How to polish a car: ways, means and recommendations

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

The paintwork (LKP) of the car, released from the factory, is in perfect condition. But external factors contribute to its constant deterioration. Exposure to moisture, direct sunlight, scratches, etc., all cause loss of gloss. But you can restore its former appearance with the help of polishing. Moreover, it is not necessary to give the car to specialists, because you can handle it yourself, but first you need to learn how to polish the car. There are a whole host of nuances, each of which plays an important role.

A little about polishing the body

The main purpose of this event is to give the original shine to the paintwork of the car. With the help of polishing, the smallest irregularities of the paintwork, as well as scratches, are removed. Body polishes are divided into three main groups:

• abrasive;
• wax;
• synthetic.

The choice of a specific type depends on the current state of the body. Polishing is needed not only to give shine to the paintwork. During the operation of the vehicle, microcracks form on the surface of the paint. Through them, aggressive substances enter the metal. This leads to deterioration in appearance and the appearance of corrosion. In this case, polishing is no longer enough. You will have to remove rust, that is, repaint the car or a certain part. If you know how to properly polish your car and do it in a timely manner, then its attractive appearance will be preserved for a long time.

Main types of body polishing

Currently, there are four main groups: mild, cleansing, protective and restorative. As for the choice of polish for cars, then a lot depends on the condition of the paintwork. If it is satisfactory, then most likely the abrasive component will not be needed.

First of all, consider the cleansing polish. It is performed before any complex work related to the paintwork of the car body, such as applying liquid or quartz glass. Purifying polishing allows you to get rid of cobwebs, holograms and defects resulting from poor-quality previous polishing. Great for new or low mileage vehicles when the paint is still in good condition. In this case, a car polish is usually used, which does not contain abrasive particles or is finely abrasive. Cleaning polishing does not affect the thickness of the paintwork,which is her advantage.

Restorative and protective polishing

Removes part of the varnish in the course of work. This allows you to get rid of most coating defects, such as scratches, cobwebs and scuffs. Restorative polishing involves the use of an abrasive composition and a set of fleecy circles. It is worth noting that the deeper the scratches, the larger the grain used for processing and vice versa. Usually restorative polishing is the only option for paintwork that is under 10 years old. But even in this case, the paint layer is reduced minimally. As for the disadvantages of this type of work, there are only a few of them. Firstly, this is a rather expensive procedure, and secondly, the paintwork can not withstand so many full polishes, as the layer gradually decreases and body painting will be required.

After restoration work with the paintwork, it is recommended to resort to protective polishing. It will keep the resulting shine for a long time. Polish is used synthetic or wax-based. Abrasive elements are not used. This treatment provides not only UV protection, but also prevents the penetration of various chemical elements deep into the paintwork.

How to properly polish your car

Before proceeding directly to the execution of work, you need to know a few important points. For example, the fact that polishing can be not only mechanical, but also manual or even non-contact. Work should preferably be carried out inwell ventilated area with adequate ambient lighting. It is also worth choosing the right polishing pastes, abrasive wheels and other materials.

The first step is to thoroughly wash the car body and dry it. Traces of insects or resin must be removed with a solvent. The same White Spirit or its equivalent will do. Next, it is desirable to degrease the body with anti-silicone. Places inaccessible for mechanical processing must be sanded by hand. To do this, it is advisable to take the P1500 sandpaper and, after wetting it a little, rub the paintwork in a circular motion. Some motorists try to minimize manual labor, so they use only a grinder. But even here there are a number of features.

How to polish a car with a machine

As an example, we will consider one of the simplest, but at the same time large body parts. This, as you probably guessed, will be about the roof. For the convenience of performing work, you can divide the zone into four parts and process each in stages. Now we dot the polish on the body, let it stand for one minute and rub it with a rag over the area to be treated.

Next, we proceed directly to the work. To do this, we need a grinding tool such as a belt, vibration or centrifugal machine. You can even use a grinder using a polishing block (special nozzle). With a uniform effort, movements back and forth or in a circle, we perform rubbing the paste into the body. The polish must not be allowed to dry, as in this case it does its jobwill not cope. The pressing force should be constantly the same, it is not necessary to press too hard. During the day, the protective film is fixed on the CPC, so it is advisable to exclude washing with Karcher.

Why polish only painted cars

We are now talking about used cars, not bought from the salon. Typically, polishing is done about a month after the vehicle has been painted. This is necessary in order for the varnish to settle. If this is not done, then failures are possible during subsequent polishing. It should be noted that this set of measures is quite complex and it is desirable to entrust such work to specialists. Since it is necessary to polish the car after painting with a whole range of polishes and car cosmetics, it is quite difficult to cope with this on your own, especially if there is no experience in this matter.

Briefly about choosing a polish

Another rather sensitive question - how to polish the car? The fact is that the market offers a huge selection of a wide variety of materials for the car body. Without any experience, making the right choice is not so easy. However, it is worth highlighting only two large groups: powder polishes and gel polishes. The latter are great for treating freshly painted cars, as they only refresh the paint and do not contain an abrasive in their composition. But powder polishes are needed to remove even deep scratches. Sometimes, this is the only option that can improve the appearance of the car. One of the popular brands in Russia "Turtle". The product range includes both paste and liquid polishes and even wax polishes. Not the cheapest product, but effective, as confirmed by numerous reviews from motorists.

Some useful tips

Since polishing a car with your own hands is not too difficult, even a beginner can handle this task. You just need to follow a few simple rules. For example, choose the right grinding wheels and paste. In no case should you handle an unwashed car. The presence of dirt and dust on the body will damage the paintwork. To achieve maximum results, it is advisable to use a tool with the ability to adjust the speed. The grinder can burn the varnish, so you need to work with it carefully. If this is your first time polishing, it's a good idea to start in an inconspicuous spot and test it there. Most of the cars have places where the grinder will not be able to crawl, you will have to work there with your hands.

Summarize

Here we are with you and examined the main types of polishes and their purpose. As you can see, they are very different from each other. Some are designed to protect, while others can dramatically improve the look of your car's paintwork. In any case, it is not at all necessary to give the car to specialists. You can do it yourself.

At the sink for abrasive polishing will take a lot of money. Approximately 5-15 thousand depending on the region. If you carry out the work yourself, then you can easily meet 1,5-2 thousand rubles. And everything will be done with the highest quality, even if there was no similar experience before.