New to Paint Correction - Questions

[Eltaco]

I’ve decided to give DIY ceramic coating a try and have a list of items inbound to begin the process. Hoping to find a free weekend within the next few weeks to devote to the project. I have never buffed or polished a vehicle, so I have a few questions before I get started. Hopefully I can gain some experience from those of you who are experienced with paint correction.

- I purchased a 6” orbital polisher (Griots G9). I’m curious, how many pads will you use on one vehicle?

- Which color pads are you likely to require on a 1yr old vehicle? I have a couple of minor visible clear cost scratches, otherwise just very light swirling.

- Will the polisher damage the plastic trim? Do I need to tape trim and glass off?

- Do I need to avoid polishing over factory decals? I have the ORP stickers on the side of the bed.

- What are you using to prep windows for ceramic coating?

- Any tips and tricks are appreciated. I’ve spent hours upon hours of YT videos, but haven’t seen anything yet that covers the finer details.

 

[ayoslickxd]

Followng .

 

[WasatchBack]

Hard to suggest pads and polish choice without seeing your vehicle. (Your idea of minor could be my idea of major) 1 year old run through tunnel washes will need vastly different pads/polishes than one properly hand washed. It really is a learned art determining chemical/pad combos. But generally using a foam "compounding" pad or "polishing" pad will finish down fine in one step if using just a moderate abrasive, quality polish and the G9

You can likely skip taping the trim, and just be careful to avoid it. It will damage it / alter its finish if you brush up against it, and get stuck in the gaps. If paint is badly damaged and a detailer is performing a full 3 step correction, that is when trim needs to be taped because you would have to polish right up to the trim or risk leaving the marring in the millimeters around the trim if not taped.

Tape the decals and stay away because the polish will get under the edges and look terrible. Apply ceramic in a hand motion 180* from edges, not towards.

Window prep = clay, polish, IPA wipedown (IPA=isopropyl alcohol mix 50%). Don't use paint polish on badly chipped/pitted front windshield, use glass specific polish as regular paint polish will embed in pits and be visible, impossible to remove and streak wipers

 

[Neurobit]

I’ve decided to give DIY ceramic coating a try and have a list of items inbound to begin the process. Hoping to find a free weekend within the next few weeks to devote to the project. I have never buffed or polished a vehicle, so I have a few questions before I get started. Hopefully I can gain some experience from those of you who are experienced with paint correction.

- I purchased a 6” orbital polisher (Griots G9). I’m curious, how many pads will you use on one vehicle?

- Which color pads are you likely to require on a 1yr old vehicle? I have a couple of minor visible clear cost scratches, otherwise just very light swirling.

- Will the polisher damage the plastic trim? Do I need to tape trim and glass off?

- Do I need to avoid polishing over factory decals? I have the ORP stickers on the side of the bed.

- What are you using to prep windows for ceramic coating?

- Any tips and tricks are appreciated. I’ve spent hours upon hours of YT videos, but haven’t seen anything yet that covers the finer details.

You’re on the right track but have a lot to learn, and will not really gain much by asking a few questions on a forum.

I suggest going to YouTube and watching a few detailing videos. There are quite a few out there that explain the process really well so you can make an informed decision. You can’t learn this overnight and a lot will be trial and error.

I don’t want to come off as a jerk, but if you’ve never done this before it‘s better to take your time and learn it right, otherwise you could cause damage to your expensive truck. It’s not rocket science, but it does take practice to learn arm speed, pressure, pad and product combination, etc. Even professional body shops and dealers screw this process up btw.

Cheers,

 

[Eltaco]

Hard to suggest pads and polish choice without seeing your vehicle. (Your idea of minor could be my idea of major) 1 year old run through tunnel washes will need vastly different pads/polishes than one properly hand washed. It really is a learned art determining chemical/pad combos. But generally using a foam "compounding" pad or "polishing" pad will finish down fine in one step if using just a moderate abrasive, quality polish and the G9

You can likely skip taping the trim, and just be careful to avoid it. It will damage it / alter its finish if you brush up against it, and get stuck in the gaps. If paint is badly damaged and a detailer is performing a full 3 step correction, that is when trim needs to be taped because you would have to polish right up to the trim or risk leaving the marring in the millimeters around the trim if not taped.

Tape the decals and stay away because the polish will get under the edges and look terrible. Apply ceramic in a hand motion 180* from edges, not towards.

Window prep = clay, polish, IPA wipedown (IPA=isopropyl alcohol mix 50%). Don't use paint polish on badly chipped/pitted front windshield, use glass specific polish as regular paint polish will embed in pits and be visible, impossible to remove and streak wipers

Appreciate that feedback and certainly appreciate it’s difficult to recommend pads without seeing the vehicle.

My truck has never been in an automated car wash. Honestly, if I leveled off the minor swirling I’d be very satisfied with the results. Most important to me is being sure it’s well prepared for the ceramic. I ordered a couple of white CCS pads but may order a couple of more aggressive in case I find any areas I need to dig deeper.

Your comments on the trim, windows, and decals were very helpful. Thank you.

I’ve ordered Iron X, Clay Mitt, IPA Detailing Spray, 3D One polish, Griots G9, 6.5” pads (CCS white), and an assortment of hand pads for difficult to reach areas. I also have a 50ml bottle of CQuartz UK 3.0 for ceramic coat.

I’ll probably start on the roof in case I have any hard lessons. Seems like the white pads should be highly forgiving based on everything I’m reading, watching, and discussing with those who have been down this road.

 

[Rsorrell2]

Also Autogeek has some great tips and vids and products

 

[Neurobit]

Also Autogeek has some great tips and vids and products

^^^ This ^^^

Also check out Esoteric YT channel. They have a bunch of 2-3 min video tips for DIYers.

 

[Eltaco]

Thanks guys, been checking out the AutoGeek material for a couple of weeks now and will look into this specific YTer.

 

[Luxy72462]

Check out Autogeek. I sold my 15 to a good buddy of mine and I never once waxed that thing in 4 years. He knows the folks that run Autogeek and they asked to do a demo for clients and use the truck. Needless to say it looks amazing. I’m too lazy to get in the weeds doing stuff like this anymore but taking your time is key.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MrSixStrings12]

Watch AmmoNYC and Chemical Guys on youtube. They have great video tutorials. As a beginner, always start with the least aggressive. If it isnt working on the scratches/swirls you have go to the next aggressive step. Repeat if necessary. Stay away from trim and badges and if you feel it necessary, tape them off. Based on your description and what you'd be happy with, I'd say you'll probably get the success you want around the blue on your scale you posted, maybe needing to go down green/white. Im not that experienced, but watching their videos allowed me to wet sand and polish a junkyard spoiler on my first car, do paint correction on my old Infiniti, and buff out some scratches on a friend's motorcycle!

 

[KCViper]

Appreciate that feedback and certainly appreciate it’s difficult to recommend pads without seeing the vehicle.

My truck has never been in an automated car wash. Honestly, if I leveled off the minor swirling I’d be very satisfied with the results. Most important to me is being sure it’s well prepared for the ceramic. I ordered a couple of white CCS pads but may order a couple of more aggressive in case I find any areas I need to dig deeper.

Your comments on the trim, windows, and decals were very helpful. Thank you.

I’ve ordered Iron X, Clay Mitt, IPA Detailing Spray, 3D One polish, Griots G9, 6.5” pads (CCS white), and an assortment of hand pads for difficult to reach areas. I also have a 50ml bottle of CQuartz UK 3.0 for ceramic coat.

I’ll probably start on the roof in case I have any hard lessons. Seems like the white pads should be highly forgiving based on everything I’m reading, watching, and discussing with those who have been down this road.

Sounds like you are buying some great products!! IF the CCS white pads are not enough, you could move to a CCS yellow that is more aggressive. As others have stated, just take your time. I would suggest treating the plastic on your truck before using a buffer (or tape it off). GL!!

 

[GTLimited]

One main recommendation: Hold off on applying ceramic until you're comfortable in your paint prep skills and the results from it. If you apply the ceramic after your first go at paint prep and realize you made a mistake (or you're not satisfied), it is a PITA to forcefully remove the coating. You'll just create extra work for yourself, and there's the risk of doing damage to the clearcoat in the process.

My advice is to put a high quality sealant as the final step that will be more forgiving and will last maybe a few months, and can be "safely" chemically removed. An old school carnauba-based wax, for example ... or any of the spray-on silicone-based sealants out there. I'm a big fan of Sonax Spray N' Seal for it's effectiveness, shine, and ease of application.

It may take you a few days and different lights to gain that confidence and you may observe that you will need to tweak your prep method - different pads, polisher, compound, etc.

Oh! and if you're taking the time to detail the car yourself, take the time also to tape off the trim. I can't recommend this step enough. That black trim gets discolored and I haven't found a product that's nothing more than a band-aid in restoring the color. Don't just focus on the window surrounds, but also the windshield (near the A-pillars), the front grill and bumpers if you have the plastic Rebel ones, the plastic trim on the roof and back of the cab, plastic trim on top of the bedsides, ... all of it.

 

[Eltaco]

One main recommendation: Hold off on applying ceramic until you're comfortable in your paint prep skills and the results from it. If you apply the ceramic after your first go at paint prep and realize you made a mistake (or you're not satisfied), it is a PITA to forcefully remove the coating. You'll just create extra work for yourself, and there's the risk of doing damage to the clearcoat in the process.

My advice is to put a high quality sealant as the final step that will be more forgiving and will last maybe a few months, and can be "safely" chemically removed. An old school carnauba-based wax, for example ... or any of the spray-on silicone-based sealants out there. I'm a big fan of Sonax Spray N' Seal for it's effectiveness, shine, and ease of application.

It may take you a few days and different lights to gain that confidence and you may observe that you will need to tweak your prep method - different pads, polisher, compound, etc.

Oh! and if you're taking the time to detail the car yourself, take the time also to tape off the trim. I can't recommend this step enough. That black trim gets discolored and I haven't found a product that's nothing more than a band-aid in restoring the color. Don't just focus on the window surrounds, but also the windshield (near the A-pillars), the front grill and bumpers if you have the plastic Rebel ones, the plastic trim on the roof and back of the cab, plastic trim on top of the bedsides, ... all of it.

Love it, that’s probably some sound advice. Before I jumped in head first, I originally decided to try a bottle of the 303 Graphene which should last 6-12 months from my understanding.

That said, boy that’s a lot of effort to get to the point of applying a sealant if I’ll have to go back through it all in 6-12mo again. I don’t suppose I hone the skill much more in that time.

If I were to get all the way to the point of being ready for ceramic coating and punt, I’d have to go through the whole process again if I don’t seal it, right?

To be honest, my expectations for paint prep are pretty low. I want the benefits of the ceramic coating, but I’m far less concerned about some remaining swirling or defects. Sure it would be great to have it all, but primarily I just want to ensure great adhesion of the ceramic sealant. I’ll try to clean up as much as possible, but I’m not expecting professional level results, nor do I truly value them at $1500+ which is why I opted for DIY.

 

[GTLimited]

Love it, that’s probably some sound advice. Before I jumped in head first, I originally decided to try a bottle of the 303 Graphene which should last 6-12 months from my understanding.

That said, boy that’s a lot of effort to get to the point of applying a sealant if I’ll have to go back through it all in 6-12mo again. I don’t suppose I hone the skill much more in that time.

If I were to get all the way to the point of being ready for ceramic coating and punt, I’d have to go through the whole process again if I don’t seal it, right?

To be honest, my expectations for paint prep are pretty low. I want the benefits of the ceramic coating, but I’m far less concerned about some remaining swirling or defects. Sure it would be great to have it all, but primarily I just want to ensure great adhesion of the ceramic sealant. I’ll try to clean up as much as possible, but I’m not expecting professional level results, nor do I truly value them at $1500+ which is why I opted for DIY.

What color is your truck? Lighter colors are much more forgiving of course. Beyond some swirling, polishing can lead to weird hologramming or shadow effects that are more obvious on darker colors, and that will probably be beyond your tolerance.

One way around this is to work piecemeal. There's no hard rule that you have to do the entire car in one shot. If you store the products appropriately, they'll last on the shelf. You mentioned the roof and that's a good starting panel. You wouldn't want to do it on a panel on the sides as that will stick out next to the non-sealed panels. Go through your entire workflow on the roof and see how you like it. Tweak and repeat. Heck, because the roof is mostly out of sight, split your workflow to half the roof and see how you like it. Then tweak and work on the other half.

 

[Kilroy]

How long do you plan to keep this vehicle?

 

[ElkoNV]

Love it, that’s probably some sound advice. Before I jumped in head first, I originally decided to try a bottle of the 303 Graphene which should last 6-12 months from my understanding.

That said, boy that’s a lot of effort to get to the point of applying a sealant if I’ll have to go back through it all in 6-12mo again. I don’t suppose I hone the skill much more in that time.

If I were to get all the way to the point of being ready for ceramic coating and punt, I’d have to go through the whole process again if I don’t seal it, right?

To be honest, my expectations for paint prep are pretty low. I want the benefits of the ceramic coating, but I’m far less concerned about some remaining swirling or defects. Sure it would be great to have it all, but primarily I just want to ensure great adhesion of the ceramic sealant. I’ll try to clean up as much as possible, but I’m not expecting professional level results, nor do I truly value them at $1500+ which is why I opted for DIY.

Keep one pad for each type of swirl remover. Do not mix and match.
It will take a bit of product at first to fill the pad then just a couple of dots to keep going. If you are in dry climate a spay bottle with water and a light mist every now and then will help.
Let the polisher do the work, do not apply any more pressure than what's required to keep complete control of the polisher.
Yes, start on the roof. I read your other post and honestly, I think you may be way underestimating the results you can expect. You have top-notch equipment and a good attitude (that's half the battle), you should be able to get rid of all the swirl marks and have a beautiful result. If your truck has not seen tunnel washes they will not be deep and come out rather easily with a DA polisher. I think you are going to be really surprised.
Master your skill on the roof, then the tailgate, then passenger side from the rear forward, then driver's side rear forward, lastly the hood. By the time you get to the hood, you will have it mastered, and that's what everyone is going to look at, even you.
Go easy around outside curves, far less of the pad will be in contact with the vehicle and it will cut faster use less pressure. Go slow up to inside compound curves you will see the edge of the pad wan to dig into the valley, that's a no-no, the same thing light multiple passes, lift the polisher, and rotate to follow the inside curve. If you find you are getting great results and worried about the inside curve use a pad by hand. When I started detailing cars nobody had a RA Polisher, wax on wax off.
Start with the least abrasive polish, that actually might take care of the marks. If not save that pad for later and start with the next least abrasive and so on.
I disagree with JAGopher. It is a LOT of work, take your time once you are truly satisfied ceramic coat it. Ceramic Coating will help reduce future swirl marks that you just spent so many hours removing. Two bucket wash and all that. Start the coating on the rooftop for the same reasons, follow around the truck the same way.
For glass don't be afraid to get a yellow really aggressive pad, and like someone above said use glass polish if you are trying to remove spots. Glass polish fling onto your paint, it is much to aggressive to use on paint so polish you windows first then was the truck to make sure none of that polish is on the paint. Then polish the truck.
I know it's been said, but stay away from trim, and you are new it this so tape it off, its 20 minutes and a roll of tape versus looking at your mistake for years.
Stay away from decals, get as close as you are comfortable but do not go over them especially the edges.
The White pads are probably fine I would not go more aggressive starting out, maybe even try a blue or green if you do not have many marks.
I love ceramic coatings but I do not use them on the glass I use griots garage glass sealant it's less than $10. Think rainx on steroids lasts long easy to apply no haze, just takes a lot of wiping off with clean towels.
You asked about glass polish, I use driven extreme duty glass cleaner shake well polish away cuts right through the crap. Its got acid and abrasives.

Amazon.com: Driven Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner, 16 oz Bottle: Automotive

Buy Driven Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner, 16 oz Bottle: Glass Care - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

The one thing I cannot say enough is to take your time and enjoy the process. If you get tired or frustrated that is not the time to be polishing your truck. And I think we all want to see pics! Remember some before pics too.
Congrats.

 

[Eltaco]

Keep one pad for each type of swirl remover. Do not mix and match.
It will take a bit of product at first to fill the pad then just a couple of dots to keep going. If you are in dry climate a spay bottle with water and a light mist every now and then will help.
Let the polisher do the work, do not apply any more pressure than what's required to keep complete control of the polisher.
Yes, start on the roof. I read your other post and honestly, I think you may be way underestimating the results you can expect. You have top-notch equipment and a good attitude (that's half the battle), you should be able to get rid of all the swirl marks and have a beautiful result. If your truck has not seen tunnel washes they will not be deep and come out rather easily with a DA polisher. I think you are going to be really surprised.
Master your skill on the roof, then the tailgate, then passenger side from the rear forward, then driver's side rear forward, lastly the hood. By the time you get to the hood, you will have it mastered, and that's what everyone is going to look at, even you.
Go easy around outside curves, far less of the pad will be in contact with the vehicle and it will cut faster use less pressure. Go slow up to inside compound curves you will see the edge of the pad wan to dig into the valley, that's a no-no, the same thing light multiple passes, lift the polisher, and rotate to follow the inside curve. If you find you are getting great results and worried about the inside curve use a pad by hand. When I started detailing cars nobody had a RA Polisher, wax on wax off.
Start with the least abrasive polish, that actually might take care of the marks. If not save that pad for later and start with the next least abrasive and so on.
I disagree with JAGopher. It is a LOT of work, take your time once you are truly satisfied ceramic coat it. Ceramic Coating will help reduce future swirl marks that you just spent so many hours removing. Two bucket wash and all that. Start the coating on the rooftop for the same reasons, follow around the truck the same way.
For glass don't be afraid to get a yellow really aggressive pad, and like someone above said use glass polish if you are trying to remove spots. Glass polish fling onto your paint, it is much to aggressive to use on paint so polish you windows first then was the truck to make sure none of that polish is on the paint. Then polish the truck.
I know it's been said, but stay away from trim, and you are new it this so tape it off, its 20 minutes and a roll of tape versus looking at your mistake for years.
Stay away from decals, get as close as you are comfortable but do not go over them especially the edges.
The White pads are probably fine I would not go more aggressive starting out, maybe even try a blue or green if you do not have many marks.
I love ceramic coatings but I do not use them on the glass I use griots garage glass sealant it's less than $10. Think rainx on steroids lasts long easy to apply no haze, just takes a lot of wiping off with clean towels.
You asked about glass polish, I use driven extreme duty glass cleaner shake well polish away cuts right through the crap. Its got acid and abrasives.

Amazon.com: Driven Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner, 16 oz Bottle: Automotive

Buy Driven Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner, 16 oz Bottle: Glass Care - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

The one thing I cannot say enough is to take your time and enjoy the process. If you get tired or frustrated that is not the time to be polishing your truck. And I think we all want to see pics! Remember some before pics too.
Congrats.

Seriously awesome advice from so many of you guys. Shouldn’t surprise me that you master detailers provide such detailed responses.

I’m sure this thread will prove beneficial to many people. Heck, if I get to the end and really Jack it up, someone will benefit from my mistakes!

I’m excited to get the process going!

I’ll probably take a good look at other polishing compounds and pads. I was hoping to get by with just white pads and the 3D One, but I’d hate to get part way in and not be able to complete the job for lack of resources.

One question I don’t think anyone answered... what quantity of pads is necessary? Will you burn thru multiple pads in the process, or would one of each level of cut/polish be sufficient to complete the job?

 

[Tmsmedic]

I’ve used pro stuff and the cheap eBay stuff, and each has its pros and cons. It is an art form and if your wanting to eliminate the factory orange peel and get a show car finish...take it to a pro and spend the money. Those guys do it for a living. If you want a truck that shines better than every other daily driver in your circle, I’d recommend doing a clay bar, mild cut, polish, wipe down, and diy ceramic. I am not a sponsor (but will likely be accused at some point) of Avalon King. I just did my new Limited and am blown away by how diy friendly it is...not only on the paint, but the plastic bits too. If it lasts 2 years or more I’m in for life (or until there’s a better product).

Now I cannot talk durability as this is my first go with this product, but ease of application to me was impressive and worth the recommendation as a diy product.

 

[ElkoNV]

With light, swirl marks 1 pad should do your truck. I am not familiar with the ones you chose, I use hex pads. They last a really long time. I always end up dropping one or getting contamination on it before it's used up. If you even think you have gotten any contaminants on it throw it away. If it were me starting out I would get 2 medium and 2 light. That should do it. The really soft pads are for optical-grade finishes. So for your application may be 2 green and 2 blue 1 white. Start with the blue see how it cuts, if it's too light switch to green. With light marks, you probably won't need the white. I always recommend when you are starting out better a lighter pad and a little more work than heavy pad cutting in deeper than necessary. Once you are comfortable with the process you can use a firmer pad, it will save time. I would try those 3 on the roof and see what you think.

 

[Eltaco]

Thanks, I’ll do just that. More pads inbound!

Any recommendations on polish type? 3D One seemed like a good option, but I may need some lighter cutters for the less aggressive pads.

Also, my truck is black... which is the only reason I’m traveling down this road. I had my last truck (white Tacoma) for around 195k miles without a thought or consideration for this kind of stuff. I’m hating this black truck right now and this is all in hopes of finding a newfound love for the color once the paint is mildly corrected and ceramic is intact.