Auto bodywork is the process of repairing damage to a vehicle’s exterior. This includes dents, scratches, and paint issues. Auto bodywork can be done by professionals at a body shop or it can be DIY work performed by an individual on his/her car.
In this article, I’ll go over the basics of what auto bodywork is and is it hard for a newcomer in the industry to coup up with it.
What is Auto Body Work?
Auto body work is the process of repairing damage to a vehicle’s exterior. This includes dents, scratches, and paint issues. An auto body repairer can do exterior repair, repainting, refinishing, etc. but may not be able to do interior repairs.
All these elements have room for separate discussion but we’ll briefly discuss all these here to let you understand the concept better.
Removing Dents From Car Body
By dents we mean those very common and annoying dents caused by a variety of reasons such as parking in rough areas, moving out from the spots wrongly, etc. Some are even more extreme than this like when someone deliberately damages your car.
Dents are easy to have but not as easy to remove. Repairers need to be careful when removing dents because they may damage the car in some other ways. Generally, he would use a hammer with a block of wood. This is the easiest way to remove dents but not as effective as PDR.
There are more advanced techniques that can be used, too and these are called PDR (Paintless Dent Removal). They use various tools like suction cups, blades, etc. which will carefully extract the dent without damaging other parts of your car’s body. This method is famous for its great factory-like restoration ability.
The main thing to know is that the skill and ability of a repairer matter hugely in how easily they can remove dents for you. This means it may not be as easy if someone else does it instead because they are less skilled, or don’t have as much experience at doing this sort of work.
Removing Scratches From Car Body
Removing scratches from a car’s body can be done in many ways. The most popular and easiest form is by using fine-grit sandpaper or a scratch remover which will effectively remove the thin layer of paint on your vehicle, but this isn’t always effective for deeper grooves.
Another popular method is using a buffer to apply car wax. However, this will only work if the scratches are barely visible.
Resolving Car Paint Issue
Although we are covering these under different subheads, all these are closely related and you may need to get multiple services at a time. Resolving paint issues requires you to resolve dents and scratches first.
Paint job is quite easy unless it needs to be done on edges where detailing is required.
Is Auto Body Work Hard?
Yes, auto body work is indeed hard but only when we talk of painting an entire car because there are different techniques involved to get a flawless finish on one’s automobile. However, repairing minor scratches and dents is not hard at all.
Some of the dents and scratches are easy to fix by any auto owner and don’t require professional services.
Is Auto Body Work Expensive?
Auto body work is not expensive and if it’s minor, you can fix the issue on your own. However, in case of major scratches, dents, and other issues requiring professional attention, auto body shops will charge more for repairing or repainting a car than what an individual would have paid for this job.
How can you tell if the damage on your car needs auto body work?
Car damage is one of the most common reasons why people have to go for auto bodywork. The following are some signs that indicate if your car needs an expert’s touch:
- If you see a dent or scratch in the metal surface, and it doesn’t match with what happened before on that particular spot;
- The paint doesn’t match in any area of the car;
- You can see a crack on the paint and it’s not there before.
The above are just some of the things that you should be looking for to know if your vehicle needs professional auto body work or not. If you are unsure, then consult with an expert first about the best course of action.
What are the benefits & drawbacks of DIYing your car repairs?
The following are some of the benefits to DIYing your car repairs:
- You save a lot more money because you don’t have to hire someone else;
- It’s not as stressful for those who aren’t experts in this field. If anything, it can be fun and enjoyable! You might even bond with friends and family;
- You can learn more about your car and how it functions.
The following are some of the drawbacks or potential difficulties in DIYing your car repairs:
- If you’re not an expert, then there’s a chance that you will do damage to other parts of the vehicle which are irreparable;
- There is a chance that you will have to purchase new parts instead of used ones, which will cost more money;
- It can be tough if you don’t know the right tools and equipment to use. If not properly equipped, then there’s always a chance for things like rusting or corrosion.
Fortunately, there are ways to handle these potential difficulties. We’ll share those in a separate article later.
Conclusion
Auto bodywork is fun if you know how to do it. It is not hard as long you follow the steps and instructions properly. If there are difficulties, you have the option to consult with professionals.
We recommending reading all our articles on auto body work before you jump into any DIY project.