DIY: How to Repair Rust Damage on a Car

There is nothing worse than rust spots on a car that progressively give a vehicle a dilapidated appearance. Learning how to repair car rust can save an owner a considerable amount of money and add value to a car giving a well cared for look.

If a car is well cared for, it is regularly cleaned and it is this cleaning process that highlights all the scratches and small dents that every day use can cause. As the cost of keeping a car in reasonable condition is constantly spiralling, more and more owners are resorting to undertaking the work themselves but learning how to repair car rust is advice that body shop owners do not want you to know.

Any work carried out on the body of a car should be done in a garage away from wind, potential rain and damp. It is also important before any work has started to wear safety goggles, industrial type gloves and, prior to any painting, a face mask should be to hand. Obviously an in-depth inspection should be carried out before any work is commenced. When a particular area is established it should be clearly marked and then the preparation work can begin.

To start with, the rust should be completely removed with a wire brush; when this is done sandpaper should be used until all traces of rust are removed and the bare metal is showing. This process should be completed by using an angle grinder with a metal grinding disk to prepare the surface for the first coat of paint. Extreme caution must be used when handling a grinder as they can be dangerous items of machinery in the wrong hands.

This is the first step of knowing how to repair car rust, ensuring that the area in question is completely dust free and isolating the area to be painted should be done by using masking tape and paper. When this has been achieved, the car is ready for a coat of primer. It is advisable to apply three coats of primer, obviously waiting for the previous coat to dry before adding another. Once this has taken place, the finished coat can be applied. To gain the best result, three to five coats should be applied over a period of time, letting each coat dry before another is applied. As soon as the procedure has been completed, next a wash and some wax, then you are ready to go. This is the simplest way of learning how to repair car rust.