![]() ![]() This process can show you areas where you have to be careful due to a thinner clear coat. Get one and measure a few spots on each panel to get a feel for the depth of the coating on your vehicle. ![]() The vehicle shown, my Jeep Grand Cherokee, had a thicker coating that measured between 6.8 and 8.8 mils depending on the panel.Ī paint depth gauge costs as little as $20, though the more you spend the more accurate and better quality the gauge will be. About a third of that, or 1.5 to 2 mils on average, is the clear coat. Between primer, paint, and clear coat, most vehicles have about 4 to 5 mils of coating, though some have a bit more based on the painting process. Show cars headed to concours events or sports cars/hypercars/supercars that will rarely be driven or are about to be fully wrapped in protective film should be made perfect.īefore correcting the paint it’s important to know roughly how much clear coat is on the surface. It’s unwise to go for perfection every time as you’ll run out of clear coat. However, that also means you're removing clear coat each time. Every time you detail a vehicle and correct its paint it should look better than the last time as you’re building off your previous work. There are only so many times a high touch area (hood, fenders, rear pillars, etc,) can be corrected before the clear coat runs out. You have to decide what level of correction is desired. Is this vehicle a daily driver that hauls the kids to soccer practice? Is this a supercar or hypercar? Is this a classic? Does this vehicle have single-stage paint? Is this car headed to a concours event that will be judged? The answers to these questions impact the next steps. Before you correct a vehicle’s paint there are some important questions that need to be answered. My grandfather used to say, “God only made so much land.” He was right, and automakers only put so much clear coat on a vehicle. You don't need to clay bar these areas again as any contaminants the clay would remove have already been removed. Real tough stuff can be treated with chemicals such as Goof Off or even lacquer thinner, but these are harsh touch the wrong part and a piece of trim or decal might droop or lose its shine. The paint’s now clean, but what if you see tar or stubborn baked-on bug guts? Grab a can of bug and tar remover and remove it with a microfiber rag. Never use the clay without folding it into itself half a dozen times or so after a panel and never use a clay bar that’s been dropped on the ground or otherwise contaminated. Next, move on to the lower bumpers, rockers, and moldings. Start with the hood, and move on to the front fenders, A-pillars, roof, door uppers, rear fenders, and trunk/hatch. Repeat the process across the entire vehicle. Putting your fingers in a thin Ziploc bag and running them over the paint increases the sensation and allows you to better feel contaminants in the paint. If it’s not perfectly smooth, go over it again. Belts should either be ditched or the buckle should be covered 100% by a shirt. Sorry, Honey, the wedding ring needs to come off temporarily. Jewelry and watches should be ditched before starting. With experience you’ll spot consistent trends and learn that, in general, the clear coats of Japanese vehicles are softer, Germans are harder, and Americans are thicker. Vehicles with softer clear coats will be easier to work with and imperfections will buff out quicker. The hardness of clear coats varies by automaker. Practicing on an old hood, body panel, or car no one cares about is advised. Then you’ll have a dull spot showing exposed paint, like an open wound.įollowing the right process is the start, but trial and error is required to truly master the art of detailing. The result could be a marred finish or worse, burning through the clear coat. Taking a power tool or abrasive chemicals to a vehicle’s finish increases those risks exponentially. The risks of scratching, marring, or damaging a vehicle while detailing it are severe. ![]()
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