Process over Product



A wax, sealant or coating can only reflect what is underneath it, so a clean, level well-prepared surface is the most important consideration (85% of a surfaces reflectivity is its preparation) along with applied product clarity. If you apply a product over a surface that is dirty or one that has surface imperfections a wax or sealant will not disguise it, only highlight them.



Surface preparation is one of the most important steps when polishing to achieve an as near as possible flawless finish. If the paint surface is heavily contaminated (Industrial fall-out, Metallic Brake dust, Rust Blooms or Oxidation) it may require a decontamination process (See Paint Decontamination article)



Surface contaminants



Superficially-adhered surface contaminants as the name implies sit just above the surface of the paint. These contaminants become imbedded in the clear coat when the paint is subjected to heat radiation; they comprise; paint residue (oxidation) tree sap and resin, bituminous asphalt (road tar) particles of road dirt (grit) and grime, carbon emissions from catalytic converters, bird excrement, calcium, tar, oil, hard water deposits, calcium or any pollutant type substance that adheres to your paint surface, sometimes invisible the naked eye.



Then why not simply use a surface prep towel or detailers clay to remove surface contaminants; the answer is that a surface prep towel can be used to remove surface contaminant, but a potential problem arises in that organic contaminants (tree resin and sap, honeydew and insect exoskeletons an), which generally comprise much larger particulates than inorganic contaminants (rail and brake dust, bitumen (tar), etc) and therefore have greater potential to cause surface marring between the surface prep towel and the paint as the towel is moved across the paint surface.



Given that some contaminant residue (acid rain, industrial fallout, sintered brake or rail dust) are usually highly acidic and / or will permeate a paint surface, it makes far more sense to remove them chemically and neutralize the paint surface rather than by using an abrasive polish, as dissolving them using a paint decontamination system and then rinsing them away virtually eliminates the risk of causing surface scratches



Always use the least abrasive product / foam pad combination before ‘stepping-up’ to something more aggressive. The most important first step in the process of paint surface detailing is diagnosing the paint surface; density of clear coat (hard or soft) or single stage paint, surface condition; ascertain the severity of the surface blemishes with an inspection light and the paint thickness available, measuring with a paint thickness gauge (PTG) will dictate the choice and abrasiveness of polish / compound for correction or renovation level required or indeed possible.



Assess the correction level working through the range of polishes from the lightest abrasive upwards until the desired level of correction is reached. Selecting the correct pad / polish combination for the vehicles paint / defects can take just as long as the paint correction process



Before polishing a paint surface ensure the surface is free from both surface and sub-surface contaminants. This is vital; if your car is covered with metallic brake particles you will introduce new scratches in the surface whilst polishing it. Always clay before you polish.



The paint surface should be as clean as possible, this will ensure that nothing comes between the polishing pad and the surface to interfere with the abrasives and the pads will not get clogged with surface debris. After polishing a wipe down allows you to inspect the surface to determine if the surface is defect free or if further work is required.



Compounding, Polishing and Finishing are all different polishing methods that do not necessarily have to be applied consecutively. The appropriate combination of polishing steps depends on colour and quality of the coating as well as on the required quality of the surface.



Never mix polishes on a foam / wool pad and never use a pad that been used for compounding for polishing unless it’s been washed as there may be compound polish residue that will be too aggressive for polishing



Prior to the polishing process; you’ll need to remove the old paint protection and any oxidation first so you can get down to the bare paint where these contaminants have attached themselves, the paint should already be washed and clayed for maximum results, then using a chemical paint surface cleaner as any dirt and or oxidation on the paint can interfere with the polish.



When polishing or compounding to remove fine swirls or holograms, it`s easy for polish residues (oils, wax, silicone, etc) to settle in the swirls, hiding the true paint finish.



Wiping the finish with a Micro fibre cloth you may feel that the swirls have been removed, only to have them reappear when applying the final wax or sealant. After polishing a section, mist and wipe to fully remove residues and reveal the true paint finish.



a) Polymer sealants will not form a proper monocular bond with a paint surface if there are any oils or moisture present and it will affect durability.



b) Silicone will cause surface smearing and will also affect durability



Paint Surface Cleaning



Vehicle manufacturer studies have shown that failure to remove environmental contaminants, like imbedded rail dust, acid rain, industrial fallout and other environmental contaminants from a paint film can cause premature degradation of the paint system.



There are three distinct type of paint cleaner; Abrasive, Chemical (solvent) and Chemical (acid)



a) Abrasive - Detailer’s clay Automotive clay is not a replacement for polish or a compound; it is a pliable, petroleum resin product, containing a mild abrasive(s) i.e. kaolin, silica sand, calcium carbonate, alumina, ceramics quartz and also silicon carbide that polishes and exfoliates bonded surface contaminants.



Detailer’s clay will remove most but not all of the iron particulate that is the cause of the rust "blooming", to for a corrosion decontamination system to be effective requires the complete removal of all particulates and the corrosive acids they generate that have penetrated the paint surface system.



These abrasives are extremely small with an average particle size of 1- (micron) dependent on the aggressiveness required, mixed in with a powdered synthetic detergent. The abrasives `shear` the surface contaminates, the sheared particles are then encapsulated by the clay (i.e. the top of the metallic particle leaving the rest embedded in the paint, which acts as a conduit for moisture to the various paint layers, allowing it to continue generating corrosion damage) While clay products are useful for overspray and cleaning surface contaminants, it cannot permeate and deep clean the pores of the paint. (See also Decontamination and acid Neutralization)



Zaino Z-PC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner - a water-based formula with tri-particulate, diminishing abrasive system (no fillers or oils) which allows you to use the oxidation you`re removing as an abrasive that removes minor scratches, swirls, oxidation, wax build-up and other surface blemishes



b) Chemical (solvent) - formulated with solvents and / or very fine abrasives (Kaolin or China Clay) Most of their cleaning ability is provided by the cleaning solvents, not the polish. Used to remove old wax, embedded dirt and light stains from paint; they help to restore gloss and remove light surface imperfection (oxidation, paint stains, marks left from bird excrement, water ‘spots’, and etc). They are designed to be used as often as required without measurably reducing paint thickness. Some paintwork cleaner’s act as `All in One` products, so not only do they clean and polish, but also provide limited protection



P21S Paintwork Cleanse, a gloss-enhancing chemical cleanser that contains fillers (Kaolin or China clay) will remove old wax, light swirls and oxidation. It can be applied by hand or with an orbital polisher. Paint cleaners are designed to remove old wax, oxidation, embedded dirt and light stains from your paint surface. They can remove micro-marring of the surface (i.e. light towel marks) but typically will not remove imperfections that require levelling the clear coat, but can remove some oxidation and mineral deposits.



Chemical solvents paint cleaners are good to use if you want to prep the paint surface prior to applying a wax (without polishing). My preference would be to use an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or DuPont’s PrepSol as they don’t leave any (silicone / mineral) oils or etc behind, as these can cause problems when polishing if they are not removed



c) Chemical (acid) - decontamination and acid neutralization system, ValuGard is the most recognized and one of the few OEM approved chemical neutralization system in the industry. While clay and chemical cleaners are useful for cleaning the paint surface they cannot deep clean the pores of the paint, or neutralize rust spots. This can be accomplished with a chemical cleaning acid and neutralization system.



Schedule: every three or four months (dependent upon environmental conditions and vehicle exposure) more often on light colour paint. To optimize the reflective properties and appearance of the paint surface, it is best to regularly remove both imbedded and surface contaminants and dirt.



Test Panel Area



Diagnosis is the key; not guesswork; as differing density (hardness) of paints react differently to correction, so before beginning to polish measure the paint thickness (PTG) panel by panel to ensure that you do not select an aggressive polish that will remove too much clear coat



The key to the polishing process is to know how the paint will react with each pad / polish combination you consider using. You must know your product and what its capabilities are before using it. This is why a ‘test’ spot is so important. The factors that affect the outcome -speed, friction (kinetic energy) applied pressure, foam pad actual surface contact area, pad grit number (abrasive ability) amount of surface lubrication available, the surface area and heat conductivity of material



Select a ‘typical’ panel; one that represents the type of defects that you want to remove and the finish level required. Select an area of 18 x 18-inches and tape it off with painter’s tape, as this is an optimal working section to perform a product test spot; this will help establish a polish – pad combination that will produce the best possible finish that corresponds to your detailing goals for the vehicle. Pay attention to how the paint is responding to your inputs. Stop and evaluate your progress, once this is established; repeat the process over the entire paint surface, adjusting abrasiveness for any low paint thickness.



There may be some areas that have deeper scratches, which will necessitate a more abrasive polish. This is known a ‘spot-correction’. Once this area(s) are completed revert to the original polish / pad combination, there is no need to remove any more clear coat than is necessary



Ensure you carry out a `wipe-down process to ensure the chosen polish is removing the flaws as opposed to `filling` them



Related Articles:



1. Before you Start Machine Polishing - http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...polishing.html



2. Clear Coat Thickness and UV Protection Removed by Polishing - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...ml#post1448231



3. Foam Pads I - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...am-pads-i.html



4. Foam Pads II - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...ml#post1451155



5. Foam Pads; Selection and Use - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...ml#post1462115



6. Paint Density (Hardness) - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...-hardness.html



7. What polish / pad combination to use - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...ml#post1448466



8. Polishes and Compounds - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...compounds.html



9. Wipedown Process - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...ml#post1454298



10. Surface Inspection Lighting - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...ml#post1468458



11. Paint (Solvent / Alcohol) Swelling – http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...-swelling.html



12. Paint Thickness Gauge (PTG) - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...ml#post1454624



13. “Nanoskin Surface Prep Towel” - http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...rep-towel.html



14. “ValuGard Paint Decontamination System” - http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...on-system.html