There are a number of ways that your car may get dented. A shopping cart may run into  it, hail may fall on it, or you may be involved in a fender bender. Regardless of how your car came to be dented, you may be curious as to how a professional auto body shop can repair the dent. There are a number of different ways that dents can be removed, depending on the size and location of the dent. Here are a few of the more common ways that auto body shops can remove or pull dents from your vehicle.

Filling in the Dent

One of the ways that an auto body shop can remove a dent in your car is to fill in the dent. A bonding material is used to fill in the dent. The bonding material is then smoothed out so it is level with the rest of your auto body. It is sanded down so it is smooth and then once dry, painted over. This makes it appear as though your car never had a dent to begin with. This technique is typically done if there are numerous dents in one area, such as the kind of damage that can be caused by hail. It is faster than pulling or pounding out numerous dents.

Pulling the Dent Out

If you have a small to mid-sized dent in your vehicle, the auto body shop may be able to pull the dent out. Auto repair shops have auto body repair tools that use suction to gently tug or pull a dent out. The advantage to this technique is that it is relatively fast and doesn't damage the paint, meaning you won't need to paint your car unless there are scratches present. However, not all dents can be pulled out. If the dent is deep or stubborn, this technique may not work.

Pounding the Dent Out

The last common way that an auto body shop can remove a dent from your car is to pound the dent out. If the dent can't be pulled out, the auto body shop may remove the panel from your car, flip it over and then use a rubber mallet or hammer-like tool to pound the dent out. Pounding the dent from the backside can help pound it back into place. However, experience is extremely important with this technique. The dent can be pounded too hard and cause a dent on the opposite side. But, when done correctly, this technique can be effective at removing a large or deep dent.

If your car has a dent that you want removed, contact Suburban Auto Body in St. Paul, MN at (651) 633-8900. We can help remove small and large dents, making your car look good as new.