Paintless Dent Removal: An Introduction and A Brief History
Paintless dent removal & repair (PDR) is a cutting-edge technique used to remove various sizes of dents, dings, and body creases from the body of an auto vehicle, especially cars damaged by hail. The PDR method can be used on both aluminum and steel panels, which makes PDR a versatile technique.
PDR was birthed in 1931 when Frank T. Sargent wrote a book called, “The Key to Metal Bumping.” This manual has become widely popular. In his book, Sargent describes what PDR is and illustrates how to use the tools for performing PDR.
It wasn’t until 20 years after Sargent wrote his book that news of PDR traveled like wildfire. In February 1960, another pioneer of PDR, Oskar Flaig, used PDR in front of the general public during the International Motor Sports Show in New York City in the United States. With a hammer handle, he pushed out a dent in the body of a show car.
PDR on Aluminum and Steel Panels
PDR is a fast way to get a hail-damaged vehicle back to its pre-loss look. It can be used to repair hail-damaged cars with either aluminum or steel panels.
Experienced technicians at Hail Specialists understand the science behind paintless dent removal. Aluminum and steel are both malleable, which means they can be manipulated without becoming fractured. PDR uses this property to its advantage.
What are the Steps for Paintless Dent Repair?
Inspect the car
Using our unique PDR light, our knowledgeable Hail Specialists carefully inspect your car to assess the damage.
Circle every dent
Next, we circle every dent and damage caused by hail. These are the areas that need fixing.
Massage the Interior of the body
We use tools such as metal rods, body picks, and dent repair tools to carefully massage the dent and push it outwards away from the interior of the car’s body panels.
Inspect the car, circle every dent, and massage the interior of the body.
Advantages of PDR vs. Other Methods
At Hail Specialists, we recommend PDR to customers because it is faster and more efficient than conventional methods.
Here are some advantages of PDR compared to other methods:
- PDR is faster than conventional methods. At Hail Specialists, our PDR process takes 1-3 days, a speedy turnaround. Other methods such as using body filler and replacing parts can take several days to months.
- PDR is cost-effective. With PDR, you will avoid the costs of replacing panels.
- PDR saves your car’s original factory paint. The original paint preserves the value of your car.
- With PDR, there is no need for time-consuming procedures like bonding, sanding, or repainting.
Where to Find Paintless Dent Repair Near Me
We understand that auto hail damage can be unsettling. This is why we exist.
At Hail Specialists, we put our customers at the core of our business. We take care of everything from start to finish so that you can focus on more important things and be stress-free. We even handle your insurance process, pay your deductible, and offer a lifetime warranty.
We currently operate in Texas, Florida, & Colorado -with more states coming!
