Now that it’s summertime, take advantage of the warm weather by doing a nice deep cleaning on your Subaru or whatever needs cleaning. Not only to renew the look and feel, but yes, you too can get that deep glossy shine that you would otherwise pay a professional detailer a small fortune for a good paint correction.

What is paint correction? This is where tools such as a rotary or oscillating buffer are combined with a polishing pad and polishing compound to remove oxidation, swirl marks, micro-scratches caused by using shower towels or microfiber after they’ve been dropped on the ground, or even after wet sanding after a fresh paint job. Now there are different types of polishing pads as well as polishing compounds (waxes) that are used in stages. For example, if you or a professional detailer just washed your car, prepped the paint surface by decontaminating using a clay bar, then they would typically start off with a heavy cutting pad that is combined with a heavy cutting compound. Then you would go to a second stage using a medium cutting pad followed by a glazing compound, followed by a final polish, then a ceramic coat. It is a very tedious process that is very time consuming, and labor-intensive. However, if you take our time and do it right, then the results can be enjoyed by the fruits of your labor.

 

WHAT SEPARATES A GOOD DETAILER FROM A RANDOM ON FB MARKETPLACE?

The thing is, is that paint correction can be done by anyone who is competent, careful, and has an eye for detail. We cannot stress the term, careful because one mistake, and you can put a deep scratch into your paint that will require a touch-up or repaint. And because of these reasons, at least a good detailer will have business insurance to cover these mistakes as opposed from a random saying “sorry”.

So, what separates a good detailer from the rest. Again, there are so many tutorials on YouTube which can greatly help curious novices. And many of the buffers on the market are oscillating which means it vibrates back and forth at a high frequency so there is no risk of burning through the paint. But to answer the question of what makes a good detailer? Just like a good painter, a good paint correction is in the prep work while being acutely aware of your surroundings, the tools, and the products you use. A good detailer will thoroughly decontaminate the paint using an iron remover. An iron decontaminator works like wheel cleaner but for paint that removes embedded salt, diesel smoke, bird droppings, and film buildup from automatic car washes that aren’t strong enough to deep clean. A clay bar and lubricant will be used to remove embedded grit, tree sap and bugs. The surface of the paint must be 100% spotless in both visual and in touch because a buffing pad can catch a grain of dirt and dig it into the pain while detailing. This means that professional detailers will do the detailing in a clean controlled environment away from dust. Experienced detailers will also tape off all rubber exterior seals around windows, lights, as well as any door gaps or panel gaps. Side marker lights will be removed and sometimes the windshield will be covered. This is to prevent any waxes, polishes, or compounds from being slung into places which will look annoying when the job is done because it will stick out, and it is very difficult to remove.

And ceramic coating needs to be done by the experienced because many ceramic coatings are silica-based meaning that it will cure to a microfilm of glass on the paint. So, if you miss a spot, you will be able to see it in the sun.  If you apply ceramic coating unevenly you will see it in the sun. If you apply ceramic coating in a circular motion, you will hate yourself.

Most importantly, experienced detailers charge a lot of money because most are perfectionists, and they can keep your car for up to a week just to make sure that everything has been gone through, no compounds left in crevices, no missed ceramic coatings, no hologram marks from a buffer. You are paying for quality products, and the labor to not only renew your paint but enhance your paint. There is a major difference. Renewing your paint means removing oxidation and making it shiny again. Enhancing your paint is giving it the absolute deepest gloss that only ceramic coating can provide. And because most ceramic coatings are silica-based, the shine and protection will last 5-7 years.

A FB marketplace detailer who charges $2-500 will detail your car in their home garage which is fine. They could be mobile, which is totally fine as many will have canopies to block your car from the sun. But they could leave their buffers resting on the ground risking the sides of the pad to rest on the dirty ground. And they could be using cheap products, non-professional products (whatever is off the shelf in your local auto parts store), and they could be careless such as dropping a microfiber on the ground and reusing it. Can they make your car look good? Of course, you risk buffing holograms, wet sanding where they didn’t need to be, and you risk any damage caused by a rotary buffer.

Experienced detailers know their limits, know how to keep the right amount of compound on their pads, and many times, ceramic coating will come with a warranty.

 

CAN YOU DO IT LIKE A PRO? YESISH

To a degree, you can drastically improve the slickness, and the depth of the shine even if you are a first timer. Check out this video from Chemical Guys:

 

Chemical Guys Torx Random Orbital Polisher

Take this polisher for example. It is called a random orbital polisher. Random orbital is oscillating as discussed earlier so there is no risk of even the newest and most inexperienced of detailers to burn through the paint with a rotary that will go-go-go. With a rotary, if the pad dries up of polishing compound, then heat will rapidly soften the paint enough to where the paint will come right off the surface. Experienced detailers know not to focus on one specific area too long, and to keep the polisher moving in small sections so that you are removing any micro scratches, marring, or oxidation in the most efficient and even way possible. Otherwise, when trying to buff large areas by doing long passes, you may not be giving certain areas the compound/polish coverage needed.

Again, there are many tutorials on YouTube on how to do paint correction. The most important thing for beginners, is don’t start by getting a rotary buffer. Get a dual action unit and get yourself a heavy cutting compound and heavy cutting pad. You can practice on your daily driver, or a friend with a car where they don’t mind if you practiced on it. But with a dual action polisher, you will be fine. Heavy cutting compound will work to remove any surface-level scratches in the clear coat. It is also used for wet sanding.

Now if your paint is in otherwise good condition and you want an awesome prep before a ceramic coating, this is a great pad. It is a medium to heavy cutting pad that when combined with the right compound will work excellent to remove swirls and micro-scratches:

Chemical Guys Medium-Heavy Cutting Pad

 

Detailers like to use a 50/50 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol to wipe off any excess compounds or polishes between heavy cutting compounds and polishing glazes. But a good spray detailer will work just fine as well. Choose a good polishing glaze with a medium cutting pad after a heavy cut compound and heavy cutting pad is used as this will remove the ‘cloudiness’ of the paint after heavy cutting, and it will reveal a deeper gloss in the clear coat. An example of a good glaze is Meguire’s M205 which has been a good choice for detailers for 20+ years. After using a polishing glaze, you can now add your preferred wax to further enhance the shine:

 

Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

 

NOW IT’S READY FOR CERAMIC COAT. BUT ARE YOU READY?

Another reason why paint correction is expensive is because we haphazardly describe preparing your paint. So to recap, let’s go through the list:

• Thoroughly wash your car and possibly use an iron decontaminate spray if your car is super dirty and hasn’t been washed for a long time.
• Clay bar the surface of your paint using an appropriate clay bar lubricant.
• ALWAYS DRY OR WIPE OFF THE PAINT USING GOOD QUALITY MICROFIBERS
• IF YOU DROP A MICROFIBER ON THE GROUND, DO NOT LET IT TOUCH YOUR PAINT. IT IS NOW A SHOP TOWEL TO WIPE AWAY OIL.
• Use 3M masking tape and tape off window seals, rubber seals around mirrors and door handles, gaps in the body, or anywhere where wax or polish will get clung into crevices. Otherwise, you’re going to spend more time getting that wax out.
• Before using a buffer, make sure that the surface of the paint is free of any dust or dirt because otherwise a buffer and a pad at high RPM will dig that dirt further into your paint. Use a clean microfiber and some detail spray.
• Watch YouTube tutorials then watch them again. This should actually be step #1.
• Get yourself a dual-action polisher as a beginner. When you are confident in your skillset then upgrade to a rotary.
• Use a heavy cutting pad with a heavy cutting compound. Work in 2’ x 2’ sections. Move the polisher back and forth and go over the area again moving the head of the buffer from side to side. You never want to go in a circular motion otherwise you will put holograms in your paint.
• Wipe off any heavy cutting compound using a detail spray.
• Get a medium cutting pad and a polishing glaze to remove any cloudiness or marring from heavy cutting compound.
• Wipe the surface clean again.
• Use your preferred wax with a polishing pad.
• Make sure your paint is fully wiped clear of any pre-exiting compounds, waxes, or polishes. The paint is now ready for ceramic coating.

 

WHY CERAMIC COATING SEEMS SCARY TO THE NOVICES

As mentioned, the reason why ceramic coatings protect your paint from 5-7+ years is because they are silica-based. Ceramic coating will usually cure in 24 hours into a thin layer of glass. As a fun science experiment, after wiping off any excess ceramic coating with a microfiber, the next day, the microfiber, as well as the ceramic coating applicator need to be thrown away because they will be hard, and you can actually see little bits of glass flake off. As a matter of fact, the author dropped a bottle of ceramic coat that cracked the bottom of the bottle. It leaked on his toolbox overnight, and the next afternoon there was a cured puddle of glass on top of the toolbox. The key detail is to make sure you are getting the right coverage on the surface of the paint. No cutting corners whatsoever because it can be seen in the sun. The silver lining about ceramic coating for beginners is that even if you botch the job which is very hard to do by the way, you paint will still be extra shiny, and it will be protected. It is 110% imperative that you do not apply ceramic coating in a circular motion, and you always want to move back and forth, overlapping each streak by 50% making sure that you get good ceramic coverage,

Chemical Guys shows us how to properly apply ceramic coating:

 

 

 

FINAL WORD: YOU CAN SPEND THE MONEY ON A DETAILER, OR YOU CAN INVEST IN THE TOOLS AND POLISHING COMPOUNDS

If you have the drive and patience, you can paint correct and ceramic coat your own vehicles. On the low side of detailing, ceramic coating is $300. Many of these marketplace “detailers” that charge $300 don’t even perform paint correction first, and will just wash the car, then apply their cheap ceramic coating they got in business bulk at a highly discounted rate. Not to disparage marketplace detailers some earn a good reputation for their good work. But it is at the utmost importance that you get paint correction done before ceramic coating because otherwise, ceramic coating will lock in any scratches that are in the clear coat.

Paint correction and ceramic coating on the low end will be $700-1200. A professional will charge $1500-5000+ depending on what products they use. There are some ceramic coatings where you must get a license to use and pass a course before they will even sell it to you.

But for $500 +/-, you can get yourself an orbital polisher, all of the pads, the required compounds, waxes, polishes, and you can get a good ceramic coating online for under $100. You can get enough clean microfibers; you can get the 3M painter’s tape. You can get the detail spray between polishes. You can also get a cheap headlamp to see the results in the right lighting. And most of all, you get a new skillset that you can improve on with future cars. If you have the patience and drive to do it yourself, it is 100% worth trying, you and your car will not be disappointed. Take your time, don’t cut corners, and don’t re-use any microfiber towels or polishing pads that have touched the ground.

 

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