Accidents happen, regardless of it being due to the weather or a minor collision. Car bodywork is essential for the upkeep of the aesthetics and to maintain the value of your car. This article covers some of the best affordable methods and tools to remove a dent or ding from your car.
Accidents happen, regardless of it being due to the weather or a minor collision. Car bodywork is essential for the upkeep of the aesthetics and to maintain the value of your car. This article covers some of the best affordable methods and tools to remove a dent or ding from your car.
- Have you heard of these techniques for removing dents?
- How to use hot glue on a dent without causing paint damage
- Check out the compressed air dent removal tool for dent removal on curved surfaces
- Need to remove a small dent from your car? Try these home remedies
- When should I go to a professional body repair service?
Have you heard of these techniques for removing dents?
The most common method used by professional workshops is to remove the dent from the inside. This requires a specialised dent removal tool that is the correct size for the dent itself. This technique is for experienced professionals as it can be difficult not to damage the body or paintwork of the car.
There are several different types of dent removal techniques depending on the type and size of the dent:
- Cold form: This technique is best suited to small dents that are not deep in the bodywork. Use a tool such as a dent puller or dent removal pliers to push the dent out from the inside.
- Hot form: This technique helps with larger dents that are deeper in the body. To make the paint and bodywork easier to work with, heat the area around the dent with a special heat lamp or infrared heater. Then press the dent out with the appropriate tools.
- Push and pull: With this technique, you need to work on the damage from inside and outside at the same time: Press out the dent from the inside with a dent removal tool and pull out the dent in parallel from the outside with an appropriate pulling tool.
Note: These dent removal techniques do not work for all types of dents or body damage. For deep or complex damage, seek professional help from a bodyshop or specialist.
How to use hot glue on a dent without causing paint damage
The most popular technique used by DIY-ers is the hot glue technique. This is due to the lesser required skill level and few basic tools. Simply apply the hot glue to the dent and use a dent pulling hammer along with a specialised glue to pull the dent out of the bodywork. Make sure the hot glue has fully liquified so that it bonds well to the car’s surface. Then place your pulling tool, whether it’s a dent puller or a dent pulling hammer over the glue and slowly pull the dent out. Now remove the adhesive and check your work. The dent should at least be reduced if not gone completely.
Note: This technique is only really effective on shallow dents and dings. Remember to remove the glue slowly as not to damage the paintwork.
If you are unsure whether the hot glue technique is suitable for your damage or if the dent is deeper, seek advice from a professional bodyshop or specialist.
Check out the compressed air dent removal tool for dent removal on curved surfaces
Compressed air can also be used to remove dents. This is called the suction cup technique. Start by placing a suction cup on the dent and then pull the damage out of the bodywork using the vacuum seal that has formed. This is particularly effective for smaller dents and is safe to use without damaging the paintwork.
If you are working with a larger dent, there are more professional suction cup tools available that have a pneumatic connection. The compressor creates a vacuum to seal the cup to the car body. Then you can use a dent removal hammer to gently ease the dent out of the area. This is quite a technical skill and requires patience and dexterity to pull the dent out without causing any additional damage. If the dent is fairly deep or covers a large area, you should take your vehicle to a professional repair bodyshop.
Need to remove a small dent from your car? Try these home remedies
If you have a small dent in your car and want to try and remove it yourself, take a look at these DIY fixes.
- Hot and cold water: Boil the kettle and carefully pour the boiling water over the dent. Immediately afterwards pour a pot of cold water onto the dent or hold a bag of ice against it. The heat will cause the metal to expand slightly before the cold contracts it. The rapid change in temperature could potentially pop the dent out.
- A hairdryer and cold water: This is similar to the above technique, only this time, you need to heat the affected area with the hairdryer. Once warm, pour cold water or press a bag of ice onto the dent.
- Plunger: This is similar to the suction cup method. Just press the plunger firmly against the dent and create a strong seal. Now carefully pull it out until you feel the car body start to give. This is an easy way to remove a shallow dent and will save you money.
Note: Although these are tried and true methods, they may not work for everyone or every dent and you may still need to visit a professional bodyshop for your repairs. If you managed to remove your dent yourself, this article may be helpful to give your car a glossy finish: How to Polish Your Car.
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Dent Pulling Hammer 49.99 €
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Car Dent Repair Kit – 25 pcs. 65.00 €
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dent pulling hammer – with 19 adapters
37.99 €26.99 € -
Crossbar Lifter – 4 Stands
When should I go to a professional body repair service?
There a few key factors to help you decide when to let the professionals take over. Here is the overview:
- Size of the dent: Removing a large dent from your car can be challenging: the metal may have warped which requires professional repair. Hail damage is also difficult to remove on your own; a professional workshop would be the best choice here, not only to save time but reduce stress.
- Location of the dent: If the dent is in a place that’s hard to reach, don’t risk it by experimenting; Visit a workshop.
- Paint damage: If the dent has resulted in damage to your paintwork, it’s time to visit a professional repair service. This ensures that, in addition to removing the dent, the paint is redone and your car is protected from rust.
- Type of vehicle: Some vehicles have more complex bodywork than others. If your car has a difficult surface, it will be more complicated to remove the dent. In this case, it is also worth seeking the advice of a professional.
- Experience: If you have little to no experience with removing car dents, you run the risk of causing additional damage to your vehicle. Instead of pulling the dent out of the car yourself, it is better to contact a professional.
- Value of the vehicle: If you own an expensive or rare vehicle, you may not want to risk denting the car yourself. A professional repair service will ensure that the vehicle remains in perfect condition and the value is not reduced.
If you are not sure how to remove a car dent, it is advisable to visit a professional repair service. Body shops will help you fix the problem and ensure that your vehicle remains in top shape.
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