When Is Filling An Auto Dent The Best Option?

Posted on: 14 August 2017

If you have a dent on your car, an auto collision repair shop can help to remove the dent. Depending on the location of the dent, size of the dent, and how deep the dent is, one of three different techniques may be used to get rid of the dent. This includes pulling the dent, pounding the dent out or filling the dent in. Filling the dent is the most time consuming and costly of the three. If a body shop recommends having your dent filled in, you may wonder why. Here are a few of the times when filling in a dent may be the best option. 

There Are Multiple Small Dents

Typically, after an auto collision, you have one large dent. But if you are left with several smaller ones, typically seen after a hail storm or when your car is hit with flying debris, it may be time consuming and unrealistic to attempt to pull all of these tiny dents out. Instead, filling in all of the dents may be the best option as it helps to smooth out the body of the car efficiently. When multiple small dents are present, a filler may be the best option for the dents. 

There are Cracks in the Panel

In some cases, a dent can leave a tiny crack in the panel or bumper of your car. When this occurs, pulling out the dent or pounding it out is not the best option as the crack will still be present. If the crack is very small, filling in the dent can help to strengthen the crack and conceal it. However, it is important to note that this is only done for minor cracks. If the crack is large, the structural integrity of the metal can be affected, in which case the panel or bumper should be replaced. 

The Dent Couldn't Be Pulled

The last reason why filling in a dent may be the best option is because the dent couldn't be pulled or pounded. Sometimes a repair shop tries to pull or pound out the dent but the dent is stubborn and won't be budge. When this happens, filling it in may be the only option. 

Filling in a dent involves using a bonding material over the dent. This is smoothed out and sanded down, filling in the dent and evening out the panel. Once dried, the affected area needs to be painted to ensure it matches the rest of the car. While this is the most time consuming method, filling in a dent can be used to smooth out damage done by multiple small dents, strengthen a cracked panel or be used when other methods don't work. If you have a dent in your car, bring it to an auto collision repair shop today. They can help you determine which dent removal method is best. 

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