Scratches on the simulated wood dash

**Ford Fest** · 09-12-2014, 07:17 AM

Any idea if and how to remove scratches on simulated wood dash pieces? This is on a 2007 GMC Denali. Looks to be in good shape other than the scratches and swirls. Hard to tell in the photo, but the entire piece has scratches ansd swirls.

Thoughts?

**RevitalizeAutoSpa** · 09-12-2014, 08:03 AM

I would try a jeweling polish like SF4500 on a finishing or fine polishing pad (LC White or Black).

Mike Phillips · 09-12-2014, 08:27 AM

To all our regular members... anytime you see a thread pop up with a member asking how to remove scratches out of interior trim, try to remember there is a how-to article on this in the "How To Articles" forum group and it's a "Sticky".

To the member that started this thread, please take a moment to read through this thread, don't just scan it. There is good and accurate information spread throughout it as that's how threads unfold. There are also before and after pictures showing exactly what you want to do.

How to Remove Hair line scratches on Wood Trim?

Half of running a forum as big as AGO is just remembering where all the infos at...

**RevitalizeAutoSpa** · 09-12-2014, 08:31 AM

More reading material!

**allenk4** · 09-12-2014, 12:06 PM

I have a 2009 Denali and have polished my interior faux wood

The piece pictured is removable. Put your thumbs in the cup holders and fingers in the section above and pull up firmly. The center of the section will pop up enough to get you fingers under there and pull up again.

I polished mine with a Porter Cable, 3" Meguiar's Cutting Microfiber Pad and D300. I followed with Wolfgang Finishing Glaze (polish) on a 4" White CCS Pad. There was not much change from D300 to WGFG

Came out nice, but the finish is so soft, it will not stay perfect for long

Remainder of the interior plastics were polished by hand w FG400 and the 4" White CCS Pad. As Mike says, you have to put some passion behind the pad to make much progress

**Ford Fest** · 09-12-2014, 08:38 PM

Thank you for the tips. I had know idea the center console popped out so easy.

Mike, sorry to create another thread. My fault for thinking that this was something unique to my car.

A moderator is welcomed to delete this thread

**Bates Detailing** · 09-12-2014, 09:57 PM

Most of the wood panels in autos have a "clearcoat" that can be treated like paint. Easily removed by hand and proper compounds and polishes at times

**allenk4** · 09-12-2014, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by Bates Detailing

Most of the wood panels in autos have a "clearcoat" that can be treated like paint. Easily removed by hand and proper compounds and polishes at times

I found the GMC finish on these parts to be fairly hard

This made correction by hand very tedious

It is a perfect job for a 2" "Hernandez Polisher"

**Bates Detailing** · 09-12-2014, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by allenk4

I found the GMC finish on these parts to be fairly hard

This made correction by hand very tedious

It is a perfect job for a 2" "Hernandez Polisher"

Yeah man - as with any "clear" ..... there is hard and soft. You can always tape down and machine polish if need be. The last "wood" I polished only needed hand work. Sometimes it does require machine polishing. As always, use the least aggressive method first then move up from there

**allenk4** · 09-13-2014, 02:36 PM

Forgot to mention that the control panels on the front doors also pop off and disconnect a plug, then there are 4 torx screws. Remove the screws and then you can polish the piece much more easily

I was too chicken to mess with removing any of the pieces in the dash

Looking forward to the "After" pictures