Car detailing is often seen as an art form, but it also requires a lot of science. Paint correction is one of the most critical elements of this process, and it’s what helps your car look flawless.
It removes defects like swirl marks (light scratches) and oxidation fading as well as protects against future damage when properly executed. Understanding how this is done will help you understand why it can be so time-consuming and expensive!
The Basics
When correctly performed, paint correction eliminates a vehicle’s surface imperfections. This can include scratching, swirl marks, oxidation, dullness, and other flaws that can make your car look tired or worn out. Paint correction is a mechanical and chemical process that improves your car’s appearance and can even boost its resale value.
Whether your car is new or used, it will most likely have some type of damage from the factory that needs to be corrected. Your vehicle will also be exposed to environmental factors, like sun, wind, and rain, which can leave behind blemishes such as scratches and etching.
The key to a successful car paint correction is preparation. This includes a thorough mechanical decontamination of the vehicle, removing all dirt, sap, and debris to give your technician a clean canvas. Once complete, the surface should be taped off to protect rubber and plastic components from scuffing.
It’s important to note that a vehicle’s paint can only be corrected so many times before it needs more serious action, like wet sanding. This process can be time-consuming and requires a great deal of finesse to achieve the desired result. For example, if your car has severe scratching or etching, you will need multiple sanding stages that progressively get lighter and lighter until your bare paint is smooth.
It’s also important to understand that paint products can contain fillers and other synthetic substances. This is why a product labeled as ‘clarity’ should not be used in paint correction, especially on a high-quality clear coat finish. Clear coats on modern vehicles are very thin for aesthetic reasons, leaving them vulnerable to oxidation and other harsh environmental conditions.
Prep
When a car is painted, it’s done with several layers of material that are applied to the surface to provide the desired aesthetic. This includes a primer, base coat, and clear coat. Each one is designed to work together to restore a vehicle’s appearance and protect it from the elements.
To restore a car’s original appearance, paint correction removes surface imperfections, such as scratches, swirls, and oxidation. It’s a meticulous process that requires a deep understanding of automotive paint and its imperfections. It also requires advanced knowledge and tools to ensure a flawless finish.
To begin, the surface of the vehicle must be thoroughly cleaned and dried. It’s then prepped for polishing with tape or masking film to prevent scratching the paint during the correction process. A specialized machine polisher is then used with a variety of buffing pads and compounds to remove the surface imperfections. This step can take hours and depends on the type of damage the vehicle has.
A specialized tool called a paint thickness gauge is used to evaluate the paint’s strength and determine how much can be removed safely. This information is important because too much removal will cause the paint to degrade and require more extensive correction.
The final stage is the application of a protective coating to keep the paint looking its best and protect it from future damage. Fortador’s nano wax is a great option for this, as it combines high-grade Carnauba wax, sealant polymers, and UV inhibitors.
The paint protection will reduce the need for a full correction in the future and will also add a layer of shine and clarity to the car’s finish. This will help to enhance the vehicle’s appearance and resale value.
Correction
There are a lot of misconceptions about the process of paint correction. Most people think it’s a quick and easy task that any competent detailer can do, but the truth is far from that. In fact, it requires a great deal of skill and knowledge to get the job done right. The process is also extremely time-consuming, which can be daunting for some detailers. But those who understand and can execute the process will reap the rewards of a flawless finish.
The first step in any good paint correction is a thorough decontamination of the vehicle’s surface. The vehicle should be thoroughly rinsed and then treated with Iron Remover and Clay Bar. This step will help to remove any fallout and metal particles that may have gotten stuck in the clear coat. It will also prepare the surface for the polishing and paint protection application that is to come.
Once the vehicle is fully prepared, the detailer can begin the actual paint correction process. This is a delicate and time-consuming process that can be ruined easily if the detailer is not careful. To make sure the surface is safe for polishing, it’s important to take multiple readings of the combined thickness of the primer, paint, and clear coat with a paint depth gauge. This will let the detailer know how much clear coat to remove to safely tackle the blemishes.
This is where the skill and knowledge of a trained professional really shine through. A skilled technician can use the correct combinations of machine, pad, product, and technique to safely and effectively reduce all the defects in the clear coat and restore the painted surface back to its original state. The final result is an optimum swirl-free finish, which can be protected with a high-quality nano ceramic coating or paint protection film to ensure the finished look lasts.
Refinement
While regular waxes and polishes can mask some surface imperfections, these products cannot restore the like-new luster your vehicle’s paint was in showroom condition. To do this, your car must undergo a more in-depth treatment known as automotive paint correction.
This process involves delicately removing micro-scratches and swirls through machine polishing (buffing). It requires skill, a thorough understanding of your vehicle’s paint thickness, and a keen eye to avoid over-correction and damage. Depending on the severity of your vehicle’s imperfections, your detailer may also employ other techniques, including wet sanding, to achieve the desired results.
Besides enhancing the beauty of your vehicle, paint correction helps protect it from future environmental damage. Powerful UV rays can cause your clear coat to degrade, which gives your vehicle a faded appearance and leads to oxidation. Chemicals from road salt, tree sap, and other contaminants can etch your paint’s finish. As your vehicle sits outside, these pollutants can eventually cause rust, which eats through the metal underneath your car’s paint.
Paint correction aims to eliminate all blemishes and restore your car’s original appearance. The science behind this is rooted in both mechanical and chemical processes. Your detailer may use abrasives and compounds to mechanically remove surface imperfections, while chemicals help remove stubborn deposits and impurities. After completing the correction process, your detailer will apply a ceramic coating to prevent future damage from environmental elements. A Ceramic Pro Ceramic Coating will preserve your car’s paint while boosting its shine and glossiness. If you are interested in obtaining a Ceramic Pro Ceramic Coating for your vehicle, make sure to have it professionally applied by a licensed and experienced detailer.
Protection
Once your car is finished with paint correction, you can lock in that shine and protect against Damage. There are several different ways to accomplish this: a simple coat of wax, a sealant, or even a ceramic coating. These steps are all important for extending the life of your car and protecting it from environmental factors such as UV rays, water spots, and oxidation.
As mentioned before, paint correction is the mechanical leveling of the clear coat (unpigmented, clear) or paint to eliminate imperfections such as light scratches and hazing. These imperfections are usually caused by improper washing and drying techniques, abrasive materials used during cleaning processes, or low-quality products that scratch the surface of the vehicle over time. These fine scratches or blemishes in the finish can cause the color to look dull and lackluster.
The resale value of your vehicle is also impacted by these blemishes, as they may turn off potential buyers who see them as signs of a poorly maintained vehicle. Having these defects fixed will help increase your resale value as well as keep your vehicle looking better for longer.
The process of paint correction takes a lot of time and can range anywhere from a few hours for a basic detail up to 25 hours for a full paint correction and refinement. It is important to understand the difference between a detail and paint correction as they are two completely different services. While a paint correction includes an exterior detail, it takes much more time and requires more advanced tools and skills. If you are interested in paint correction on your vehicle, do your research and find a professional with experience and specialized tools to guarantee quality results!