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Thread: What is "Paint Correction"?

  1. #1
    Section Mod Debo's Avatar
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    What is "Paint Correction"?

    Well, what is paint correction? You'll have heard of this term being used before if you're into car care. It's something that can only be done via machine polisher, but more specifically a Rotary polisher. It's the systematic application of varying grades of compounds and polishes in order to achieve awe inspiring results. Having your paintwork corrected not only adds value to your car, but it also turns it into a show stopper.

    Providing there is enough clear coat, this process can be carried out on any car from classic to brand new (it's surprising actually the amount of brand new cars that come with damaged paintwork FOC!!).

    The biggest and most common defect are swirl marks, or as I prefer to call them, spider web scratches. Swirl marks are the main defect in any paintwork and are caused by incorrect washing methods and machine car washers! These marks on the surface are actually diffracting the light so you are not seeing the true colour of your paint.

    Here's an example.



    Most of these swirl marks are caused by poor washing techniques. You can see regular swirl marks that look like a spiders web, and also on the right hand side of the light, some uniform scratches that appear to have been created in a vertical fashion (probably the result of a machine car wash).

    Using a sponge to wash your car plays a big part in causing these swirl marks, as you are actually trapping sharp particles of dirt between the sponge and the paint and then dragging them across the surface.


    Machine polishing will remove all swirl marks, light scratches, bird stains, water marks, buffer marks etc to restore your paintwork to its factory condition. This process can also restore dull or faded paintwork back to its original state. This is by definition "Paintwork Correction". It differs somewhat from a Paintwork Enhancement, as usually more than one combination of pads and products are required in order to fully remove the defects.



    Regards,
    Matt.

  2. #2
    Punto know it all
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    Should also mention that detailing and smart repairs are not the same.
    Although any smart repairer should be able to polish a car, they will not do a full detail.
    For example, I'm a smart repairer, I can polish/ rectify/ repair paint work/ local repairs/ scratch repairs/ chips ect ect, but I won't fanny around with dressing wheel arches and engine bays.
    But I can polish the exterior as good as any "detailer".

  3. #3
    Punto know it all
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    Just to add, smart repairs should also cover fabric and leather repairs, glass scratches, glass chips, bullseyes, alloy wheel repairs and plastic trim repairs.

  4. #4
    Section Mod Debo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sicskate View Post
    Should also mention that detailing and smart repairs are not the same.
    Why should I have mentioned that? This is a detailing/cleaning section - as you've said, smart repairs are something different, hence why you don't "fanny around with dressing wheel arches and engine bays". Unless I have got the wrong end of the stick?

    You forgot to mention that you're cheaper than a "detailer" aswell, despite seemingly having more skillz

  5. #5
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    The title is "paint correction" I feel sr is a huge part of "paint correction".

    Charge less for more work
    Why spend days working on a car when you car turn it around in hours(1/2 a day)?

  6. #6
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    There does seem to be a huge influx in the amount of people that are having a go at detailing. Seen a massive rise in members on Detailing World over the last few years. Almost like a new fashion.

  7. #7
    Section Mod Debo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sicskate View Post
    The title is "paint correction" I feel sr is a huge part of "paint correction".

    Charge less for more work
    Why spend days working on a car when you car turn it around in hours(1/2 a day)?
    Full correction in half a day? Amazing. And you say you can machine polish a car as good as any detailer? Paul Dalton will be shaking in his boots - you'll put him out of business if you carry on like that.. takes him a week or more to correct paintwork, at £75/hour

    Smart Repairers carry out minor cosmetic repairs, like scratches, bumper scuffs, windscreen chips, trim repairs, alloy wheel refurbishment etc. It's not really a big part of paint correction, because you're having to respray localised areas. Paint Correction is rectifying the existing paint by removing very minor amounts of clearcoat, there is no respraying involved, so I fail to see why the two are similar as one hides a problem by respraying over it, and the other removes the problem altogether using what's left of the original paint. Obviously in bodywork terms, smart repairs are fantastic - I'm not knocking what you do (unlike you who felt it neccessary to suggest you can do as good a job as a pro-detailer and more, without fannying around dressing trims). Get a scratch deep enough and it needs respraying if you want the panel back to perfect as you know! They're different things is what I'm saying, and the idea behind this section of the forum is to help people grasp a better understanding of car care - smart repairs do not fall into the category of cleaning and/or detailing.

    Sure, you can machine polish a car, and I saw your pic in the faded paint thread - if it was your work, it looked great. But please don't pi$$ on my leg and tell me it's raining. You simply can't achieve the same results as a detailer by turning a full car around in half a day, and even more so if you're not extending your effort to every aspect of the car, like wheel arches, under bonnet dressings, tailpipes etc. The overall look of the car would be compromised simply by neglecting the small details.

    Si asked me to fill this section with some information as a favour to help him out. Hopefully it'll start to get busier in the summer and people will start posting pictures of their clean and shiney cars after they've been prepped for shows or just for self satisfaction

  8. #8
    PSC Pisshead
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    Good work Matt keep it up... I for one never clean my cars so will be using this section to help me in the future as I know sod all.

  9. #9
    Section Mod Debo's Avatar
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    Thanks Mike. I hope you find the safe washing guide useful

  10. #10
    Punto Lover W8MAN's Avatar
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    i cant see how you could do a proper job in half a day my dad was a pannel beater ect for over 30 years can remember him polishing body work for days on end

    but when it was done its was like a sheet of glass

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