How does Paintless Dent Repair work?

DATE: 22/09/2016 06:16am | CATEGORY: Blog

Paintless dent repair or PDR is a specialist technique of car dent repair that gently and precisely removes minor damage from cars without harming the original paint or finish. This method requires no body filler or repainting, and can be performed much quicker than a traditional body repair.

How it works

Professional PDR technicians use metal rods and body picks to gently tap or slowly massage your car’s damaged metal back into its original form – effectively removing dings, dents, creases and other minor damage.

How do they achieve this?

First, the PDR technician will start out by tapping the underside of the metal. As they slowly move inward from the outside edge, the dent will gradually become smaller and blend into the paint texture.

Second, if the PDR technician cannot access the dents from the car’s underside, they may use a specially-designed tab and glue to pull the dents out from the outside. This technique may cause the metal to swell. To fix this, the technician will shrink the metal and/or tap it out flat with metal rods.

Since modern cars are made with flexible metals and coated with polyurethane-based paint, paintless dent repair is guaranteed to preserve the car’s original paint job.

Types of damages PDR can fix

Depending on the depth and location of the dents, paintless dent repair can successfully fix many kinds of minor car damage. PDR is perfect for fixing dents that are the size of a golf ball or larger, provided the dent is not too deep or twisted. This includes:

  • Hail damage
  • Minor curbside damage
  • Minor damage from traffic accidents
  • Parking lot door dings
  • Dings from sports balls

Unfortunately, major damage and deeper dents are not fixable by paintless dent repair.

How long does the process take?

A highly effective alternative to traditional body repair, PDR is also relatively quick. Depending on the nature and severity of the damage, PDR technicians will generally take around 1 to 3 hours to complete the dent removal process. However, fixing hail damage can take a little longer – between 1 to 3 days.

If your car has minor damage, get in touch with the Planet Hail team today. We can help you repair car damage quickly and cost-effectively, with convenient paintless dent repair services offered in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast.

For high quality PDR equipment and products, check out our online shop.