The Importance of Auto Body Work

Do you have a car with a fiberglass bumper? If that bumper has a bunch of dents and dings, you should consider fixing them yourself. Fiberglass is relatively easy to work with compared to fixing holes in aluminum. This article explains the tools you need and how to patch fiberglass car surfaces like a pro. You don't need to rush out and call an auto body expert just because your bumper has a few scratches.

Using Fiberglass Patch Kit

The most important thing you need for this job is a fiberglass patch kit. Most fiberglass patch kits will include most, but not all, of the things that you need to complete a patch job. A traditional kit will include the fiberglass, resin, liquid hardener, a mixing tray and stick. However, the job is much easier if you also have painter's tape, a plastic putty knife, auto sandpaper and normal scissors.

Prepping the Surface

Before you can apply the patch, you need to prepare the area you're working on. Use the scissors to cut the patch to the right size. Your patch needs to overlap the hole or dent by a few inches on each side. However, if the patch is too large, you will need to use a greater amount of resin to cover it up, making it more visible and harder to blend in. Take a close look at the edges of the damaged area. If the paint seems like it is peeling up, you might need sand down the edges to knock away any loose paint. Then, thoroughly clean the area with a wet rag.

Applying the Patch

At this point you can use the scissors to cut the cloth to the right size. Use a little bit a tape to hold the cloth over the hole. Now you can mix the hardener in with the resin. The gel dries very quickly once the two components are combined.

Spread the resin onto the cloth and peel away the tape once the cloth is being held in place by enough resin. The key to spreading the resin is to put it on thick and then try and smooth it out before it dries. You won't be able to make the resin perfectly smooth until after it dries and you sand it down. If you apply the resin too thickly though, you will have to do a lot of time consuming sanding.

As you can see, patching holes in fiberglass surfaces is fairly simple. Once you learn this skill, you can patch and repair your car bumper and other fiber glass surfaces. For more information, contact a business such as Ohs' Body Shop's Inc.