Polishing
Not as hard as it may seem. Use the right tools, products & techniques and you can achieve a mirror like finish on your paint. There are some key points before you start. Not all damage to your paint can be corrected and you need to properly manage your expectations. Paint correction is the process of removing microscopic amounts of clear coat. The goal is to get remove the scratches without removing too much clear coat. You have to first asses the depth of the scratch or swirl marks and determine if there is enough clear coat for this process to be affective. Going too deep is always a risk when chasing a deeper scratch. I find that for beginners a light 1 stage correction with reasonable expectations makes for a great result most of the time. Performing a 2 stage correction, trying to get every scratch corrected to perfection is where the real risk comes into play. As with every product or process that you are learning, start in an inconspicuous area. Use the least aggressive method to get to know the paint hardness and a general feel for the task at hand. As you get more comfortable continue into the more noticeable ares. Use a high quality polishing light to inspect and monitor the paint as you go.
This is a comprehensive list of my processes, favorite products and the sources that I believe are best to obtain them. I would always rather support a USA brick and mortar detailing company whenever I can. I know Amazon is a favorite for some so I also left links to Amazon when the products are from a source that I have both used and verified as a 1st quality product and not a cheap knock off or open box or returned item. I appreciate your support when you choose to use any of my links. Thanks alot!
THE FOLLOWING PROCESSES SHOULD ONLY BE ATTEMPTED IN A COOL SHADED AREA OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT!!
Step 1: Decontamination wash the car
Before you begin the paint correction process, always start by washing the car with a proper decontamination process. This will help to remove sealants, as well as dirt and grime that could cause further scratches when you start correcting the paint.
Fill your foam cannon with 2oz of decontamination soap (High PH soap) and the rest water. Fill your wash bucket with 2oz of soap and the rest water. Spray a thick layer of foam on the car and let it dwell as long as possible but not dry. This dwell can last up to 5 minutes if conditions are ideal. Work your way around the car using the normal contact wash process with a wash mitt. Rinse completely with a pressure washer or hose.
Decon Soap Online Store or Amazon
Step 2: Chemical decontamination using Iron Remover
Spray iron remover over the whole surface of the car. You will see purple color changing action indicating the removal of embedded metal contamination that is stuck in the clear coat. Allow to dwell as long as possible but do not let dry. Rinse completely with water from the pressure washer or hose.
Iron Remover Code HAWAIIDETAING for 10% off
Step 3: Mechanical decontamination using clay or synthetic clay
Use a clay bar or synthetic clay to remove any embedded contamination on the paint. Over time, contaminants such as dirt, grime, and tree sap can build up on a car's surface, which can cause problems during the polishing. It is easily identified with a rough feeling surface even when the paint is clean. A proper clay process is effective at removing these contaminants, leaving the paint surface clean, smooth and ready to polish.
Mix up a Clay Lube spray: 128:1 = 1oz Rinseless Wash 1 Gallon Distilled Water. Work 1 panel at a time. Use enough clay lube to have the surface saturated while agitating. Agitate the surface gently with the clay or clay mitt until it feels smooth to the touch.
Rinseless Wash Online Store or Amazon
Spray Bottle Top Tier:
Entry level good quality spray bottle
Clay Towel Synthetic Code HAWAIIDETAING for 10% off
Step 4: Rinse and dry the paint
Its time to thoroughly rinse and dry the vehicle. There are a few ways to dry the car. Air dry via a leaf blower or a mechanical towel dry process. Without any protection on the paint using a leaf blower will be a challenge due to the water sticking to the paint. Do not use any drying aid or lubrication for this dry process.
Step 4: Inspect the paint
Inspect the car's paint thoroughly and identify the areas that need correction. Check for scratches, swirl marks, and other imperfections on the surface, which need to be addressed. To begin Inspecting: Hold the inspection light close to the car's surface and shine the light at an angle to highlight the paint's imperfections. Move the light from one panel to another to inspect the entire car's exterior. The light should reveal any swirl marks, scratches, or other issues with the paint.
Polishing Light Kits:
Basic Polishing Lighting Kit Great entry level kit on a budget. This kit will get you polishing with confidence. These lights will show every imperfection on the paint with ease.
Ultimate Polishing Lighting Kit Every polishing light that you would ever need. Easy to use them all. better to have and not need than to need and not have. Every light in this package is useful if you have the money.
Individual Polishing Lights:
Step 5: Prepare the area
The next step is to prepare the area for paint correction. Tape off the car's edges, such as mirrors, trim, emblems, and door handles. This prevents polishing pads from touching areas that may cause more damage.
Tape for masking and protecting trim
1” Masking tape High quality masking tape that does not leave residue behind. Worth it for sure.
2” Masking tape High quality masking tape that does not leave residue behind. Worth it for sure.
Step 5: Correct the paint
1 Stage Paint Correction (Faster, easier, Less effective at removing deeper imperfections. Good for most people)
A single stage paint correction uses a single polishing process that drastically improves the appearance of a vehicle's paint. This process is typically used on vehicles that have minor defects, such as swirl marks, and light oxidation. It will also revive a more heavily damaged paint surface to a very reasonable finish. Great for most people.
The single stage process uses a lighter finishing polish and pad to gently correct the paint and restore its shine. This type of polish has a gentler abrasive action that removes minor scratches and or defects and helps to restore the clarity and gloss of the paint. It will not be affective cutting through heavy oxidation and deep scratches and could result in excessive work if you try. If reaching a showroom quality is not your goal this process will get you most of the way in half of the time.
Polish the panel with a medium / fine pad and polish. Polish in small sections in a equally distributed cross pattern.
Gently remove polish residue with a clean soft microfiber towel. Avoid using too much pressure, as this can cause micro-scratches and swirl marks.
Inspect the panel and repeat the polishing process as needed until you have removed any scratches and swirl marks.
Completely clean panel with an IPA wipe. Polishing compounds leave behind microscopic particles on the surface. That's where an IPA comes in. By wiping the vehicle down with a solution made up of isopropyl alcohol and water, we can ensure that the surface is completely clean and free of residues. Any residue must be fully removed to ensure proper bonding of any coating, wax, or sealant.
Apply paint protection to the newly corrected paint as desired.
2 Stage Paint Correction (First stage gets the deeper issues and the second stage polishes to perfection. For the serious detailer)
A 2 stage paint correction uses two different types of polish and pads to restore a vehicle's paint to its original condition. This process is typically used on vehicles that have moderate to severe paint defects, such as deep scratches, swirl marks, and heavy oxidation.
The first stage of the process uses a heavier cutting pad and compound to remove deeper paint defects. This type of polish is abrasive and is used to level the paint surface by removing a thin layer of clear coat. The coarser cut from the first stage leaves the paint with a cloudy look that should be easy to remove in the 2nd stage. Think of it as a deeper cut on stage one to remove deeper issues. Stage 2 is a very fine cut that is only intended to correct the cloudiness left behind from stage 1.
After the first stage is completed, the second stage of the process involves using a lighter finishing polish to refine the paint and restore its shine. This type of polish has a gentler abrasive action that removes any minor swirls or defects that were caused during the coarser first stage. The finishing polish helps to restore the clarity and gloss of the paint.
Polish panel with a microfiber cut pad and medium polish. Polish in small sections in a equally distributed cross pattern to ensure equal amounts of clear coat are removed throughout the panel. This course polish will remove small scratches and swirls but will leave the clear coat slightly cloudy. This is normal.
Wipe off polish residue with a clean soft microfiber towel.
Inspect the panel and repeat the polishing process as needed until you have removed the scratches and swirl marks. Clear coat may be cloudy and will be polished to a higher level in the next step.
Repeat the polishing process but this time with a fine pad and fine polish. This will remove any cloudiness left from the first stage. You should be able to achieve an incredibly high gloss finish. Be careful to not chase a scratch to deep as this process does remove clear coat.
Gently remove polish residue with a clean soft microfiber towel. Avoid using too much pressure, as this can cause micro-scratches and swirl marks.
Inspect the panel and repeat polishing as needed until you have removed any cloudiness and or hazing created during the first stage.
Completely clean panel with an IPA wipe. Polishing compounds leave behind microscopic particles on the surface. That's where an IPA comes in. By wiping the vehicle down with a solution made up of isopropyl alcohol and water, we can ensure that the surface is completely clean and free of residues. Any residue must be fully removed to ensure proper bonding of any coating, wax, or sealant.
Apply paint protection to the newly corrected paint as desired.
Polish
Rupes Course Cut. Online Store or Amazon Great for cutting fast. Will need to follow this up with a finishing polish.
Sonax Perfect Finish Finishing polish to bring it to a crystal clear shine.
Polisher
Rupes Online Store or Amazon My personal polisher. Great smooth operating tool. There are others that have tried to imitate this model but they fall short on every measurable bit.
Polishing Pads
Cut Wool Code HAWAIIDETAING for 10% off. Great for corrections where deep swirls exist or a deeper correction is need to get through the problems with less work. Remember when in doubt the least aggressive method is always better.
Finish Rupes Fine Yellow. Great for medium depth corrections where surface level swirls are present but no deep defects exist that would require more cut.
Ultra Fine Finish White. Perfect for turning the freshly corrected course polish into a shiny mirror. Will not cut through swirls and is intended as a jeweling pad.
Microfiber Towels for polish removal
Low Pile Online Store or Amazon
High Pile Online Store or Amazon
IPA Panel Prep Code HAWAIIDETAING for 10% off The absolute best IPA wipe I have ever used hands down. Works great and smells great too.
Microfiber Towels for IPA Panel Prep These color matched ultra plush towels are a great add on for the panel prep.
Microfiber Detergent Online Store or Amazon Video Cut through the complex chemicals and sealants that end up on our microfiber towels you need a true task specific Micro towel detergent. This stuff works great and I have not found anything close in quality. Its inexpensive and lasts forever.
Good To Have But Not A Necessity
Polishing Pad Washer Code HAWAIIDETAING for %10off
Polisher Small (Cordless) Online Store or Amazon
DISCLAIMER:
Before attempting any paint correction, be aware that it is a complex process that requires specialized tools and knowledge. Hawaii Detailing strongly recommends that you contact a professional detailing service if you don’t know what you are doing.
If you decide to proceed, understand that there are risks involved. Any mistakes made during the process can result in permanent damage to your vehicle's paint.
Hawaii Detailing is not responsible for any damage or mishaps that occur during a DIY paint correction. By proceeding with this process, you assume all responsibility for any consequences that may result.
If you are unsure about your abilities or simply do not have the proper skills or tools, contact a reputable detailer in your area.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if any of these links are not working properly Jeremy@HawaiiDetailing.com
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support.