Body Repair Tips

Very often damage occurs on the paintwork of the car (chips, scratches, etc.), that cannot be removed by polishing. In this case, you must do the following.

1. Clean down to the metal of the damage to the paintwork (no body damage). The easiest way is to use a wash composition.

2. Remove rust with abrasive tools such as sandpaper.

3. Degrease the cleaned surface with a solvent.

4. Treat rust residue with a rust converter according to the manufacturer's instructions.

5. Prime the prepared surface.

6. Choose a paint color or contact a specialist for this.

Note. Usually cold-dried enamel is used for painting, as it does not require special equipment for drying (heat guns, technical hair dryers, etc.).

7. Paint the primed surface.

Enamel is applied with a brush or sprayer in three to four layers (less often up to 6 layers).

If a dent has formed on the body (for example, from a blow), first decide which is more efficient: replacing the damaged element (roof, door), its straightening (editing) or just repair damage with putty (for small dents).

Note. Putty is recommended to be placed either on the ground (in the case of a soil converter, this is mandatory), or under it.

The type of putty must be suitable for the type of soil. Otherwise, it will not be possible to achieve high-quality coverage: delamination will occur.

After the putty has hardened, its layer should be leveled with the surrounding surface. This can be done with sandpaper by hand or with a special power tool.


In all cases, stop (mothball) rust, as red rust (as opposed to dross) can grow, corroding the base metal, in the absence of not only water, but also air. In any case, immediately upon detection of damage to the paintwork, the damage site should be treated with a composition of the type «Movil» or similar. It protects the metal of the body from rust; if necessary, it can be easily removed with a rag soaked in solvent or white spirit.

Serious damage in a garage (e.g. after an accident) very difficult to eliminate as it requires special equipment (slipways, etc.), which allows you to restore the correct geometry of the body. Since this equipment is expensive, we advise you to contact a workshop specializing in body repair.

After restoration, the paintwork is best treated with special polishes to give shine and protect against minor scratches.