How long does it take to repair a small dent in car sheet metal?
2 Answers
If the dent on the car is relatively small, the repair time is approximately one hour. Here is relevant information about automotive sheet metal repair: 1. Material Requirements: Sheet metal materials must have excellent plasticity, meaning the ability to undergo permanent deformation under external forces without being damaged. For cold-worked components, good cold plasticity is required, such as automotive stamped parts; for hot-worked components, good thermal plasticity is necessary, such as hot-forged spring steel plates and hot-riveted rivets. The material should also have good weldability, ensuring high welding strength and low cracking tendency. It should be cost-effective and economically practical. Additionally, it must possess good chemical stability and maintain precise dimensional accuracy and internal quality of the sheet. 2. Concept: Automotive sheet metal repair involves the complete restoration of faulty or damaged vehicle bodies.
That time I backed into a fire hydrant and ended up with a coin-sized dent on the left door. When I took it to the repair shop, I learned there are two ways to fix such small dents: Traditional bodywork requires the mechanic to remove the door panel, apply filler, and repaint the entire surface, needing at least 12 hours to dry completely—longer if it's rainy or humid. The newer paintless dent repair method is much faster. They use specialized tools to push the dent out from the inside. I watched as the mechanic worked with suction cups and pry bars for about half an hour, and the dent disappeared. However, if there are scratches on the paint, touch-up paint is still needed, adding another two to three hours of drying time. Remember to choose a shady spot for the repair—last time, after the fix, the fresh paint bubbled from being exposed to direct sunlight.
