How to polish your car: a guide on polishing

What is car polishing

Polishing is the process that has the greatest impact on the final result, both in terms of paint appearance and gloss. Polishing removes imperfections on the clearcoat that make the surface dull, such as swirls, scratches, halos, etchings, paint defects such as orange peel and drips, oxidation, etc., not the deeper damages. These imperfections cause light fragmentation, decrease light reflection, create haze effects and reduce image distinction. The aim of polishing is to carefully remove all those small imperfections left over from the use of fillers, sealers, glazes and external agents that obscure the true effect of the underlying paintwork.

When and how often to polish the car

Our advice is to go ahead with polishing in case of obvious defects or when we simply intend to make our car look as good as possible. We would then generally say to polish one's car 1 or 2 times per car's life, following a complete cleaning process.
To protect the result obtained, we point you to the "Washing and Drying" guide.
To keep the paint in good condition we recommend the use of SC0 Hydro Sealant or SC1 Sealant, maintained with H20 Coat and W1 Quick Detailer to minimize polishing needs.
Polishing options are varied, we at Fra-Ber recommend:

1. Manual polishing.
2. Polishing by means of a random orbital polisher.
3. Polishing by rotary polisher.

Sometimes the machine is more accurate than man

The polish landscape offers multiple options, so many that it is difficult to choose the best one for our specific case. For enthusiasts, we recommend having a polish of each type, so that you can meet each challenge while getting the best result. With so many polish options available, it can become difficult to choose the most effective product for the needs of the moment. Each polish is different, and over time you will become able to recognize them and act accordingly.

Below we present a list of the most commonly used polishes and their uses, we also refer you to our guide "Imperfections on the Bodywork" to learn about some already tested combinations of polishes:

Compound

F1 Force One by Innovacar by Fra-Ber should be used only for very damaged vehicles or to remove traces of sanding action (starting with a grit of P1500). This compound is used with the white pad that has a very hard surface suitable for the type of work, to whose action it is good to combine a finish with P1 Polish Up with the orange - medium pad.

Medium polish

A1 All In One by Innovacar by Fra-Ber is a medium polish that corrects moderate imperfections, even grooves, allows for an extremely high degree of gloss, from a grit of P2000. Less aggressive than a compound. For those seeking maximum gloss, however, it is recommended to use P1 Polish Up afterward. All in One is a polish that is in high demand in the market because it is an "all-in-one one-step" this means that it allows an entire job to be completed without changing products but only pad: first the medium-hard orange pad and then the black-soft pad.

Finishing polish

P1 Polish Up by Innovacar by Fra-Ber aims to remove every tiny imperfection from the paint, such as micro blemishes and holograms. Polish Up does not remove deep imperfections, but it is used because it can treat the paint by achieving maximum levels of shine and intensity with extreme gentleness to achieve a mirror effect car and pave the way for the next application of a wax or sealant. The medium orange pad is suitable for this type of condition.

Different pads for different uses

The importance of choosing the right polishing pad for the polisher

The choice of pad is a crucial decision, as the use of unsuitable pads (or combinations of pads) can lead to wasted time and excessive work. The abrasiveness of the pad chosen must correspond to that of the product to be used.

Types of buffers

Innovacar pads from Fra-Ber are designed to provide the best performance:

• Trapezoidal, for working on surfaces that are not perfectly smooth, avoiding possible damage caused by the backing pad and making the treatment more durable.
• Open-cell technology, allowing effective heat dissipation.
• Central hole to avoid accumulation of dirt and debris.

1. Wool pad (not recommended for random orbital machines).
2. Hard white open cell sponge pad.
3. Orange medium-hard open cell foam pad.
4. Black soft open cell foam pad.

The size of the pad.

The size of the pad affects how it is treated, the speed of the process, and the control of the polisher.

The smaller the pad, the greater the maneuverability (e.g., for areas such as seals and corners), but at the same time it will be more quickly soaked with product and will need to be replaced more frequently. We recommend replacing the pad after working 2 sections of bodywork, thus using 3 to 5 over the course of the treatment. In general, the cleaner and more abrasive-free the pad, the better the result.

The larger the pad, the larger the working area covered and the longer the time taken, being used particularly in the application of waxes and sealants that must be spread evenly. We recommend using 1 or 2 pads in all, so as to maximize the polishing result. We must point out, however, that the downside of using large pads is that they are less accurate in small areas.

on orbital polishers, the smaller the pad, the more effectively you will be able to polish, since the energy of the action is applied to a small area.

There is, therefore, no one size better than another, but it all depends on the polisher used, the needs and the effectiveness of a particular combination. If we were to recommend an intermediate solution we would recommend a size from 125 to 150mm.

Maintenance of buffers.

During use, the pads become soaked with product and need to be replaced. To extend the life cycle, we recommend having a bucket (such as our handy Det Bowl) containing water and SM MICRON SHAMPOO detergent in which to soak the pads immediately after use. Following soaking, proceed to rinse with a pressure lance or water hose. It is good practice to use only one type of polish per pad.

Combinations of polish and pad.

Time and experience are the best weapons to improve polishing, but to optimise this time, please read the paragraph: "imperfections on the bodywork". Generally the combination of the most and the least aggressive is as follows:

• Wool pad > in combination with all pastes (higher cutting power than the pad).
• White pad > in combination with F1 Force One.
• Orange pad > in combination with A1 All in One.
• Black pad > in combination with G1 Glossy.

Choice of pad.

There is no polisher without a backing pad. Its choice is directly related to the pad we intend to use and to our inclinations in terms of application. It is useful to equip ourselves with backing pads of various sizes so that we can always proceed with application through the best solution. The surface of the backing pad consists of small hooks (Velcro) that will easily attach to the appropriate surface behind the pad. It will be sufficient to center the cloth on the pad and press for them to be attached.

It is critical to always use backing pads that are smaller than the pad. For example, our 125 mm diameter flex polish pad is suitable for our 150 mm diameter open cell pads.

Finally, our backing pad is called "flex" because it is extremely flexible and elastic to follow the contours of the surface to be treated in order to avoid surface damage.

Bodywork imperfections.

The importance of recognising bodywork defects and treating them correctly

Stains or spots

Car body stains are generally caused by limescale residue on the car body, which goes to affect the surface due to sunlight.

To eliminate them, it is recommended to go step by step, then do an initial test with DS Scale, where it does not resolve proceed with the usually "aggressive" polishing.

Manual treatment

1. Not recommended.

1. Use F1 Force One + white buffer.
2. Subsequently A1 All in One + orange pad.

Treatment with rotary polisher:

1. Use A1 All in One + orange pad or in case of deep stains use wool pad followed by orange pad.
2. Then we recommend finishing with P1 Polish up + black pad.

Oxidation: a constant danger

We never think about it, but the factors that can heavily influence the damage of our bodywork are endless and practically, always around the corner.

The bodywork of our car is subject to the action of the totality of environmental factors: weather, rain, UV rays, but also, for example, washing with aggressive products.

Oxidation of the bodywork is a sneaky and silent enemy, acting steadily and irreparably leading to loss of shine and reflections. This is why it is so important to use Innovacar by Fra-Ber cleaners and sealants consistently.

In case you were not aware of this information and have not adequately protected your bodywork in the past, we explain what to do in case you notice an advanced state of bodywork oxidation.

To eliminate oxidation we recommend:

Manual treatment :

1. F1 Force One + manual pad (Foam App).

Treatment with a random orbital polisher:

1. Use A1 All in One + orange buffer.

Treatment with rotary polisher:

1. Use A1 All in One + orange buffer.
2. Then we recommend finishing with P1 Polish up + black pad.

Orange peel

This very annoying body defect, unfortunately, is sometimes present even in cars that have just left the dealership.

How to detect it? Just look at the color against the light: in case the conformation of the paint appears lumpy, making the effect of the peel of the aforementioned fruit, your bodywork has an "orange peel" problem precisely.

As we said, this is a fairly common problem that depends on a defect in paint guns and incorrect dilution of color.

Unfortunately, there are no remedies that are unobtrusive to solve the problem, and normally one proceeds with levelling the clear coat by using different grit sandpapers (P1500 -P2000 - P3000) after checking with a micrometer the feasibility of the operation.

After leveling the surface, polishing can be carried out with the help of the correct supports.

In the specific case of polishing, we strongly advise against manual treatment.

Treatment with a random orbital polisher:

• Use F1 Force One + white buffer.
• Subsequently A1 All in One + orange pad.

Treatment with rotary polisher:

• Use A1 All in One + wool pad, followed by the orange pad.
• Then we recommend finishing with P1 Polish up + orange pad.

Swirl marks: what they are and how to eliminate them.

Swirl marks are nothing more than light scratches that greatly affect the shine of a car body. They normally originate as a result of an improper wash or a polish performed following careless decontamination.

Here's how to counteract them:

Manual treatment :

• F1 Force One + Manual Pad (Foam app).

Treatment with a random orbital polisher:

• Use A1 All in one + orange buffer.
• Next, one could proceed with P1 Polish up + black pad.

Treatment with rotary polisher:

• Use A1 All in One + orange pad or in case of deep stains use wool pad followed by orange pad.
• Then we recommend finishing with P1 Polish up + black pad.

Rids (Random Isolated Deeper Scratches)

Rids, are, very trivially scratches a little deeper than the previous ones, which impact the bodywork in a significantly more important way.

The causes can be disparate and the solutions different, depending on the extent of the damage.

For substantially superficial rids, a solving treatment with excellent performance is definitely polishing:

Manual treatment :

• Force One + Manual Pad (Foam App).

Treatment with a random orbital polisher:

• Use F1 Force One + white buffer.
• Then A1 All in One + orange pad to improve the finish.

Treatment with rotary polisher:

• Employ A1 All in One + white wool/sponge pad, followed by orange pad.
• Then P1 Polish up + Black pad to improve the finish.

Damage due to incorrect sanding

Sanding is an extremely delicate treatment, to be performed only when absolutely necessary and for which it is advisable to proceed with extreme caution and only if in possession of the appropriate skills. By intervening with abrasive products and materials, it is clear that the risk of marks remaining is quite high.

Again, we advise against attempting to fix the damage manually.

Treatment with a random orbital polisher:

• Use F1 Force One + white buffer.
• Then A1 All in One + orange pad to improve the finish.

Treatment with rotary polisher:

• Use A1 All in One + wool pad, followed by the orange pad.
• Then P1 Polish Up + black buffer to improve the finish.

Holograms

This type of defect is undoubtedly one of the worst nightmares for polishers, and they appear as fine grouped scratches. The causes that can lead to their origin are disparate: incorrect roughing or direct effect of a pad with impurities are just two of the main triggers of this defect.
However, being extremely superficial damage, their elimination is a really simple procedure!
Let's see how we can intervene:

Manual treatment :

• F1 Force One + manual pad (Foam App).

Treatment with a random orbital polisher:

• Employ A1 All in One + orange pad, in the presence of non-severe holograms you can employ P1 Polish up + black pad.

Treatment with rotary polisher

• Employ A1 All in One + orange pad, in the presence of non-severe holograms you can employ P1 Polish up + black pad.

"Pig tails

These types of scratches are the direct effect of the passage of an orbital, polisher or sander with pads that are not perfectly clean.

They originate due to debris particles that stick to the pads, going to originate this type of damage with a typical and easily recognizable shape.

In the event that this type of damage is encountered, the simplest and most immediate solution is certainly to proceed with a second polishing pass.

Manual treatment:

• F1 Force One before and after A1 all in one with manual pad (Foam App)

Treatment with a random orbital polisher:

• Use F1 Force One + white buffer.
• Then A1 All in One + orange pad to improve the finish.

Treatment with rotary polisher:

• Employ A1 All in One + white pad, followed by orange pad.
• Then we recommend finishing with P1 Polish Up + black pad.

Insect residues.

Not everyone knows this, but unfortunately, insect residues have an acidic nature and often, unfortunately, manage to affect the bodywork by penetrating the clear coat. This is unfortunately a fairly serious problem.

In the case of recent contamination, a thorough washing followed by claying may be sufficient and decisive; in more severe cases, sanding may be necessary, to remove all the damaged clearcoat.

In any case, deep polishing may prove decisive in resolving and effectively eliminating this type of defect, here is how to proceed:

Manual treatment:

• A1 all in one + manual pad (Foam App) if the damage is minor.

Treatment with a random orbital polisher:

• Use F1 Force One + white buffer.
• Then A1 All in One + orange pad to improve the finish.

Treatment with rotary polisher:

• Employ A1 All in One + white pad, followed by orange pad.
• Then we recommend finishing with P1 Polish Up + black pad.

Introduction to polishing

As already extensively explained in this guide, most body paint damage can be corrected and give excellent results; however, for optimal results, it is advisable to follow the steps outlined below to the letter.

Remember that absolutely, before polishing a vehicle it is necessary that the paint has previously been thoroughly and perfectly washed with products such as SP1 Prewash and S2 Foamy and mechanically decontaminated with clay bar.

You can elaborate on this point by following our guide "decontamination."

Photo set light

The first step in optimising the polishing process is to invest in a suitable light. A high quality light will help you to analyse the bodywork and bring out every defect, even the smallest.

Prevention is better than cure

You consistently reduce the risks of damaging other parts of the car to be treated by always remembering to mask the parts you want to protect with tape.

The impact of this will be positive for other reasons as well. One example? By masking with masking tape you will not risk damaging or affecting the seals.

What parts is it advisable to mask before polishing?
Normally mask the gaskets, badges, taillights and headlights, bumpers, and more.

Are you in doubt about whether or not to mask a car part?

Mask it. As they say, "prevention is better than cure."

Types of polishing

How to polish your car by hand: Hand polishing

Let's start with the assumption that proceeding mechanically with polishing is usually advisable, precisely because of the technical characteristics of polishes that require constant pressure and very measured movements to perform at their best.

If you are unable to use a polisher or are not in possession of one, follow these steps and our guide to get excellent results from a manual polish.

We recommend applying the polish by means of a microfiber cloth or foam (such as our Foam App), the choice between the two will be made depending on the job you have to do and of course on the type of product applied (polish, compound, sealant or wax to be associated).

Given that manual polishing is naturally less effective than polishing by polisher, we recommend the use of a compound such as F1 Force One, or a medium all-in-one polish such as A1 All in One.

We recommend using finishing polish (P1 Polish Up) only in case you want to do a surface cleaning before applying a wax or sealant.

Guided Hand Polishing:

1. Select a manual applicator, e.g. Foam App.
2. Evaluate which is the best product to apply following the instructions in the previous guide.
3. Distribute a few small drops of Polish onto the applicator.
4. Work on a maximum area of 20x20cm and apply as little pressure as possible.
5. Distribute the product using controlled circular movements.
6. Work from left to right and then from top to bottom.
7. When finished, use Micron Up to remove excess product.
8. Check the condition of the bodywork with a light source.
9. Repeat all the above steps until the desired result is achieved.

How to polish a car with a random orbital wheel: Polishing with a random orbital wheel.

The random orbital polisher is definitely the best aid to adopt in the case of a polishing treatment: in fact, its axis of rotation is off-center with respect to the axis of revolution, this contributes to less invasive work (because it is more delicate and homogeneous). The random orbital polisher is also easier to use, even for the less experienced. Bigfoot Rupes, Flex and FESTOOL, produce random orbital polishers that, thanks to their smaller size, allow them to approach the cutting and correction performance of a rotary polisher, but without incurring the risk of creating holograms, while also reducing processing time by 40 percent.

Guided random orbital polishing:

1. Choose the right pad for the type of surgery to be performed (assess the defect to be corrected well).
2. Centre the pad on the backing pad.
3. Apply a few drops of polish to the outside of the pad.
4. Outline the working area, starting with a small portion of 60 cm x 40 cm.
5. Trace the work area by distributing polish with the polisher switched off, evenly over the whole area.
6. Switch on the polisher at minimum speed 1-3 and apply polish to the work surface.
7. Increase the speed of the polisher gradually up to speed 4.5 - 6, starting at a corner of the identified surface.
8. Always work from one corner to the other, moving about 2cm per second.
9. Once you have reached the opposite corner, follow the same route in reverse.
10. Continue in this way until the entire area is polished.
11. Polish the whole area again, repeating the previous steps in reverse order.
12. Polish again as in the first step but with less pressure.
13. If the polish has deteriorated (becomes a white opaque patina), switch off the polisher.
14. With Micron Up, remove excess product.
15. Check the work done with a light source.
16. Repeat steps 3 to 16 until the entire vehicle is polished.

How to polish your car with rotocentric polishers: Polishing with rotocentric polishers

Rotoeccentric polishers, are the most powerful and allow safe work with a very small margin for error. Because of their power, these machines are able to remove imperfections quickly and permanently. Rotoeccentric polishers rotate and orbit simultaneously (orbit of about 8 mm), ensuring excellent results in terms of both smoothing and finishing.

All of the above is true if and only if pads and pastes are regularly replaced, but especially remembering to adjust the orbit:

• With the orbit at maximum speed the movement is practically rotary and the degree of cutting is high.
• By orbiting at low speeds, all haloes and holograms can be effectively eliminated.

How to polish your car with a rotary press: Polishing with rotary presses.

This type of polisher can only be used by polishing experts or professionals: rotary polishers, in fact, can correct imperfections much more quickly than random orbital and rotoeccentric polishers, but their use requires practice and expertise since they can cause paint damage more frequently.

Because of the frequent damage created by the pads spinning at different speeds (on the inside more slowly and on the outside more vigorously), it is always recommended to finish work done with this polisher with a random orbital.

But let's see in detail how to use it:

1. Evaluate the bodywork defect to be corrected, choose the appropriate pad and finally centre the pad on the backing pad.
2. Apply a few drops of polish to the outside of the pad.
3. Outline the working area, ideally a 60cmx40cm portion.
4. Evenly distribute the polish with the polisher switched off over the entire surface to be treated.
5. Switch on the polisher at minimum speed (600-800 rpm) and spread the product over the surface.
6. Adjust the power of the polisher according to your convenience, always taking into account the extent of the defects to be corrected (approx. 2000 rpm is recommended).
7. The press does not require any particular pressure, as its movement is driven by speed.
8. Move the polisher about 2-5 cm per second trying to keep it moving and working from corner to corner.
9. Once you have reached the opposite corner, follow the same route in reverse.
10. Proceed until polishing is complete.
11. Polish the area again, but in the opposite direction to the previous operation.
12. Polish the area again as during the first pass, but apply less pressure and lower the speed (up to 1000-800 rpm).
13. If the polish has deteriorated (becomes an opaque patina), switch off the polisher.
14. Using Micro Up, remove the deteriorated polish.
15. Check polishing by means of a light source.
16. Repeat the procedure until an optimal result is achieved.

Polishing control

Knowing well the breakthrough times of the abrasives contained in polishes is essential to be sure that the polishing operations have been correctly carried out: in fact, being products with a complex structure, if they are not allowed to act for the necessary time, they will not correctly carry out their correction cycle, leaving only their oily part to act.

This means that defects will not be perfectly corrected, but only masked and corrected by the oils.

Thanks to D2 Check, which has the task of cleaning the surface from the excess of oils by highlighting the actual work achieved it will be possible to assess the extent of the defects not removed.

Obviously, the latter is an optional and not mandatory step after polishing, while it is necessary before the application of a nanotechnological treatment that requires a completely clean surface.

After polishing

At the end of the polishing process, we will get a significantly clearer clearcoat with more intense reflections.

The bodywork will certainly look smoother to the touch and silkier.

To finish the polishing process, a glaze such as G1 Glossy or a sealant such as SC0 Hydro Sealant or SC1 Sealant can be applied.

These products will help improve the aesthetics of the surface in the case of glaze, while they will protect it if we opt for a sealant.

You can explore this point further by following our guide "What are Glazes."