Is Your Car In Need of Smash Repairs? The 5 Techniques Involved in Panel Beating

When you get involved in a collision, your car might experience extensive auto body denting that restoration seems hopeless. Fortunately, there are people specially trained at repairing such damage. These specialists are referred to as panel beaters or smash repairers, and the process is called panel beating. Using their skills and special tools, they are capable of putting your car back to its former state.

Several procedures are involved in panel beating, including the following:

1. Stretching Sheet Metal

The first step panel beaters take in restoring your vehicle is to stretch the damaged parts back into shape. Because metal is a tough material, it has to be heated using a blow torch. After it is soft enough, the professional panel beater will then use a hammer to bring it back to shape. The stretching is further done using a dolly or stake where the metal is laid to smoothen and perfect the shape and contours.

2. Metal Welding

If some parts were torn apart during the crash or shaping the dents has proven challenging, welding is necessary. The process of panel beating involves joining the parts using an oxyacetylene flame or an electric arc. The welding process used solely depends on the type of material to be repaired. After welding, the areas have to be cooled to make the metal strong. Metal welding has to be perfected to minimise visibility.

3. Metal Filling

After welding, the remaining areas need to be filled using putty fillers. After mixing up the filler, the panel beater applies it on the dents while giving it shape. This process has to be done fast because the mixture sets and dries up quite fast and cannot be used again. Once dry, the next step is to sand the surface to smoothen it out.

4. Surface Sanding

You need to sand the surface to give it a smooth finish. This process is necessary for the next step, which is to paint the entire body. During sanding, there are two ways to go about it, namely dry and wet sanding. And dry sanding is essential in getting rid of the previous colour, while wet sanding removes debris. Sanding is necessary to achieve an even coloured surface.

5. Surface Painting

This step is the final one in the panel beating process. It involves spray painting the car uniformly to give it a glossy finish. After the entire car is covered in paint, it has to be left in a heated area to allow the paint to set in.

If you had an accident and your car was badly damaged, it can be brought back to shape via panel beating. Therefore, find a local panel beater to restore your vehicle's original appeal. 

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