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What Polish Should I Use?
Somewhat surprisingly, paint hardness actually varies significantly between different makes of car, and also in some cases between different ages of the same make and model of car. The reasons why this is so are quite complicated, but suffice to say it is extremely important that paint hardness is properly taken into account when polishing, because if it is not then inappropriate polishing products and pads may be selected that either remove too much paint or turn out to be completely ineffective ...
As we alluded to in our guide entitled 'What does polishing do?', paint hardness varies significantly between different makes of car, and also in some cases between different ages of the same make and model of car. In the former case this reflects a market structure in which just three major paint manufacturers (BASF, Dupont and PPG) offering significantly different ranges of paint products are continually competing for OEM supply contracts with major car manufacturers. In the latter case this reflects industry wide changes brought about by either legislation concerning what can and cannot be used in automotive paints or technological advances concerning the properties of automotive paints. In recent years, the switch from solvent-based to water-based paints on vehicle production lines and the uptake of ceramic nano-particle clearcoat technologies are good examples of this. A further compounding factor to the understanding of paint hardness occurs in cases where vehicles have been partially or wholly resprayed, as bodyshops use entirely different paint systems to those originally applied in the factory, and these have significantly different properties. What all of this means for car care enthusiasts wanting to polish their paint is that due thought and consideration should be given to choosing a polish and pad combination best suited to the task in hand, as paint hardness does vary considerably from car to car and, in some cases, from panel to panel! This being the case, the key questions remain; how do you determine how hard paint is, and what polish and polishing pad should you be using?
As is often the case in industries where a degree of secrecy exists with regard to OEM supply contracts, there is no reliable data source available that identifies which paint types are used on which factory production lines; this applies to the past and the present day, and will probably be the case in the future too. However, even if such technical data were freely available, it would in all probability be meaningless to car care enthusiasts, as it would probably not identify paint hardness per se as a characteristic, or report on commercial polish suitability. Thus, the answers to both questions posed above can only really be provided by real world hands-on experience of polishing many different paint types using many different commercially available polishes and polishing pads. Indeed, this is exactly how we have acquired our own in-depth knowledge of paint types and how best to polish them, and we are happy to share our experience so that enthusiasts may benefit and achieve excellent results safely and effectively without wasting time or risking paint damage through trial and error. Accordingly, what follows below is a brief overview of our knowledge concerning typical paint hardness on UK specification cars, along with a reference table in the form of a pdf look up table that will enable you to quickly look up how hard the original paint on your car is likely to be. Once you have determined how hard your paint is likely to be, the rest of the questions in this guide will then help you to choose the polish and pad combination best suited to the task in hand.
Paint hardness (or more properly clearcoat hardness in the case of most modern paint systems) can be readily divided into three categories; soft, intermediate and hard. Soft paint is usually found on Japanese cars, some Italian cars, and, more recently, on most Vauxhall models (especially the VXR range). Light to moderate sub-surface defects in soft paint are typically quite easy to correct by hand or machine in a single step using either a high quality medium abrasive polish or a high quality light abrasive polish respectively, but care must always be taken to limit the paint removal rate, as total paint thickness is usually relatively low (typical range 70-100 microns), particularly on the leading edges of major panels. Soft paint is also highly susceptible to micromarring, which is the technical term for fresh sub-surface defects inflicted during the polishing process as unbroken down abrasive particles are continually moved around at the interface between the pad and the paint, leaving a faint pattern of very tightly defined swirl marks. Severe micromarring can be difficult to correct, and for this reason we recommend that soft paint is only ever polished using products containing fragile abrasives with light to moderate cut levels that breakdown easily, along with thermally reticulated polishing pads in order to limit the overall level of cut.
Paints of intermediate hardness are most common on UK specification cars and typically require a single stage machine polishing process involving a high quality medium abrasive polish if light to moderate defects are to be fully corrected. Total paint thickness on intermediate paint types is usually greater (typical range 90-120 microns) than on cars featuring soft paint, meaning that greater rates of paint removal can be safely tolerated if required. When working on paints of intermediate hardness, the risk of causing micromarring is usually lower, due to the greater surface resistance of the paint encouraging full and proper breakdown of abrasive particles during the polishing process. In general, we recommend that paints of intermediate hardness are polished by machine using products containing robust abrasives with light to moderate cut levels that breakdown relatively easily, along with firmer types of thermally reticulated foam polishing pads in order to provide a small amount of mechanical cut. As a general rule of thumb, most resprayed paint that is chemically cured and baked in a bodyshop booth at 60°C will also be intermediate in terms of hardness, and should be polished in the same way.
Hard paint is usually found exclusively on German cars and tends to be quite difficult to correct, even if the sub-surface defects present are relatively light. In recent years, the uptake of ceramic nano-particle clearcoat technologies by many German car manufacturers has resulted in the paint on these cars becoming even harder and thus even more difficult to correct. Total paint thickness on hard paint types is usually greater (typical range 110-140 microns) than on cars featuring either intermediate or soft paint, meaning that greater rates of paint removal can be safely tolerated if required. In all cases, a two stage machine polishing process involving light compounding followed by a refining step with a high quality finishing polish will be required if light to moderate defects are to be fully corrected. We recommend that hard paints are polished using products containing robust abrasives with moderate to high cut levels that breakdown slowly, along with firm non-reticulated foam pads in order to maximise the amount of mechanical cut on offer. If defects persist, recourse can be made to using ultra-coarse compounds and harder pads offering even greater levels of cut, but care should be exercised as such products obviously increase the rate of paint removal and are more difficult to use.
How hard is my paint?
To correct swirl marks and other light to moderate defects (fine scratches and etching) on your car, we recommend a two stage process starting with Menzerna Power Finish (203S) in conjunction with Lake Country Light Cut Hand Pads. Working small areas at a time using firm pressure should enable you to correct around 90% of the defects present in just 1-2 attempts per panel. Any remaining defects should then be partially hidden and the overall finish refined with Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish in conjunction with Meguiar's Microfibre Applicator Pads. Working on small areas at a time using light pressure should enable you to partially hide any remaining defects and maximise gloss in just a single attempt per panel. You should be aware from the outset that although this method will yield good results, it will require a significant amount of hard work!
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To correct swirl marks and other light to moderate defects (fine scratches and etching) on your car, we recommend a two stage process starting with Menzerna Power Finish (203S) in conjunction with Lake Country German Light Cut Hand Pads. Working small areas at a time using firm pressure should enable you to correct around 70% of the defects present in just 1-2 attempts per panel. Any remaining defects should then be partially hidden and the overall finish refined with Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish in conjunction with Meguiar's Microfibre Applicator Pads. Working on small areas at a time using light pressure should enable you to partially hide any remaining defects and maximise gloss in just a single attempt per panel. You should be aware from the outset that although this method will yield good results, it will require a significant amount of hard work!
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Being brutally honest, you have almost no chance of correcting swirl marks and light to moderate defects (fine scratches and etching) on your car by hand. The best you could hope to achieve making multiple attempts per panel with a light compound like Menzerna Power Finish (203S) in conjunction with Lake Country Light Cut Hand Pads is around 50% correction, and even this would require a huge amount of time and effort to achieve. Therefore, our advice is to consider alternative options such as glazing, machine polishing or using the services of a professional detailer. Layering filler heavy glazes such as R222 Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser or Poorboy's Black Hole Glaze with Meguiar's Microfibre Applicator Pads can give the illusion of a reasonable level of paint correction for relatively little effort, and this effect will usually last for between three to six months at a time if a good quality last step product is used regularly to protect the resulting finish. Investing in a machine polisher makes more sense if a high standard of permanent correction is desired, but considerably more time and money will have to be invested in both products and the learning of new techniques. For those enthusiasts desiring a high level of correction but not wishing to entertain the idea of machine polishing their own paint, using the services of a professional detailer to get the paint back up to standard can be an equally cost effective way forward.
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To correct swirl marks and other light to moderate defects (fine scratches and etching) on your car, we recommend using Menzerna Super Finish (85RE) on Lake Country Constant Pressure Polishing Pads (140 mm pads on a 125 mm backing plate for larger flatter areas and 100 mm spot pads on a 75 mm backing plate for smaller more awkward areas). Working at around 4000-5000 orbits per minute (speed 4-5 on most dual action machine polishers) using light to moderate pressure should enable you able to correct around 95% of the defects present and produce an ultra-sharp high gloss finish, which you should then protect using either a good quality sealant or wax. To get an even higher level of correction, or to tackle any remaining deeper defects, you should switch to Menzerna Power Finish (203S) on Lake Country Constant Pressure Light Cut Pads (140 mm pads on a 125 mm backing plate for larger flatter areas and 100 mm spot pads on a 75 mm backing plate for smaller more awkward areas). This product and pad combination offers more cutting power, but should be used sparingly, as the rate of paint removal increases significantly (there is rarely any need to follow up with Menzerna Super Finish (85RE) again afterwards, as the gloss level produced by Menzerna Power Finish (203S) is also exceptionally good).
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To correct swirl marks and other light to moderate defects (fine scratches and etching) on your car, we recommend using Menzerna Super Finish (85RE) on Lake Country Hydro-Tech Finishing Pads (140 mm pads on a 125 mm backing plate for larger flatter areas and 100 mm spot pads on a 75 mm backing plate for smaller more awkward areas). Working at around 4000-5000 orbits per minute (speed 4-5 on most dual action machine polishers) using light to moderate pressure should enable you able to correct around 95% of the defects present and produce an ultra-sharp high gloss finish, which you should then protect using either a good quality sealant or wax. To get an even higher level of correction, or to tackle any remaining deeper defects, you should switch to Menzerna Power Finish (203S) on either Lake Country Hydro-Tech Polishing or Cutting Pads (140 mm pads on a 125 mm backing plate for larger flatter areas and 100 mm spot pads on a 75 mm backing plate for smaller more awkward areas). These product and pad combinations offer more cutting power, but should be used sparingly, as the rate of paint removal increases significantly (there is rarely any need to follow up with Menzerna Super Finish (85RE) again afterwards, as the gloss level produced by Menzerna Power Finish (203S) is also exceptionally good).
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To correct swirl marks and other light to moderate defects (fine scratches and etching) on your car, we recommend conducting a two stage process starting with Meguiar's Ultra Cut Compound (#105) in conjunction with Menzerna Polishing Pads (135 mm pads on a 125 mm backing plate for larger flatter areas, and 80 mm spot pads on a 75 mm backing plate for smaller more awkward areas). Working at around 4000-5000 orbits per minute (speed 4-5 on most dual action machine polishers) using light to moderate pressure should enable you to correct around 95% of the defects present in just 1-2 attempts per panel. To get an even higher level of correction, or to tackle any remaining deeper defects, you could switch to using Menzerna Compounding Pads (135 mm pads on a 125 mm backing plate for larger flatter areas, and 80 mm spot pads on a 75 mm backing plate for smaller more awkward areas). These offer even more cutting power, but are more awkward to use, as they are very firm and unyielding. With the correction stage done, we recommend following up with Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish (#205) in conjunction with Menzerna mm Finishing Pads (135 mm pads on a 125 mm backing plate for larger flatter areas, and 80 mm spot pads on a 75 mm backing plate for smaller more awkward areas). Working at around 4000-5000 orbits per minute (speed 4-5 on most dual action machine polishers) using light pressure should enable you to produce an ultra-sharp high gloss finish, which you should then protect using either a good quality sealant or wax.
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