Is it Possible to Repair Rust on Your Car without Welding

The oxidation of iron is known as corrosion. A more common term is rust. That is the term that most of us use when referring to corrosion. One of the main reasons why most of us are so familiar with that term is because it often happens to vehicles which is quite unfortunate. Once the iron starts to corrode, it is quite difficult to stop it and expensive to repair. Usually, for this type of repair, mechanics like to use welding. However, it is possible to repair rust on a car without welding.

How? Well, that is why I am writing this article to try and help people get away from the need for welding because it is a skill that needs to be mastered. It is not something that anyone can do. The right tools are needed which is also an issue.

But, no worries, there are multiple ways you could try to repair the corrosion in your car. I hope that at least one of these methods will work in your situation.

Make sure you have the right tools

For any kind of vehicle maintenance, you will need a set of tools, so you will probably have most of these items that I am going to list below. Instead of having to buy a welding torch and pliers to fix your rust, you could just utilize the tools that you already have.

First, you have to make sure that you have the right type of sandpaper because you will be using it to remove the layer of finishing and paint. You should get both 40 coarse and fine grit, just in case.

You will need a rust removal chemical which you can find at the nearest hardware store or gas station. WD-40 works great against corrosion most of the time. If you don’t plan on going shopping, you could try using white vinegar. Mix white vinegar with salt and baking soda. This can prove as a great solution for corrosion.

Next, some protective gear is essential. Gloves, eye protection, and most importantly, a dust mask. Particles from oxidized iron can be very dangerous if they enter your lungs.

A hammer, body filler, paint, masking tape, and a few other essentials.

Remove the rust

Once you are certain that you have all the rights tools, gear, and equipment, it is time to start working on your car. The first thing you will need to do is to remove corrosion on your car. This should take some time, so don’t try to rush it, or you might cause more damage than needed.

First, get the corrosion remover of your choice. Whether it is WD-40, some other chemical, or a homemade solution, it doesn’t matter. Start spraying it or pouring it on the corroded area and get the sandpaper. Use the 60 or 80 great and slowly start scrubbing by applying enough pressure. Naturally, if you do not notice any progress, you could add a little bit more pressure.

Keep in mind, no amount of sanding will make it a perfect job. There may still be some rust left, so if you want this to be done perfectly, it may be just better to resort to welding equipment or services to fix it for you as suggested by Welding.com.au.

Get the body filler

Once most of the corrosion is gone, it is time to start filling up the area. But, before you can start filling all the cracks and holes with body filler, it may be a good idea to do a little bit of sanding with a finer grit. A few minutes with a 600 grit is going to do the job. Do a little bit of hammering too because you will want to be the surface a bit flatter. It is going to make the process a bit easier for you.

Add a few layers of the body filler (properly mixed) and make sure it is evenly spread out everywhere. It needs to be as flat and smooth as possible. It needs to look as original as possible, right? Leave it to try for a few hours and then grab the coarse sandpaper a give it a bit of smoothing. Once it is smooth enough, you can do some final touches with a finer 240 or 600 grit.

Once you are done with smoothing, it is time to clean up the area to prepare it for a layer of paint. Wash it off with 99% isopropyl alcohol thoroughly. 95% alcohol or less is fine too, no worries. You just need the alcohol to keep the area clean.

Apply paint

The harder part of this process is already done and all that is left is to apply the paint. To evenly apply paint, you will need spray paint obviously. Keep in mind, it is essential to ensure that you have picked the right color, otherwise, the whole patched area will look off. Check your car’s manual and see the exact kind of color.

Now, once you have the right color paint, apply a primer and then start spraying. Two or three layers of paint should be more than enough, but you have to take it slow and be careful. One mistake and the result can be quite ugly.

Of course, if you do not feel comfortable doing the paint coating yourself, you could always take it to professionals to do it for you. Since it is such a small area, it will not be expensive at all.

As you can see, it is more than possible to repair rust on your car without welding. However, should you do it? Well, I am not sure that it is the best option. There are tons of mistakes that you could make, leaving you with an unsatisfying result. It is probably best just to buy the welding gear and fix the rust with welding. I know, the gear can be costly, but you will at least be able to easily repair any kind of rust in the future. Or, there is always the choice of taking the problem to professionals.