Properly buffing clear coat paint requires a lot of sanding and polishing.
A clear coat finish is designed to protect a vehicle's paint job from the weather's corrosive effects. Over time, the shine on the top layer of clear coat can dull from the accumulation of dirt and grit on its surface. Properly buffing clear coat paint can be rigorous and time-consuming, but the showroom finish that results can make it worthwhile.
Instructions
1. Remove any dirt or grime from the vehicle by using a soft sponge and washing it thoroughly with soap and water.
2. Rinse the vehicle with clean water and leave the surface wet.
3. Dampen 1,000-grit sandpaper in soapy water and use it to sand the entire surface of the vehicle. Make small, circular motions with the sandpaper and keep the sandpaper consistently damp. Rinse the sanded surface with clean water as you sand and then dry it with a cotton cloth or T-shirt.
4. Repeat the sanding process using finer 1,500-grit sandpaper. Press very lightly with the sandpaper and rinse the sanded areas as you go. Dry the cleaned areas with a cotton cloth or T-shirt.
5. Repeat the sanding process one more time using even finer 2,000-grit sandpaper. Apply minimum pressure and keep the sandpaper wet at all times, and then rinse the sanded areas with clean water. After the final sanding, the dull layer of clear coat should be gone and the entire surface of the vehicle smooth.
6. Coat the entire surface of the vehicle with a buffing compound. Put a moderate amount of the buffing compound on a soft cloth and apply it evenly to the surface of vehicle using small, circular motions.
7. Wipe the entire surface of the vehicle with a dry cloth after the buffing compound has been applied.
8. Coat the entire surface of the vehicle with a thin layer of car polish. Apply the car polish to a soft cloth or rag and rub it into the surface working in the same direction as the paint job. After the polish has had time to dry, rub it off with a soft cloth to give the surface a lustrous finish.
