Five Star Auto Body Shop Tips Rust Repair

Auto Body Shop Tips Rust Repair

A couple of weeks ago, we shared how to avoid getting rust on your car.  It’s one of the worst things that can happen to your car, but getting rust isn’t a death-knell for your car, and doesn’t mean you’ll be driving a rust-eaten mess in a few months.  Rust can be repaired, even if it’s too late to follow our tips on keeping your car rust-free.  If you’re seeing rust on your car, it’s a sign that you need to start taking maintenance seriously, and it’s time to get to work.  Otherwise, you are in real danger of your car’s structural integrity and safety being compromised. Rust repair is, of course, best left to the professionals at Five Star Auto Body, but if you are the do it yourself type, you can try to repair the damage yourself.  Just remember, there’s no warranty on repairs that you do yourself, and we don’t take any responsibility if you follow this guide and don’t fix your rust issue.  This is a guide for very small jobs, not full repairs. Start With Prep Anyone who has painted anything around the house knows this step.  It’s how you start any paint job.  Make sure that the area is smooth and clear, to give yourself a great canvas to work on.  Start with an electric handheld grinder. Actually, start with goggles.  Then get out the grinder.  Try a 150-grit sanding wheel to smooth out the surface area you’re working on.  Try to find where the protective layer of paint had chipped away - that’s your starting point.  The sanding is to level out the surface and smooth it, so that you can apply the primer.  Get as much rust off of the surface as possible, but you may not get all of it.  That’s ok.  When you feel like you’re close to paint level again, it’s time to get out the metal grinding wheel. You need to be EXTREMELY careful here.  (Again, this is where a professional touch comes in handy.)  The metal wheel will take out a LOT of material very quickly.  Work slowly and carefully, and use the wheel to remove the last of the rust, and smooth out the pock marks and pits. Now, it’s time for the hand-held sandpaper.  Use 150 grit to get it as smooth as possible.  This will help you get the small, stubborn spots and ensure that you get a perfect transition between metal and painted area.  Make them the same level.  This will make painting the new area look as seamless as possible.  You can use Bondo or a body filler to fill in deep holes.  Again, a real body shop will repair these properly, but you don’t have the tools to do it.  Just make sure that the metal is smooth before you start to paint.  That’s what’s most important. Priming and Painting OK, now for the fun part.  Let’s prime and paint this baby!  Start with some tape.  I’d use the painter’s tape that you can get at the hardware store.  It won’t leave residue (that’s what it’s for, after all) that you’ll have to clean up at the end.  Then use a really good quality auto body primer.  Start with very thin, even coats.  Add about 3 coats of primer, remembering that paint is strongest in layers.  Wait 10 minutes for the primer to dry between each coat.  Then, and this is very important, let it sit overnight to cure. The next day, use a 150 grit sandpaper to remove any dust that may have settled overnight on your primer and smooth the surface out.  Then, begin applying the paint in thin coats.  Three is the minimum, but four can give you deeper color.  Each layer needs about 2 hours to dry.  This is not a process for the impatient.  Let the final layer cure overnight, then give it a wash and wax.  Congratulations!  You’ve just repaired rust damage on your car! Now, if you’re not a do-it-yourself type, this may seem like a crazy amount of work for you.  That’s why Five Star Auto Body Shop is available.  If you have extensive rust damage, or feel like you can’t pull this type of repair off, call us today.  Five Star Auto Body Shop of Arnold is committed to getting you the best repair for your money.  We always push the insurance company to let us use OEM (Original Manufacturer Parts) in our repairs, not just the cheapest parts.  We want your vehicle to be factory specifications, and you can’t do that with aftermarket parts.  If you are in an accident in St. Louis, Arnold, Oakville, Imperial or Festus, call us at 636-282-5600 or visit www.fivestarautobody.com today.  You can also come into the shop at 1756 Jeffco Blvd., Arnold, MO or get an estimate online at www.fivestarautobody.com/need-estimate.  For more Auto Body Shop Tips, check here weekly!

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