Tips For Repairing Your Car’s Rust Spots
September 16th, 2009 adminTips For Repairing Your Car’s Rust Spots
When any areas on your vehicle are exposed to rust, it’s important to invest the time to repair them. Otherwise, they can lead to bigger – and more expensive – problems later. Rusted areas tend to spread; ignoring the issue will only make it worse. Over time, it can become irreversible and as a result, hold down the resale value of your car.
The problem forms when the metal beneath the exterior’s paint is exposed to air and moisture. This can happen due to a traffic accident or even a minor chip or scratch in the paint. Whatever the root cause for the exposed metal, the air and moisture causes oxidation, which leads to rusting.
The problem will not dissipate on its own; as long as air and moisture have access to the underlying metal, oxidation will continue and further rusting will result. The only way to stop this process is to repair the rusted area. In this article, I’ll provide four tips for doing exactly that.
#1 – Removing Bits And Pieces
If the paint is chipped, there will likely be loose ends in the affected area. Remove them by using a coarse sandpaper. Then, use a special solvent that is formulated to remove rust; you should be able to buy this at any auto supply store. Next, wipe the spot down with a few clean hand towels or rags.
#2 – Smooth The Spot
Like any paint job, you’ll need to level the surface before applying a new coat. On your car, the best way to do that is by using a handheld sander, though you can also do it by hand. The key is to sand the site down to the lowest point at which you cannot tell a level difference by feeling the area. Go slowly, especially if you’re using a sander. Otherwise, you might accidentally sand deeper than intended.
#3 – Lay The Primer
Once the site has been sanded to a level surface, tape the area off and apply thin coats of primer. Three or four coats should be sufficient; you’ll need to wait 15 minutes between coats to allow for drying. Allow the final coat to sit overnight.
#4 – Apply The Paint
With the affected spot still taped off, apply four or five coats of paint. Like the primer, apply them thinly and allow a few hours between them for drying. Allow the final coat to dry overnight and inspect your work the following day.
The entire rust-removing process that I’ve described above can be performed easily by anyone. As long as you have the right materials (for example, a sander, primer, paint, etc.), you should be able to finish the entire job over two days. The alternative is to have a repair garage do it, though that route will cost more money. The important thing is that you eliminate the rust before it spreads and fix the site to prevent further oxidation.
