Removing Paint Rust From a Car
A rust stain on your car can be detrimental to its appearance and cause great damage. What began as an aesthetic question can be turned into a structural one. Over time, rust can eat through paint and metal, causing parts of the vehicle’s body to fall apart. Irregular spots remain abandoned, posing a safety risk and threatening the structural integrity of the vehicle. Rust damage can also make a car difficult to sell.
- Use an electric hand grinder with a 150 grit sanding wheel to remove rust from your car. This will level the rusted area with the surrounding surface.
- Remove the 150 grit sanding wheel from the electric hand grinder and attach a metal grinding wheel. Slowly apply the metal grinding wheel to the rusted area to remove rust from your car. This process should also eliminate dents and bumps in the area. Turn off the sander and clean the area with a clean cloth.
- Use a piece of 150 grit sandpaper to sand the surface with your hand. Continue sanding until the previously oxidized surface is completely smooth. When you have finished sanding you should be able to close your eyes, run your fingers over the sanded area and not feel any difference between it and the rest of your car.
- Repair of remaining dents or imperfections with putty for car bodies, which can be purchased at any auto parts store. Allow the putty to dry overnight and sand with 150 grit sandpaper until it is soft to the touch and flush with the surrounding surface.
- Frame the outside area that you’ll be painting with blue painter’s tape. Apply a thin layer of car paint primer on the affected area. You can buy primer paint at most auto parts stores. Allow the first coat to dry for 10-15 minutes. Apply three thinner layers of primer paint. Allow the primer to dry overnight.
- Apply three thin coats of automotive paint in the same manner as the first. Remove the tape and allow the paint to dry completely overnight.
- Wax the area you have just painted to protect it from future oxidation damage.
