Repair and painting of the body of a car: features, technology and feedback

The body of a car is essentially its supporting structure. He is constantly subjected to stresses. And this is not only mechanical factors in the form of shock and vibration. Every day, the body is exposed to negative influences from external factors. Enamel sand-blasted, burned. In addition, the place of formation of deep scratches there are traces of rust. Of course, all this significantly spoils the appearance of the car. But what is to be done? In this case, rescues body repair and painting the car body. We will talk about this in our today's article.

Body Repair

If there are serious damages, they can not be hidden by applying a new enamel. Therefore, the repair and painting of the car body are made in the complex. There are several types of bodywork, each of which uses its technology. Below we will discuss them in more detail.

Removal of rust

Over time, the body appears foci of corrosion. This is due to the peeling of the paint, which was previously applied to the surface. As a rule, on foreign cars the first rust comes after 10 years of operation, on domestic cars - already after 5. Particularly affected are sandblast sites - wheel arches and edge rapids. Also rust holes for drainage. The recovery technology may differ depending on the scale of the problem. If these are through holes, they are repaired by cutting out a piece of metal and welding new sheets. In the presence of only surface rust, the work is limited to using a zinc converter and a partial putty. The last stage of this body repair is painting. The price for it can be high (up to 100 euros for local color). Therefore, in the article also consider how to apply enamel yourself.

Repair of plastic

It can be:

• Bumpers.
• Spoilers.
• Arches expanders.
• Sill panel covers and other body parts.

Unlike the previous method, welding is not used here. Restoration of elements is carried out with the help of fiberglass with epoxy glue. This material gives rigidity while at the same time leveling the element. It turns out such a patch. But to achieve the most factory-like appearance, the technology requires the use of a putty.

Repair without painting

If the dent has not touched the LKP, then it is possible to restore the old look to the car without the intervention of the spray gun. The easiest way is with the bumpers. They are leveled by heating the plastic with a building hair dryer. Then the surface is bent from the back side. The element takes the desired, factory form.

But with metal, this did not work out. To do this, use special PDR-sets. The technology is to restore the dents in a vacuum. Sometimes a special glue is used, which is applied to the dent, and we set the mandrel in it. In this case, you need to use a bump stopper. How it looks, the reader can see in the photo below. The cost of the kit can be from 10 to 100 euros, depending on the manufacturer and the size of the set.

Painting

Body repair and painting of a body can be made by own hands. But in both cases a specialized tool is needed. And if in the previous case it is a converter, a bulgarian and a welding machine, then an atomizer will be needed here. If the work is done once, it is better to rent it. The painting itself is made in several stages:

• Preparation. First, the car is thoroughly washed out. Also the place of painting is degreased with anti-silicone. All rusty areas are treated with a converter and sanded with sandpaper. First, use a large grain, then - a smaller one.
• Alignment of defects. All dents or welds must be carefully concealed, otherwise it will worsen the appearance of the car. The best material for this is automotive putty. It is mixed with hardener in a tube and applied to the surface with a spatula. Do not apply too thick a layer. Over time, it can crack. After drying, the layer is treated with a coarse, and then with a fine sandpaper. The remaining dust is removed with a rag with white spirit. Please note that after mixing with the hardener, the putty is strongly heated. After a couple of minutes it turns into stone. It is necessary to have time to calculate, otherwise the composition will harden even before its application. Do not mix a lot of putty with hardener. You just do not have time to use the composition in full.
• Application of base enamel. If it is applied to bare metal, it should be primed for better adhesion. The painting itself is done in several layers. The torch should be kept strictly at an angle of 90 degrees. The slightest deviation will provoke an inhomogeneous coating. Move the spray gun at a speed of about 30 centimeters per second. Do not forget about the solvent - with it you need to mix the base paint to achieve the desired consistency. Mix until the liquid drips from the tip of the console. The first layer is a developing layer. It is applied only superficially. This is the thinnest layer. In doing so, try to avoid unpainted areas. Then the paint is sprayed with a thicker layer. The most plentiful is the third layer. Keep the spray gun in the distance. Otherwise, there will be streaks on the surface. Remove them will be quite difficult. If it is metalized enamel, in addition it is treated with lacquer. The latter is also applied in several layers.
• Drying. Like body painting, it should take place indoors. It is desirable that the car at this time is not moved. At a temperature of +20 degrees, the enamel dries in two days. It is also possible to accelerate this process by applying forced drying with the help of heaters. Especially this method is relevant in winter, when using an unheated garage.

Helpful advice

When painting the body, pre-work on the old parts. To understand the fineness of applying enamel can only be in practice. Testing skills on old body elements will help to avoid a lot of mistakes. While painting the body, try not to bring the remote close to the surface, otherwise there will be streaks immediately.