Table of Contents
What grit sandpaper do I use for Bondo?
First step: Prep the Surface Before applying, paint needs to be sanded to the bare metal. Make sure to sand outside of the repair area as Bondo will need to be spread and applied wider than the damaged area. (36-grit to 220-grit should do the trick for body filler application).
How do I get a smooth finish with Bondo?
Cut and sand Once the Bondo cures, it’s time to sand. Power sanders are OK to break the surface and knock down any high spots, but hand sanding with the body contour is the best way forward. Cut in with heavier grit sandpaper and work out to about 80 grit to leave a tooth for the following skim coats.
How long should you wait to sand Bondo?
A Lot. There are two schools of thought on when to sand filler. If you are doing general bodywork, leveling wavy panels, fixing small dings, etc, then wait until the filler is fully cured, about 20-30 minutes.
Is Bondo easy to sand?
Bondo Fiberglass Resins and Repair Kits are 100 percent waterproof. Bondo Ultimate can be applied directly over sanded and cured primer and paint. This filler remains easy to sand for days after the application.
Can you put body filler on Baremetal?
Before adding any filler, you should get the metal fairly close. For small repairs, you can bog directly over the bare metal. If the repair is larger, or you’re looking for a longer-lasting job, apply a base coat of epoxy primer before laying on the filler.
Should you prime before body filler?
Do not proceed to Primer Filler stage until filled area is even. Adding body filler AFTER primer filler should be avoided to prevent possible adhesion, staining and shrinkage concerns.
Can you Wetsand Bondo?
Don’t wet sand filler. Filler is too absorbant and you can have problems getting it dry plus you could cause moisture to wick through to the metal or weaken the bond between the filler and the substrate.
Do you sand Bondo between coats?
Between each coating, sand the hardened putty with 80-grit sandpaper to remove excess Bondo. The coarse sandpaper will also rough up the surface giving it the tooth needed for the subsequent coating of Bondo to achieve good intercoat adhesion.
Can you paint directly over Bondo?
A direct application of Bondo Ultimate over sanded or cured primer and paint is possible. After applying this filler, it is easy to sand.
How long does bondo take to dry without hardener?
That said, having an idea of how long bondo takes to dry is important whenever you’re planning out a project or repair. When used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, Bondo takes 10 to 15 minutes to dry enough to form a sandable surface. After 45 minutes it’s cured enough to be painted.
How soon can you paint after bondo?
Bondo mixed to the color swatch will begin to cure in less than 10 minutes at room temperature. Too much hardener in a warm environment will reduce working time, but too little in a cool environment can result in maddeningly long curing times.
How long can bondo be left unpainted?
Between life and work, the longest time period the bondo would go Unpainted would be about 2-3 weeks.
What body filler is easiest to sand?
The filler I’ve been using with great results is the 3M Platinum Plus easy to sand and no pin holes . After filling don’t forget to HiFill to level the surface and sand off. If not using HiFill prime then putty sand flat then prime again . There are also a professional range of paint products for timber/wood products .
Should Bondo be primed before painting?
You should use a “direct to metal” (DTM) primer to help top coats stick to the metal but it’s not needed under body filler most of the time. Once the metal is primed then you can apply a “filler primer” (2K) to help hide scratches and minor surface irregularities.
How thick can you put body filler on?
So in the spirit of political correctness and repeating the party line ” Ideally filler should never be more than 1/8″ thick “.
Does body filler stop rusting?
The mere application of body filler over a substrate won’t stop rust, Miller said. Fillers might contain corrosion resistance and slow the process, “but they’re not gonna stop it,” he said. It might leave the body department without rust but sit too long before the paint team addresses it.
Can you put Bondo over sanded paint?
Fillers and putties will normally work OK over properly sanded (80-180 grit) cured OEM paint. We recommend that all paint be removed where filler is to be applied.”Nov 3, 2012.
Can you put body filler over etch primer?
Once the epoxy primer is down you no longer have to worry about rust while doing your repairs – especially since you can apply body filler right on top of it. Then simply respray the areas you worked on to re-seal them.
Does car body filler absorb water?
The filler itself is a complex mixture of goop that contains, among other things, fiberglass (polyester) resin and talc. Talc is hygroscopic (that is, it absorbs moisture) unfortunately, and that’s the reason fillers absorb water. The main solvent in the filler is styrene, which vaporizes as the mixture cures.
Does body filler absorb water?
If you check the MSDS on these products you will see that they still have talc, just like “regular” fillers and WILL absorb water. John, you really shouldn’t be applying that Picklex around the filler, it is bound to get under it and cause big problems.
