To dent means to sink a surface due to a blow or pressure.
Denting is an action that consists of causing the sinking of a certain surface through pressure or blows . For example: “I'll lend you my car, but drive carefully: if you dent it, you'll be in big trouble,” “After denting the door with a blow, the singer left the hotel furious,” “If you keep hitting the door like that can, it's going to get dented."
The idea of denting usually appears linked to vehicles . The body of cars and trucks is mostly metal. Therefore, when a vehicle is involved in a crash, the bodywork is likely to be dented. Denting a car is not only an aesthetic problem: it also reduces its value. A car that is dented has a lower value than another that, with similar mechanical and technical characteristics, has an impeccable body.
In general, all metal objects can be dented. On the other hand, wooden or stone elements, to name two possibilities, do not dent since, upon impact, they break or fracture. The result of denting is known as a dent : “The truck had a dent in the right front door after the crash.”
How to act after denting the car
Since car maintenance usually generates a considerable financial impact even during seasons when no problems occur, discerning users have developed various techniques to treat and correct dents without having to hire the services of a specialist.
One of the home methods to repair small or medium-sized dents on a car body can be carried out with the following four items, most of which are often found at home:
- Thick rubber or latex gloves. Alternatively, those who want to invest a little more money can opt for industrial gloves, such as those used in jobs that require the handling of sharp objects or substances dangerous to health.
- Dry ice , which is also known as dry ice . It is important to clarify that it is carbon dioxide, and not water. In nature it occurs in a gaseous state, and that is why it does not leave a wet residue when it sublimes.
- Aluminum foil, something that many people use in the kitchen to wrap food that is placed in the oven, for example, so that cooking is more even or more intense.
- A hair dryer that allows you to regulate the temperature .
Having gathered these elements, it is possible to proceed to repair the dent on the car. First of all, we must heat the affected area with the hair dryer, taking care not to bring it closer than 13 centimeters, always at medium temperature. It is important not to overheat the paint .
The second step is to cover the dent with aluminum foil, thanks to which we will prevent heat from escaping and protect the paint from the action of dry ice.
With the help of gloves, we must take the dry ice and place it on the aluminum foil and rub it gently so that the sudden change in temperature causes the surface to shrink . Once the dented area is flattened, a metallic noise will be heard, at which point we can remove the paper and dispose of it properly.
Metal cans can be dented.
Other meanings
The Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) also mentions that denting is the process that is carried out when something is decorated with balls or spherical ornaments.
Finally, it should be noted that buoy (with Y instead of LL ) is a concept that is linked to placing buoys (floating objects that are installed in the water as a signal).