Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) is possible today because of the superior quality of late model paint finishes. The newer the vehicle, the more likely the paint will move back to contour without breaking. The older the paint finish, the longer UV rays have chewed up the resin and made the finish brittle.

How exactly is PDR performed? The first step is to clean the damaged panel so the dent can be examined carefully from the top side. If the paint cracked when the dent was made or the dent is in the 1-inch border around most panels where the metal is rolled over or doubled thick, PDR won’t work. Dents in the very edges of panels or those on sharply creased styling lines generally cannot be repaired. The most practiced and accomplished PDR Technicians can sometimes work wonders with sharply creased denst. Often times the metal is stretched beyond a paintless repair.

Having cleaned the panel and examined the dent, the next step is to shine a bright light at the panel to get a reflection of the area surrounding the dent. By carefully watching the reflection of the light on the panel, the tech can bring the dent exactly up to contour and not over push the dent. Just like most people in the auto-body industry can spot a paint flaw much faster then the average citizen, a PDR tech can see the metal move much better than someone with an untrained eye. Once access is gained, the dent is pushed around and up with the very tip of the dent-removal tool.

Patience is the most important part of the process. Unlike a body man’s pick that moves metal visibly each time the dent is picked up from underneath, PDR may not visibly move the metal each time the tool is applied to the area surrounding the dent. Instead PDR slowly reforms the metal to its original shape. Using the dent tool to rub gently in a circular motion, it sometimes takes 15 to 45 minutes to remove the dent.

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