Rust only gets bigger. A small rust spot you ignore this year can cause further corrosion, eating a hole through the metal in a winter or two.
Our Ottawa auto body shop handles car rust repair at every stage, from light rust to rusted-out floors that need new metal welded in, and we cut rust out instead of painting over it.
We’re I-CAR Gold Aluminum certified, CAA approved, and approved by every Canadian insurer. Our workmanship is also backed by the CSN National Lifetime Warranty.
Types of Rust We Repair On Cars
Many shops only fix rust you can see on the paint, or only do the heavy welding underneath. We handle rust repair from start to finish, so you won’t be sent somewhere else if the rust damage turns out to be worse.
Surface Rust
Orange rust spots around chips, scratches turning brown, small bubbles in the paint. It's shallow, and it's the least expensive fix there is.
Panel Rust
Around the wheels, along the bottoms of the doors, and on the strip of metal below your doors (called the rocker panel). Slush packs in around the wheels and rocker panels and sits there all winter. Once the metal wears thin or develops holes, we cut out the damaged section and replace it with new metal.
Structural Rust
The floor of the car, the frame underneath, and other parts that hold the car together. This is where rust starts to make a car less safe. We cut out the rusted metal and weld in new steel; that kind of rust repair calls for the training behind our I-CAR Gold Class Aluminum Certification and 15+ manufacturer certifications.
Our Car Rust Repair Process
Rust that gets painted over comes back. Our rust repair process follows one rule: remove it, don’t hide it.
- Inspection and honest assessment. We check the visible rust and what’s under it, then explain the rust damage and what the repair involves.
- Removal down to clean metal. We grind and sand to bright, solid steel. If rust has gone through, that section is cut out.
- Treating and sealing. We treat the bare metal so rust can’t start again, then seal it to keep water out.
- Rebuilding. We smooth out small dips in the metal with body filler. We replace metal that’s too thin or has holes with new metal, welded in.
- Priming. We apply a primer coat so the paint sticks and lasts.
- Colour-matched paint job. We mix paint to match your car’s factory paint code and blend it into the surrounding area, as part of our standard car paint work.
- Clear coat. A clear top layer protects the new paint from salt, stone chips, and sun.
Larger repairs also go through the quality checks in our 24-point collision process.
Repair or Replace Car Rust? Is It Worth Fixing?
Not every car is worth a rust repair, and we’ll be straight with you about which ones are:
- Surface rust caught early is inexpensive and almost always worth fixing, and it protects resale value.
- Rust on body panels costs more, but it’s usually worth it on a car you’ll keep a few more years.
- Floor or frame rust can cost thousands to fix. That’s when you weigh the repair against the car’s value and how long you’ll drive it.
Before deciding, ask yourself: Is the rust in one spot or all over? Has it reached the frame, the floor, or the metal under the doors? Does the car otherwise run well?
If the repair costs more than the car’s worth to you, we’ll say so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Surface rust mostly affects how your car looks. Rust that goes through the floor, the frame, or the parts that hold your wheels in place weakens the car, including in a crash. Holes in the floor can also let exhaust fumes inside the car. If metal is flaking off underneath, have it checked soon.
In most cases, we can repair it. If the rust hasn’t gone through the metal, we remove it, treat the spot, and repaint. We only cut out or replace a section once it has holes or is too thin to fix.
It depends on how far the rust has spread. A few small rust spots are a quick job, while rust in the floor or frame that needs welding can cost thousands. A written estimate is the fastest way to know.
It can. Under Ontario’s safety inspection rules, a car fails if rust has eaten through or badly weakened the frame or other parts that hold it together, or if a hole in the floor lets water or exhaust inside. You can patch a rusted floor as long as the hole isn’t near the seat mounts or the rocker panels under the doors.
Often, if the car is otherwise in good shape and you plan to keep it. If the rust is everywhere and has reached the frame, the repair may cost more than the car is worth, and we’ll tell you.
Yes. When the floor or the frame underneath has rusted through, we cut out the rusted section, weld in new metal, then seal and protect it so it holds up through another Ottawa winter.
Yes. We mix paint to your car’s factory colour, test it against your car, and blend it in so you can’t see where the repair ends.
Wash it through the winter, including the underside, and touch up chips quickly. Annual rustproofing helps, and paint protection film on the front of the car, where stones hit most, reduces the chips where rust starts. Our winter prep guide covers the rest.
Customer Reviews
Don’t just take our word for it! Here’s what Ottawa drivers say after an auto body repair with Bemac. You can read more on our reviews page.
Roger Grondin
“The repairs to my car were absolutely top notch. The doors all shut perfectly, the paint and clear coat blended seamlessly. My only regret? I should have had the other side of the car repainted at the same time.”
Odai Salman
“… The experience I had with the shop in general was very pleasent, having them being thorough and careful with my vehicle and ensuring that I receive it fully repaired without any damage oversight tells me a lot about how honest, trustworthy, and high quality employees they have. Highly recommend.”
Our Main Locations
- Address: 900 Clyde Ave. Ottawa, ON, K1Z 5A5
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Monday to Friday:
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
- Address: 1615 Laperriere Ave. Ottawa, ON, K1Z 8S7
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Monday to Friday:
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
- Address: 115 Rochester St, Ottawa, ON K1R 7L9
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Monday to Friday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Address: 236-B Vanguard Drive Orléans, ON K4A 3V6
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Monday to Friday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Address: 1440 Cyrville Rd. Gloucester, ON, K1B 3L9
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Monday to Friday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Address: 355 New York Central Ave, Embrun, ON K0A 1W1
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Monday to Friday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Address: 525 Landry St. Rockland, ON K4K 1K7
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Monday to Friday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM -
Friday:
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Address: 174 rue de Varennes. Gatineau, QC, J8T 8G3
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Monday to Thursday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM -
Friday:
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Our Drop-Off Locations
- Address: 1899 Merivale Rd Nepean, ON K2G 1E7
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Monday to Friday:
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
- Address: 2677 Bank St Ottawa, ON K1T 1N1
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Monday to Friday:
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Why Rust Spreads Fast in Ottawa
Our roads stay salted for months, and nationally, about 5 million tonnes of road salt goes down on Canadian roadways each year. Your tires throw that salty slush into every gap and corner of your car, and it keeps eating at the metal long after the snow melts.
Rust moves through three stages:
- Surface rust. A chip or scratch lets water reach the bare metal, and it starts to rust. At this stage, it still comes off cleanly with the right tools and expertise.
- Flaking rust. The rust goes deeper, flakes off, and makes the surrounding paint bubble. The metal is starting to get thinner.
- Rust-through. The rust eats a hole right through the metal. Now the only real fix is to cut it out and replace it.
The catch is that rust often starts where you can’t see it. According to the Automobile Protection Association, most vehicles don’t show visible rust until they’re over five or six years old, and most rust starts inside the car’s body and works its way out.
By the time you see bubbles on the bottom of a door, the metal behind it has been rusting for years. That’s why small rust spots are worth checking now, while the rust repair is still quick and inexpensive.
