Paintless dent repair, or PDR, reshapes a dented panel without sanding, filler or new paint. When it suits the damage, the car keeps its original finish and there is no color to match.
We use PDR at our Nashville shop for many door dings, small dents and hail dents. It is not right for every dent, so part of the job is telling you plainly whether yours is a candidate.
How PDR works
- Reading the dent. A light board with printed lines is set up so the lines reflect across the panel. Where the reflection bends or pinches shows the exact shape and edges of the dent.
- Getting access. We reach the back of the panel through existing openings, by removing interior trim or a taillight, or by lowering a hood or trunk liner.
- Pushing from behind. Long steel rods with shaped tips press the metal outward in many small, controlled pushes, usually working from the edges of the dent toward its center.
- Glue pulling where needed. When the back of a panel cannot be reached, a tab is glued to the dent and pulled out, then the glue is released without harming the paint.
- Tapping down high spots. Pushing can raise small crowns. These are tapped down with a knockdown tool until the reflection on the light board runs straight again.
Dents that usually suit PDR
- The paint is not cracked, chipped or flaking
- The dent is shallow to moderate and the metal has not stretched
- The area can be reached from behind or will hold a glue tab
- The dent sits away from the folded edge of a panel
- The panel still has its original paint, without thick filler underneath
When PDR is not the right choice
Sharp creases, dents on a hard body line or the hemmed edge of a door or hood, and damage where the metal has stretched are hard to bring back fully with PDR. Cracked paint will still be cracked after the metal is reshaped, and panels with old filler can crack when pushed.
In those cases traditional body work and refinishing is the better path, which we cover on our dent and scratch repair page.
Hail dents and PDR
Hail usually leaves many shallow, round dents with the paint intact, which is exactly the kind of damage PDR handles well. Very large hail can still chip paint or sharpen dents along roof rails. Read more about repairing hail dents on hoods and roofs.
Find out whether your dent qualifies
Upload photos of the dent, including one taken at a low angle so the reflection shows its shape, and we can tell you whether PDR is likely to work or whether the panel needs paint.
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Frequently asked questions
Will paintless dent repair crack my paint?
Factory paint is flexible enough to move with the metal when the dent is worked slowly. The risk rises on older repaints, panels with filler underneath and very cold panels, which is why we check the paint before starting.
Can PDR fix dents on aluminum panels?
Often, yes, but aluminum is stiffer and less forgiving than steel. It takes more care, and some dents that would come out of a steel panel are not candidates on aluminum.
Why would you remove trim or a taillight?
PDR tools have to reach the back of the dent. Taking off a trim panel, light or liner is often the cleanest way in, and everything is reinstalled afterward.
Will the dent be completely gone?
Many small dents can be brought back so they are hard to find. Deeper dents or creases may improve a lot but still show slightly under a light board, and we tell you upfront when we expect that.
What is glue pulling?
It is a PDR method for dents with no rear access. A plastic tab is glued to the dent, pulled outward with a lifter or slide hammer, then released with alcohol, leaving the paint untouched.