, soak it in the solvent, and rub it quickly over the surface of the scratch. In this case, a depression will appear in the surface of the paste in the scratch. The scratch can now be painted over as described above.
Body dent repair
If a dent has appeared in the body of the car, the first step is to squeeze it out to restore the original shape of the body. There is some difficulty in giving the body its original shape, since the metal at the site of damage is stretched. Therefore, it is better to make the level of the damaged area about 3 mm below the level of the surrounding surface. In case of shallow dents, try to pull them out completely.
If the reverse side of the dent is accessible, it can be set by tapping lightly on the reverse side using a hammer with a wooden or plastic head. When performing this work, a wooden block should be kept on the opposite side to avoid buckling of the metal.
Hammer with rubber head
If a dent occurs in a place whose reverse side is inaccessible, another technology should be used. Drill a few small holes in the metal around the dented area. Then screw long self-tapping screws into the hole. After that, the dent can be pulled out by holding the screw heads with pliers.
The next step in the repair will be to remove the paint from the damaged area and another 2.5 cm from its border from the undamaged part of the body. This is easiest to do with a wire brush or drill bit, but you can also do it with regular sandpaper. To complete the filler preparation, scratch the surface of the bare metal with a screwdriver or the end of a file, or drill small holes in the damaged area. This will ensure better adhesion of the putty paste. Further repair is carried out as described in the previous section.
Repair of rusted places and holes
Remove the paint from the damaged area and from the surrounding metal at a distance of about 2.5 cm, using sandpaper, a wire brush or a drill attachment. Once the paint is removed, you can assess the extent of the corrosion damage and decide whether to replace the entire part or repair the damage. Remove all decorative trims in the area of the damaged area. Then, using metal shears or a hacksaw blade, cut out a piece of metal damaged by corrosion. Bend the edges of the hole inwards to create some support for the filler paste.
Go over the damaged area with a brush to remove the rust powder from the remaining metal. Treat the damaged area with a rust inhibitor. If the reverse side of the damaged area is accessible, treat it as well.
Before applying putty, you need to close the hole. This can be done with zinc mesh, aluminum tape or polyurethane foam.
Zinc mesh is the best material for sealing large holes. Cut a piece to the appropriate size, then place in the hole so that the edges are over the surrounding body metal. The mesh can be secured in place with a few wads of putty around the perimeter.
Aluminum tape can be used for small or very narrow openings. Unwind a piece of the desired size from the skein and glue over the hole, laying the second piece, covering the first if the width is not enough. Press the edges of the tape with the handle of a screwdriver so that it fits well on the metal base.
Polyurethane foam is good to use for holes located in areas of the body with a complex configuration. The procedure for preparing the foam is as follows: mix equal amounts of liquid from both cans included in the kit in one vessel. Wait until the mass begins to thicken and drink it on the hole, placing a piece of cardboard. As the polyurethane begins to expand, it will protrude from any uncovered holes. After it has completely hardened, cut off the excess with a hacksaw blade.
Attention: In case of large damage to the body, it is necessary to carry out a major overhaul, in which the damaged parts of the body are replaced.
Body repair - puttying and painting
Before reading this section, read the previous sections of this chapter. There are many types of putty, but the most convenient to use is one that contains a jar of putty and a tube of hardener. It is convenient to apply the putty with a wide and flexible plastic spatula (applicator).
Mix a small amount of putty with hardener according to the instructions.
Using a spatula, apply the paste to the area to be treated. By running a spatula over the surface of the putty, level the surface. Perform this work quickly enough until the putty begins to harden.
Continue to apply thin layers of putty at 20 minute intervals until the level of putty is just above the surface of the bodywork.
When the putty hardens, its excess can be removed with a metal spatula or file. Next, you should grind the area to be repaired with sandpaper, starting with grain number 40 and ending with grain number 400.
Sandpaper should be wrapped around an elastic band, cork or wooden block, otherwise the surface of the putty will not be smooth enough. During grinding, sandpaper should be moistened periodically with water. As a result, a very smooth surface can be achieved.
At the final stage of grinding, the treated area should be surrounded by a ring of stripped metal.
The area to be treated should be moistened with water to remove the dust formed during grinding.
Spray the area to be treated with a thin layer of primer. This will help to identify the flaws made during the putty. Close these defects with a fresh layer of putty and sand again with sandpaper. Repeat the procedure for applying the primer and putty until you achieve the desired result.
Rinse the area to be repaired with water and dry completely.
The area to be repaired is now ready for painting. The application of paint should be done in a warm, dry, windless place, where there is no dust. If you will work in the open air, the day should be chosen very carefully. If one body part is being repaired, close parts should be covered. Decorative body parts must also be covered. To do this, you can use duct tape and old newspapers.
Before applying paint, shake the aerosol can well, then spray on a test surface (e.g. on an old jar), until the technology is developed. Apply the first thin coats of paint to the area to be repaired. Using 400 grit sandpaper, sand the surface to a smooth finish, then rinse with water and dry. After that, continue to apply new layers of paint.
Spraying should be continued until the required layer thickness is reached. Spraying should be started from the center of the treated area, and, making circular movements, move to the edges, spraying about 5 cm zone outside the treated area. Remove all guards 10-15 minutes after applying the last coat.
New paint should dry for 2 weeks. After that, you should use polishing agents.