Paint Correction

Automotive Paint Coating

Modern automotive coatings are typically comprised of four organic layers applied on top of a metal substrate. The first layer applied to the pretreated substrate is an electrodeposition primer, also referred to as electrocoat or e-coat. The electrocoat provides corrosion protection for the vehicle by impeding the diffusion of water and oxygen to the underlying metal.

The second layer applied to the vehicle body is the primer layer. This layer serves to smooth out surface roughness of the electrocoat and metal, improve the stone chip resistance of the paint system, and to prevent ultraviolet and visible light from penetrating to the surface of the photolabile electrocoat.

The final two layers of the paint system, the basecoat and the clearcoat, comprise the topcoat. The basecoat is the layer that provides color to the paint system. It contains a variety organic, inorganic, and special effect pigments that imbue a vehicle with a particular color. The clearcoat provides a highly glossy finish which also serves to protect the basecoat underneath from UV.

The clearcoat  is subject to the effects of acid rain, pollution, solvents, road salt and animal matter (bird lime).

 

Swirl Marks

This is one of the biggest issue in the auto detailing industry. Swirl marks or also known as buffer marks , Spider or Cob Webs. Under direct sunlight or other bright light source, the swirls will appear around the reflection of the light source. There are two types of Swirl marks:

  • compound swirl – this type of swirl may be fairly deep into the surface and will leave the paint finish very hazy and cloudy because of the deep cuts in the paint
  • polish swirl – this is a more common swirl mark and is a bit more difficult to see.

What causes Swirl marks – wrong pad and product choice, hard backing plate, buffering at excessive speed and pressure, too much heat, buffing on the edge, dry buffing, types of clear coat, dirty buffing pads, dirty vehicle, non dedicated buffing pad, nylon thread brushes from automatic car wash and finally, granular laundry detergent.

Most auto detailers, in order to save cost and time, uses a layer of polish in order to hide the swirl marks temporarily. This is meant as a short term solution as the swirl marks will reappear right after the car is washed.

 

Fine Scratches and Watermark

Scratches and water spots are the most common paint defects car enthusiasts struggle with when it comes to removing them and preventing them from coming back. Whenever your car is exposed to the harsh environment, scratches WILL appear on the car.

In general, there are two kinds of watermarks on automotive paints.

  • Type I Watermarks- Above Surface Mineral Deposits
  • Type II Watermarks- Below Surface Water Spot Etchings

Type I Watermarks Also referred to as Above Surface Bonded Contaminants. A Type I watermark the mineral deposit residue from the evaporated water. This mineral deposit bonds with the car paint’s clear coat in a circular pattern or shape.

Type II Watermarks Also referred to as Below Surface Defects. A Type II Watermark is when the chemical composition in the water is strong enough to eat or dissolve the paint. This causes etching into the paint surface/clear coat.

 

Holograms

The absolute nightmare. Hologram is usually hidden in the dark, but under direct sunlight, it can be seen floating across the surface of the vehicle paintwork. Technically speaking the paint is somewhat damaged but  only very marginal.

The reason holograms appears is because the previous polisher used an abrasive or cutting compound of inadequate grade and did not finish it off correctly. Black is the hardest color to work with because it consumes large amounts of time. Most auto detailers will use fillers that will last a few days or months to save cost and time.