Spring Auto Body Rust Repair Tips

Auto body rust repair is a very common issue with older vehicles in the St. Louis, Missouri area. Dents or scratches can wear away paint and expose metal to the elements. Living in a snowy environment like what we come across in Arnold, Oakville, Imperial, Festus, and St. Louis, MO might also raise the possibility for rust damage, as road salt and other ice removal accelerants can result in rust damage in the long run. No matter how the rust formed, keep these rust repair tips from CARSTAR Arnold in mind to restore your auto body to like-new condition:

Inspect Your Vehicle’s Surface Carefully

The first step in adequately dealing with auto body rust is figuring out the extent of the damage. If you've got a vintage car, you might give consideration to going over all surfaces of your vehicle with a fine-tooth comb. This is because rust won't always materialize as dark-red discoloration. Rather, what you should be trying to find are little bubbles in the painted surface of the vehicle. If these bubbles can be found, it's likely that rust is hiding beneath it.

Removing Rust

Auto body rust repair is nearly always better handled by the auto body pros, like those at CARSTAR Arnold in Arnold, Missouri. However, if you have some auto repair experience and the patch of corrosion is not any greater than four inches in diameter, then it could be possible to get rid of the rust yourself. To do this, you will want to use a sanding disc with 100-grit sandpaper on the affected region. Working gradually, sand away the rust, as well as the immediate area neighboring the corrosion. This will produce an even plane for paint adhesion.

Additional Sanding

When the rust has been gotten rid of, make sure you sand the area with consecutively finer grit sizes. For instance, another pass may include 120-grit sandpaper and a third pass might benefit from a 150-grit sandpaper. Once sanded finely, tack cloth is advised for getting rid of any metal or dirt debris.

Priming and Painting

Three to four light coats of self-etching primer are recommended for auto body rust repair jobs. Before priming, block off the encircling body paint by using newspaper and masking tape. Wait about 5 to 10 minutes before you apply each successive coat. Then, wait until the following day to put on the paint. Apply the paint in a similar, light-coated manner. After 5 to 6 coats, leave the paint to dry out overnight, then come back and remove the newspaper and masking tape. A wash and wax might be useful whenever the repair is finished.