Claying and Paint Marring - A non-issue in my book

[Mike Phillips]

Claying and Paint Marring - A non-issue in my book

I get e-mails all the time from people with questions about detailing their cars. While I prefer people to join our forum, become part of our community and then post their questions to the forum I know not everyone in the world is going to do this so I always do my best to share the nutshell version of an answer I would invest the time and resources to type out if I were typing on the forum.

That's because you can do so much on the forum and so little in an e-mail and typing time is limited.

That said, I received an e-mail from a gentleman that is going to detail his track car that is also a garage queen including claying and then machine compounding, polishing and waxing.

His concern and question has to do with the potential that the aggressive clay he purchased may mar the paint.


So here's my answer....

Marring caused by claying if you're going to machine compound is a non-issue and that's because the marring will be light or shallow and the compounding step will or at least should remove any marring.

My personal practice and what I teach in my classes, share on the forum and in all my how-to books goes like this,

If you're going to clay your car's paint with detailing clay or in any other way mechanically decontaminate the paint, then you should already plan on doing at least ONE type of machine polishing process and the reason why is to remove any potential marring.

The machine polishing process can be compounding and polishing, or just polishing or even machine applying a one-step cleaner/wax or as some call these products, an AIO.

The machine application of "something" assuming you're using quality products, quality FOAM pads and some type of dual action polisher, will remove the marring and leave behind a show room quality finish.


So for me... any accidental marring from claying or any other mechanical decontamination process, (like using a Nanoskin product), is a non-issue.

The benefit outweighs the drawback. That is creating a completely clean and smooth surface to restore and maximize gloss while creating a perfect foundation upon which to build on by subsequent procedures including sealing the paint is more important and more valuable than NOT claying the paint because of a concern over a defect that is normal, (marring), that will be removed through the complete process.


Hope that helps....

[jarred767]

As always, great info Mike. I feel the exact same way, and I'm sure many on here do as well. But like the guy that emailed you, I'm sure many are hesitant about clay because of this exact reason and having it straightened out for them from a reputable source like yourself should be all they need to be convinced that mechanical decontamination is a must in any full detailing process.

Thanks for sharing

[Moldavite]

Good info.
thanks for sharing

[Kamakaz1961]

Thank you for this information. Wonderful knowledge

[campngolf]

Another great logic-nugget from Mike. Thanks.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

If you're going to clay your car's paint with detailing clay or in any other way mechanically decontaminate the paint, then you should already plan on doing at least ONE type of machine polishing process and the reason why is to remove any potential marring.

Agree 100%. I will not clay a car unless I plan on polishing.

[dad07]

Agree 100%. I will not clay a car unless I plan on polishing.

even more so on dark colors.......to me it's just plain common sense.

Mark it wasn't long ago here that you and I took that stance ,and boy you would have thought we committed a cardinal sin!

[rickylexus250]

Thanks Mike from Perth, Western Australia.

[Craig Parker]

Good write up Mike!

[Mike Phillips]

I get e-mails all the time from people with questions about detailing their cars.

While I prefer people to join our forum, become part of our community and then post their questions to the forum I know not everyone in the world is going to do this so I always do my best to share the nutshell version of an answer I would invest the time and resources to type out if I were typing on the forum.

Just an update...

Came in to work this morning and the gentleman above sent back a very nice reply....

Hi Mike,

Thank you so much for the very informative response on the forum; I am a newbie and would like to learn more.

I will join and visit your site often.

Thank you so much again. I really appreciate that.

Sincerely,

*****

Now that's not only rewarding but it's what I call...

Win/Win/Win


Been turning questions people e-mail me into articles for years now and then e-mailing them back the link to the reply as it's really the best leverage of my typing time on the forum plus I'm confident it's introduced hundreds of people to this thing we call a discussion forum.

While some forums are not very helpful or friendly and this can leave a bad taste in a first time visitor or joiner of a forum... I'm happy to say that when people find this forum they find a group of people that share their passion for making things clean and shiny and are always willing to help out newbies and veterans alike.


I posted this article to my professional Facebook Page yesterday around 9:00am and in 22 hours it's reached 2,231 people with 2 shares and 28 Likes.


You just never know what's going to be popular till you post it.

Of course, the Live Broadcast post on my FB page posted the day before has reached 4,096 people with 63 likes and 3 shares.

Seems anything to do with power tools tends to get a lot of attention as do extreme makeovers on oxidized single stage paint.

Go figure....