What could I use to cover or hide a dent on my new stainless steel refrigerator?

August 31, 2009 4:41 PM

What could I use to cover or hide a dent on my new stainless steel refrigerator? I don't want to spend a few hundred dollars to have it professionally fixed (assuming that was even possible), and I have low confidence in any of these dent repair suggestions working very well.

The dent is on a rounded corner and is about the size of a thumb with a scratch in the middle of the depression. The front of the fridge has a space of about 6" x 9" above the water dispenser. I was thinking of maybe putting up some kind of art with tape that could wrap around to cover the dent or some kind of art sticker, but I'm concerned that could look tacky. I was also thinking about putting up a dry erase board similarly with tape to wrap around and cover the dent.

My style tends to be minimalist, somewhat modern art. In the kitchen though, something food related or Americana/classic restaurant advertising might also work.

posted by willnot to home & garden (9 comments total)

I have no idea if this really works, and if it does, if it would work on a fridge with a small dent, BUT, I did just come across a video showing you how to remove a dent from a car with a hairdryer and a computer airduster...
posted by firei at 5:12 PM on August 31

the theory at work using the hairdryer and airduster is expansion and then contraction of the metal from heating and then rapid cooling. same idea with a hairdryer and dry ice. can work fairly successfully on round, or shallow dents on mostly flat surfaces. I've never tried that method on a heavily rounded corner like the edge of a fridge door. willnot, is this the actual edge of the door itself, rounded to make a 90° bend? If so, it may be worth a try, but I couldn't be sure of the results, especially is the dent is at all like a 'crease' in the metal. worth giving it a try at least though. dry ice is cheap.

failing the removal of the dent, i wouldn't try to cover it up. it's an appliance, a tool to keep your foodstuff cold. dents happen!
posted by Bohemia Mountain at 5:21 PM on August 31

Yes, it's on the actual rounded edge/corner of the door. Given the nature of the dent, I don't think the air-duster/dry ice has a high likelihood of popping it out, and even it if did, I think it would still appear scratched/damaged.

I'm really looking for a cover-up more than a fix. I can appreciate that it's a tool, but it's also decorative (or why pay extra for the stainless steel?), so if I can find an attractive way of covering it that looks better than the dent, then I don't see any reason not to do that.
posted by willnot at 5:28 PM on August 31

You could try putting a small patch of faux stainless steel film over it. It probably wouldn't stand up to close scrutiny, but may not be noticeable if you have enough food inside the fridge to distract people's attention.
posted by orme at 5:31 PM on August 31

How about a set of metal cabinet corners? There are also decorative types made from soft foam and from plastic.
posted by Perplexer at 5:54 PM on August 31

I realized the dent may not actually be on a corner; if it is on an edge, consider a wall corner guard.
posted by Perplexer at 5:59 PM on August 31

Devcon makes metal filled epoxy. I have only used the bronze version,beautiful stuff, I was able to drill and thread my repair.
posted by hortense at 6:12 PM on August 31

Call it patina instead of a dent & voila! - it's fixed.
posted by torquemaniac at 6:43 PM on August 31

I have tried the air duster on a car dent. Didn't work. Dry ice did. Worth a try. Kind of a fun science projecty thing I did with the kids cheering me on.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:47 PM on August 31