A method for correcting surface and near surface defects in metal components in which the component is first inspected to identify both the site and size of a component defect. Thereafter, it is determined if the defect is correctable by friction stir processing and, if so, the defect is corrected by performing friction stir processing on the component at the site of the defect. Optionally, one of several different sized friction stir processing tools is selected as a function of the size of the defect.