How To Patch Rusty Holes

Do you have rust spots forming underneath or around small holes or chips in your auto body? No matter how old or new your car is, you probably want to stop this rusting and patch the holes as soon as possible. By removing the rust and using auto body filler, you can hide these unsightly holes. Furthermore, you can ensure that there is no further deterioration of the metal. This article explains how to use auto body filler to quickly patch a hole in a metal car body.

Prepping the Damaged Area

The most time consuming and difficult part of this job would probably be the preparation work. You need to use a power sander to sand away and remove the rust from vulnerable parts of the hole. Your goal, when sanding, should be to remove all of the rust without making the hole too much bigger. Often, if there is serious deterioration, you can literally break the rust off with your fingers, so you need to be careful. The auto body filler will not stick very well to the rusty sections of metal, so it is best to remove as much as possible before patching it. Also, when you're sanding, you want to you don't want to remove any more paint than is necessary. When it comes to sanding around the edges of the hole, push down lightly, so you don't remove too much paint.

Using Auto Body Filler

Auto filler is a little hard to work with, because it is thick and it dries very quickly. You need to mix hardener (which is included) with the putty right before you use it. The putty dries quick once the hardener is mixed in, so the hole needs to be 100% ready. Use a plastic putty knife to spread the filler. Be very liberal when applying the filler. It is better to put too much on the hole and then sand it down once it dries. Larger holes might require a couple of coats to get full coverage.

Use a power sander to smooth out the patch and make it blend in with the car body. Of course, you need to use extra fine grit auto sandpaper that will not scratch the surface or remove too much paint. Once your patch is sanded down, it will need to be painted over. You can get simple touch up paint cans from most dealerships or auto stores. These are perfect for covering up small patches. To learn more, contact a company like Mach 1 Body Shop Inc.