How to sand and polish clear lacquer

The paint on your car protects it and gives it a unique look as you cruise the streets. Getting a custom paint job on your car can be a very rewarding experience, but it's not for the faint of heart. In most cases, applying the paint and clearcoat should be done by a professional, but polishing the finish can be done on your own if you're willing to spend a few hours.

If you've recently varnished your paintwork, it's time to polish it to a shine. Allow the clear coat to cure for at least 24 hours before using the buffer.

In most cases, you will be trying to remove the "orange peel" when polishing a new paint job. Orange peel is a paint defect that causes the surface to look bumpy. Orange peel occurs only during the painting process, and not during the polishing or cleaning of the car.

The amount of orange peel on a vehicle will depend on the thickness of the paint layer and the clear coat. There are a number of variables that can affect the amount of orange peel that appears on a paint job.

Sanding and polishing the clear coat can help reduce and remove the orange peel effect. Keep in mind that clearcoat polishing can take some time, practice, and precision if you want to achieve that showroom shine on your car.

• A warning: Factory paint may contain some orange peel, but factory paint clear coat is very thin. It is so thin that it is not recommended that anyone other than a professional attempt to remove orange peel while buffing a car's paintwork. The method described below is for custom paint jobs where additional clear coats have been applied with the intention of polishing it.

Part 1 of 2: polishing the clear coat

Necessary materials

• polishing compound
• Polishing pad (100% wool)
• Electric Buffer/Polisher
• Finish polishing
• Sandpaper (grit 400, 800,1000, 1200, XNUMX and XNUMX)
• Soft foam polishing pad
• Spray details
• Variable Speed ​​Polishing Machine
• Wax

• Woolen or foam mat (optional)

• Attention: If you have no experience with an electric grinding wheel, it is recommended to use a wool or foam pad for polishing. The electrical buffer creates heat that can damage the base coat if you're not careful.

Step 1: Soak off the sandpaper. Take all the sandpaper, put it in a bucket of clean water and let it soak for about ten minutes to an hour.

Step 2: Wash your car. You want to make sure your car is very clean before you get to work, so wash it very thoroughly with soap and a brush or sponge designed for car washing to make sure it doesn't get scratched.

Use a microfiber towel or chamois to completely dry your car after cleaning it. Allow it to air dry if necessary.

Step 3: Start wet sanding the clear coat.. The clear coat needs to be sanded down with 400 grit sandpaper. This replaces the orange peel with finer and finer scratches that will eventually be filled in with polish.

The sanding steps help reduce the clear coat until the entire surface is smooth. Polishing helps smooth out the scratches left by the sandpaper.

Sanding can take a long time, so plan to spend some time on this step.

Step 4: Continue wet sanding with coarser grit sandpaper.. Change to 800 grit sandpaper, then 1,000 grit, and finally 1,200 grit. The surface should look smooth and you should be able to see shading where the sanding is.

Step 5: Tape Delicate Surfaces With Tape. Apply painter's tape to areas of surfaces that you don't want to scratch with sandpaper, such as moldings, panel edges, headlights or taillights, and protective film.

Step 6: Prepare Sandpaper. You have two sanding options: you can start with coarse sandpaper (600 to 800) or go straight to fine sandpaper (1,200 to 2,000).

• Functions: For optimal results, you need to start with a coarse grit and finish with a fine grit. Either way, you want to take the sandpaper out of the bucket and attach it to the sanding block, trimming it and shaping it as needed.

Step 7: Sand the car. Apply light and even pressure with one hand and start sanding. Take the sprayer in your other hand and spray the surface if it starts to dry out.

Step 8: Sand With Proper Technique. Sand evenly and sand at a 45 degree angle to the scratches you are trying to remove so you can identify them by the sanding scratches. If you are not sanding scratches, sand in straight lines and in the direction the wind is blowing over the car.

Step 9: Dry the buffed area. As soon as the water starts to run off and turns milky, stop sanding. Dry the stain with a towel to check it and make sure you don't see through the polish.

• Functions: Remember that the surface you are sanding must always be damp.

Step 10: Sand with a finer grit. Switch to a finer grit sandpaper and repeat the sanding process from step 5 to remove the scratches left by the coarser grit sandpaper.

Dry the area when you're done. It should have a uniform, matte and chalky appearance.

When all surfaces are sanded, remove the masking tape.

• Attention: Never let the surface to be sanded dry.

Part 2 of 2: Polish the buffed area with polish

Step 1: apply varnish. Apply the polish evenly to the electric buffer or foam pad. If you are using an electric buffer, turn it on at a low speed (around 1,200-1,400) and start polishing, moving the buffer frequently over the area to keep one area from overheating. If you are using a foam pad, apply the polish in firm, circular motions until a sufficient amount of polish has been applied.

Use a variable speed polisher. The Variable Speed ​​Polisher allows you to adjust the speed of the polisher for use with certain polishing pastes. This will allow you to get the best coverage for your vehicle.

Start with a 100% wool polishing pad. Use a polishing compound such as Meguiar's Ultra-Cut, which can be found at most auto parts stores. When finished, wipe off any remaining polishing compound.

• A warning: Do not apply too much compound to the pad, otherwise you may burn through the paint. If you are new to polishing, take it slow and if possible practice on a spare part before polishing your car.

Step 2: Continue polishing with a soft sponge and a final polish.. The scratches should now be gone, but you can see small swirls on the surface. Switch to a soft polishing sponge and a top polish available at most auto shops.

At this stage, the buffer can operate at higher speeds. Continue polishing until the car is shiny.

• A warning: Don't hold the buffer in one area for more than a couple of seconds or you risk damaging the base coat. Make sure you have enough polish to keep the buffer wet, otherwise you may need to start over or apply a clear coat over the surface again.

Step 3: Clean the polished area with a detailing spray.. It is highly recommended to use Meguiar's Final-Inspection. This will permanently clean the area and remove any leftovers.

Step 4: Check the area for missing seats. If you find any, repeat the polishing steps until the entire surface is properly polished and looks clean and shiny.

Step 5: Apply a layer of wax to the polished area. This will add an extra layer of protection. Use a high quality paste or liquid wax and apply as directed by the manufacturer.

It's time to put away all the polishing tools and enjoy the fruits of your labor. While polishing the clearcoat layer can take a lot of work, it's well worth the effort as you cruise the streets and watch heads turn as you drive by.

Remember that your car needs to be cleaned and waxed regularly to maintain its gloss level.

Applying a clear coat to your car is a smart way to preserve it, but it can sometimes go wrong, leaving it with that proverbial "orange peel" effect that requires wet sand to remove. This process helps to restore beauty and shine to give your car its best appeal. Wet sanding is a way to make sure the clear coat looks as expected, allowing it to provide protection and give your car the desired polished look. AvtoTachki has a helpful guide to applying clear coat base if you're looking for more help getting started and applying clear coat properly.