Nothing is more frustrating than finding a dent on your car, especially if it happened when you weren't around. Bodywork can be expensive and can take a long time to complete. Fortunately, you have the option of a paintless dent repair to fix those imperfections on your vehicle. The following are some things you should know if you are thinking about paintless dent repair:

How Does Painless Dent Repair Work?

Paintless dent repair is a less invasive method to repair dents and body damage. This works when the vehicle's paint is still in good shape. The primary benefit of paintless dent repair is that it is much less expensive than traditional repair methods. The vehicle will not need to be painted, so you do not have to worry about the colors matching and devaluing the car.

What Type of Damage Can It Repair?

Paintless dent repair can be used for a variety of damage as long as the dents are fairly shallow and the current paint is still in good shape. Damage, including hail damage, minor collisions, rock strikes, or parking accidents are among some of the most common problems that paintless dent repair can fix.

Can Certain Types of Damage Not be Fixed?

Unfortunately, not all paint damage can be repaired with paintless dent repair. Any damage that has scratched the top coat of the paint will be difficult to repair. Additionally, damage including chips, cracks, peeling paint, or bubbling paint cannot be repaired because this would require repainting of the surface. This type of damage has to be covered in new paint to prevent rust development on the body of the vehicle.

How Do You Repair Damage with Paintless Dent Repair?

Auto body professionals use special tools to help extract the dents on the car. The technicians will first look at the back of the panel and use tools to press the dent out so the surface is even. Some of the specialized tools for this work include a rubber hammer, brace tools, tap downs, pivot tips, and fender rods. Technicians also use a special light and reflection tool to ensure the repair is flawless. If the dent is too deep, paintless dent repair techniques can still be used, but the technician may have to also use some filler, sand it down, and paint it. This is not paintless, but it is a less expensive option than repainting or replacing the entire panel.

For more information on paintless dent repair, contact a local auto body shop.