How to Remove a Dent in a Steel Entry Door

A dent in a steel door can make the overall appearance of the door look poor. Regardless of how the dent was put in the door, removing the dent will improve the overall appearance of the door. Although steel is a heavy-duty metal, it is possible to remove a dent from a steel door. You can remove the dent from the door while the door is still attached to the hinges, but it is ideal to unhinge the door and lay it out on sawhorses.

Things You'll Need

• Wire wheel drill/grinder attachment
• 60 or 80 grit sandpaper
• Auto body filler
• Resin
• Scrap piece of plywood
• Wide putty knife
• 100 grit sandpaper
• Primer
• Paint

Instructions

1. Remove the paint a couple of inches around the dent using a wire wheel. A wire wheel is a coarse brush that attaches to a grinder or electric drill. It is specifically designed for removing paint and other materials from steel surfaces. You can also use a 60 or 80 grit sandpaper to remove the paint.

2. Mix up a batch of auto body filler. Place a scoop of resin on a scrap piece of plywood. Add the hardener to the resin and mix thoroughly with a putty knife. You can buy auto body filler at most home improvement or hardware stores.

3. Fill the dent by dipping a wide putty knife (make sure the putty knife is wider than the dented area) into the auto body filler mixture and smoothing it onto the surface of the dent. The filler will harden rather quickly so you have to work fast.

4. Smooth out the filler over the dented area. Do not leave ridges or humps in the filler. Be sure not to overfill the dent and do not try to even out the filer once it has begun to harden. You can add another layer of filler once the first coat hardens, if necessary.

5. Sand the filler smooth with a 100 grit sandpaper once it has completely hardened. This generally takes approximately 30 minutes.

6. Apply a primer and repaint the entire steel door.

References

• The Family Handyman