How to Do Car Paint Correction
Does something like this come to mind for you right now? You just finished giving your car an hour to wash it by hand, let it air dry afterward, and use the most expensive car shampoo on the market. You take a few steps back to admire the glossy paint on your car. And then you notice what appear to be very small spiderwebs embedded in the paint. As soon as you realize that the only option is to polish or otherwise correct the paint on your car, a frustrated expression instantly appears on your face.
Washing, spray-coating, or hand-waxing your car are all everyday automobile maintenance tasks. And if you are a typical car enthusiast, you are probably comfortable with all three tasks. However, many of us immediately hesitate when polishing or buffing a car as part of the correct paint correction. And there is a perfectly rational explanation for this worry.
What Is Car Paint Correction
The process of removing flaws from a vehicle’s finish and making it look better than new is known as car paint correction. These flaws include but are not limited to water spots, etched bird droppings, automated car wash marring, fine scratches, and hologramming from improper washing techniques.
The only way to effectively remove scratches from your vehicle’s paint is to perform a process called paint correction. This process involves using machine polishers, a variety of different polishes, and graded pads. A car that has been fully corrected will only show its accurate reflections when observed in sunlight. Swirl marks, scratches, and other imperfections won’t be visible to the naked eye.
Performing polishing in multiple stages is frequently required to achieve complete correction.
The first is the most abrasive, and the last is an excellent finishing polish. The initial, more coarse stage of polishing eliminates the deeper scratches, and the subsequent, more finely granulated stages of polishing eliminate the lighter surface abrasions caused by the initial, more coarse stage.
It is vital to distinguish between paintwork subjected to genuine correction and paintwork treated with substances designed to cover up surface flaws, such as an all-in-one polish. Paint correction shouldn’t be called this because the fillers in the product still need to remove the scratches or blemishes. Over time, the stuffing will wash away, which will cause the scratches or blemishes to become visible again. This shouldn’t be called paint correction, even with no visible scratches or marks. When paintwork is corrected correctly, a minimal amount of the clear coat, along with the scratches and swirls that are otherwise permanent in the clear coat, is removed. It causes the reflections to have an impeccable level of clarity.
Painting over minor blemishes and flaws in the car’s clear coat is known as paint correction. The detailer or you would cut into the clear coat of a vehicle’s paint using an electric polisher, a microfiber buffing pad, and a unique cutting compound until the scratches are leveled or removed.
How to Do Car Paint Correction
There is no need to worry if everything is done correctly and slowly. However, if you attempt to rush the job, you may harm the clear coating beyond the point of repair. If you want to apply a nano-ceramic coating or paint protection film to a car, you must first correct the paint job.
Paint correction can be divided into several stages based primarily on the degree of damage to the clear coating.
Stage 1
This one needs no explanation. The polishing process only requires one step when utilizing a pad and a cutting compound (or liquid polish). Small marring and swirl marks that have been lightly removed are intended to be removed by the single-stage paint correction.
Stage 2
Stage 2 is the next step, when moderate or medium swirl marks and scratches are embedded in the car’s clear coat. At this point, you’ll use two (2) different polish and pad combinations. Typically, a more abrasive polish is used first, followed by a finer compound to remove any light scratches left by the first step.
Stage 3
If you see yourself in this situation, conducting careful research and seeking professional advice would be wise. The car’s paint job has significant swirl marks, marring, or other flaws; this is a three-step program. The first step entails using a powerful cutting compound, a machine polisher, and a polishing pad to attack that paint damage seriously. After the second step, the damage should be repaired using a light polishing compound, gradually reducing the grit.
Common Paint Flaws
Swirl Marks
By far and away, this is the most common problem that detracts from your car’s appearance and requires hours in our shop to fix. Describe them. Improper washing and maintenance methods caused thousands of surface scratches.
Remember how we described buffing? That’s what buffer haze, also referred to as holograms, is. That’s it! In actuality, it has the opposite effect! This flaw results from incorrect machine polishing, typically performed by panel/paint shops, hand car wash cafes, and car dealerships using rotary polishing machines and the wrong pad(s) or products on your paintwork. In essence, rather than leaving the paint flawless, the polishing machine creates tiny scratches on the surface of the paintwork. Watch this during your new vehicle delivery inspection because it frequently happens to new cars.
This paint flaw, known as water spots, can occur in one of two ways: either a mineral that was dissolved in water has been deposited on the paintwork after the water evaporated (for example, the calcium in your car’s tap water has dried and left behind the minerals in the shape of the dried water droplet), or a chemical has etched spots on the paintwork. Also, this flaw is very typical of window glass! You should always wash your car when it’s cool and out of the sun, never rinse or dry it, and always do so as soon as it gets dirty, especially after a light rain. This type of defect is, unfortunately, straightforward to acquire.
When you use a microfiber cloth to dry the paintwork after it has been wet, this type of flaw is prominent (the paint does not look too dry and shows spots).
Bird or bat droppings
This paint flaw is one of the worst because it frequently needs wet sanding and is not always fixable with detailing (the biggest reason to get ceramic paint protection right here). According to what was said, this occurs when the acids from the droppings etch into the clear coat and occasionally even eat right through to the metal! Be careful where you park the car and wash off droppings as soon as you find them. This defect is sadly understated but is the most serious of the bunch, with limited ability to repair it unless painted.
Paint oxidation
Just when you thought the bad news was over, something else bad happened: paint oxidation. Yes, the sun and environment can cause paint to fade, become dull, and even change color!
Older red cars turn pink, and white commercial vehicles turn chalky white due to paint fade, known as oxidization. It explicitly affects single-stage paintwork (solid color without a clear coat).
To correct paint flaws and improve the appearance of paintwork, abrasive pads and product combinations are used scientifically in conjunction with machine polishing systems. We can and will fix the flaws mentioned above or, at the very least, significantly improve them. We do this by using polishing machines and the countless combinations of different pads, discs, and abrasives!
If your car has any of the flaws mentioned above, paint correction will be necessary to make the paint look as good as possible. Yes, paint correction won’t be able to fix every flaw and won’t be able to remove every mark. However, improvements to your car’s finish and appearance can increase its value in the long run.
Machine polishing aims to remove flaws from the vehicle’s painted surface.
It’s a service typically carried out to get a car ready for film or coating that will protect it. The procedure is always customized based on the type of paint, surface flaws, and the customer’s request. The detailer will polish the car to get rid of a few minor blemishes like:
- Removing minor blemishes
- Remove any swirl or spider web stains.
- Remove stains caused by animal waste (bird droppings and bug splatters)
- Delete calcium stains (water spots)
- Poor DIY protective solution installation can cause damage or high or low spots.
- Removing ceramic coatings, paint sealants, or wax from painted surfaces
Existing ceramic coatings can be removed using some liquid chemical products. However, the risk of employing these products is comparable to the risk of over-polishing. This is because it can harm the clear coat of the paint on the vehicle.
Does the Clear Coat Come Off After Paint Correction?
Basically, YES. Polishing requires a cutting compound, a gritty substance. When the electric polisher is turned on, the polish liquid or paste is evenly applied to the vehicle’s painted surface. This causes friction that will cut through the clear coat of your paintwork. The polishers come in various grit levels. Some are made to fill scratches, while others are made to remove clear coatings until the scratches are gone.
It introduces the potential risk that we previously mentioned.
If the scratch is deeply cut into the clear coat, it is preferable to seek advice from a professional detailer or auto body repair shop before removing the damage. Protective coatings won’t adhere to the surface well if the clear is sliced too thin. Furthermore, the paint won’t “pop” or shine as brightly as you’d like.
Does Polishing Have to Come Before Ceramic Coating Application?
It all depends on how well the car’s paint is doing. No matter the formulation or method used to apply the coating, the purpose of a ceramic coating is to bond to the surface, harden, and create a protective layer. When the coating dries, it becomes transparent and behaves like glass, enhancing the paint underneath.
This means a matte finish will have more depth while a gloss finish will appear “more glossy.” Any slight or difficult-to-see scratches will be accentuated or amplified. Any swirl marks will be visible rather than hidden. One of the most prevalent misconceptions about DIY ceramic coatings and other paint protection coats is that they fill in scratches and enhance the condition of the paint.
Unfortunately, only car paint correction makes that feasible. As a result, it is strongly advised to have a professional detailer polish and buff the paint as part of the preparation work if there are ANY flaws in the vehicle’s paint surface.
Do Small Scratches Need to Be Polished Before PPF Is Applied?
The scratch and paint protection film brand type will determine the response to this query. If the PPF is nanotechnology-infused, you can fill in minor paint damage with the adhesive. For significant flaws, body repair or paint correction will be necessary.
What Should You Use to Prevent Future Damage to Your Car?
While conventional car wax and synthetic paint sealants have long been the standard practice, modern technology has made several more durable substitutes available. Paint protection film or professional-grade ceramic coating are the best options. This is true if you want the best defense to lessen the possibility of swirl marks on the vehicle’s surface. To ensure that your car paint correction is done accurately, you can rely on the professionals at American Dreams AZ to do the best work! Contact us today!
