Coatings Cafe
Polishing
Defect Description
Polishing marks are very fine scratches in a clearcoat surface which often appear in a swirl pattern resulting from the sanding and polishing operation. These marks can be left from the sanding paper, polish or polishing pads. The polishing marks are often more visible when viewed with focused light sources.
Also known as: swirl marks, clearcoat halo-swirl,
Possible Causes of Defect
1. The sandpaper used was too coarse and left deep groves
2. The sanding and polishing process was done in one direction, not a circular motion
3. The sanding and polishing process was done with too high of a pressure on the clearcoat layer
4. The polishing compound is too coarse.
Tips to Avoid Defect
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1. Use the proper sandpaper and polishing pads and note if wet process is required
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2. Sand and polish in a circular motion
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3. Apply only light pressure when using air driven sanding and polishing tools
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How to Repair the Defect?
- Consult your specific paint shop procedures.
- Finesse Deck: Sand plus 2-step Polish
- Spot Repair: Sand plus Repaint