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Panel Beaters: 3 Rustproofing Options for Cars

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Rust is one of the greatest foes of your car. Rustproofing is the best way to protect your car from rust damage. As a car owner or potential car buyer, you need to be aware of the various options available to rustproof a car. Here are a few methods that can be used to protect a car from rust:

Undercoating

Undercoating products are specifically designed to protect the underside of your vehicle from rusting. Undercoating is a thick, tar-like, abrasion-resistant coating that protects the underbelly of your car from moisture, salt, dirt, grime, and other damage. Once it has hardened, the undercoating acts as an enduring shield against these deleterious elements.

Undercoating works best when applied to new cars under factory conditions but after the car has already hit the road, this rustproofing method won't be as much effective. The used car may have trapped moisture in its undercarriage and this will cause the undercoating not to discontinue rusting that is already taking place.

Painting

These days, auto body shops sell touch-up paints that offer great rust protection. After rust has been removed from your car, primer is added and then sanded. Once the primed area cures, paint can be applied. The number of paint coatings applied on the primed surface depend on the extent of damage caused by the rust. The greater the extent of rust damage, the more the number of coatings will be required to make your car fully rustproof.

Typically, the spray painting method is used to apply rust paint. For better rustproofing performance, you should install a sealant over the paint finish. The paint sealer is a plastic-like protector that usually contains an ultraviolet blocker, which offers protection against oxidation and fading.

Rust inhibitors

These are rustproofing chemical products that are sprayed on the undercarriage of a vehicle to create a barrier that can keep oxygen and moisture from corroding the metal components underneath. They work pretty much like undercoating but they require to be reapplied a bit more regularly, hence explaining why they are often cheaper than undercoating.

If you intend to keep your car for a long time, then it is important that you get it rustproofed. If you are buying a new car, it is best to get one that has undercoating so that you can reduce the need to regularly use rust inhibitors. Painting, on the other hand, works best for rustproofing older cars that are still in repairable condition.

Contact local panel beaters for help.


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