How to Repair Car Rust Holes

Cars are prone to corrosion. Older unkempt vehicles tend to develop more rusts than well maintained ones. And when these rusts are untreated, overtime they eat the metal and create unsightly holes. Fortunately, there are simple ways that can be done to repair these holes. Unfortunately, the repair doesn’t guarantee that it will last.

Nevertheless, repairs can still be done to fill up rust holes on your vehicle. There are numerous ways to do this. But the most cost-effective and practical way of repairing these rust holes is by using the fiberglass cloth kit. The steps are relatively easy to follow and carry out. All you just need are a good amount of elbow grease, of course the fiberglass cloth kit, electric grinder and drill, spreader, sandpaper and sanding discs.

Here are the 10 steps in repairing rust holes using the fiberglass cloth kit.

Step 1: Remove all excess trim and loose debris from the corroded part of the vehicle. Cut the rusted metal but leave enough to maintain the overall shape of the body of the car.

Step 2: Using an electric grinder with 24-grit disc, grind all traces of the rust including the primer and paint, just about four inches from the edge of the rust hole.

Step 3: With the use of 100-grit sanding block, sand the affected surface to get a clear and shiny surface. As for the edges of the rust hole, slightly tap them inwards using a ball-peen hammer.

Step 4: Get the release film from the fiberglass cloth kit and cut it about three inches larger than the sanded area. Lay the film over the rust hole. Mark this area with a pencil but avoid wrinkling the film.

Step 5: Cut two pieces of fiberglass matte to cover the rust hole. One piece of this matte should be about one inch smaller than the sanded area. The other piece should be one inch smaller than the size of the first matte.

Step 6: Get the cut release film and spread over it a layer of auto body repair jelly. Make sure that the film is facing outward. Then take the smaller fiberglass matte and place it over the release film with the jelly. Spread more repair jelly to the smaller fiberglass matte then place the larger cloth on it.

Step 7: Then place the entire repair material over the rust hole, making sure that the film is facing outward. With the use of a spreader, smooth it out over the rust hole in an outward motion. Follow the shape of the car body and make sure that you remove all the bubbles.

Step 8: Let the repair material cure overnight. And then the following day, remove the release film. Check if the repair material is completely set. Then sand the repaired area using an electric drill and sanding disc. Complete the repair and sanding using a block sander.

Step 9: If there are low spots, fill them with the filler material. Once the filler dries, file and smooth it out with 80-grit sandpaper.

Step 10: Apply the topcoat and hardener to create a smooth finish to the repaired rust hole. Smooth the topcoat using 200-grit then 400-grit sanding block. This should be enough to prepare the car body for masking, priming and painting.

Remember, this treatment can repair and fill the rust hole up. But this doesn’t give you an assurance that the rust will not return.