Paint thickness

[Pimpmobile]

Bummed a paint depth gauge today and went over my vehicle checking multiple panels and in multiple places. The readings varied from 3.5-6.00 mils. Is this enough thickness for safe buffing and polishing in future?. I would hate to take paint of my own car.

[VR8]

Those are pretty average numbers so you should be fine. What year, make and model car?

John @ Hill City Auto Detail

[Pimpmobile]

1996 Buick Roadmaster original paint to best of my knowledge, car fax clean when I bought it. No obvious signs of Body/paintwork.

[Toolhead]

im still learning..but yeah this is average.. i have a 2016 4runner and just measured the hood..ranged from 4.1 to 6.x at various parts..

id start the polishing process.

[VR8]

1996 Buick Roadmaster original paint to best of my knowledge, car fax clean when I bought it. No obvious signs of Body/paintwork.

Oh boy! That adds food for thought. I'm not a Buick specialist, so I can't say what paint thickness should be on a '96 Buick. But, I can say, unless it's been preserved in a vacuum sealed vault, it's quite a bit less thick now than it was then!! The more aggressive you go with polishing now, the thinner it gets! What's the long range goal? Are you keeping it in a garage? Driving it everyday? Planning for full correction or just a All-In-One?

[TMQ]

What thickness should one NOT attempt to polish?

2 mils or less?

Tom

[Pimpmobile]

Oh boy! That adds food for thought. I'm not a Buick specialist, so I can't say what paint thickness should be on a '96 Buick. But, I can say, unless it's been preserved in a vacuum sealed vault, it's quite a bit less thick now than it was then!! The more aggressive you go with polishing now, the thinner it gets! What's the long range goal? Are you keeping it in a garage? Driving it everyday? Planning for full correction or just a All-In-One?

It's my pride and joy only vehicle at the moment. I just like to keep it in the best shape possible which means occasional buffing/polishing. Just wanted to make sure it's safe to polish.

[Pimpmobile]

What thickness should one NOT attempt to polish?

2 mils or less?

Tom

That's good to know.

[VR8]

I think TMQ is asking a question, not making a declaration of fact. Here's why you can't really answer that question, "What thickness should you NOT polish?" With your type of paint thickness gauge, and mine, you only get a reading of total thickness; undercoat/basecoat/clear coat. All included in the one reading, example 4.0. You have no idea how thick the clear coat is. It may only be 0.5 mils out of the 4.0. Or less!!

If it were my personal car, and I just did my sons '98 Impreza, one good polish to achieve a great shine, then just keep it waxed. Don't keep going back to the polish, it'll be like playing with fire.

[Crispy]

I think TMQ is asking a question, not making a declaration of fact. Here's why you can't really answer that question, "What thickness should you NOT polish?" With your type of paint thickness gauge, and mine, you only get a reading of total thickness; undercoat/basecoat/clear coat. All included in the one reading, example 4.0. You have no idea how thick the clear coat is. It may only be 0.5 mils out of the 4.0. Or less!!

If it were my personal car, and I just did my sons '98 Impreza, one good polish to achieve a great shine, then just keep it waxed. Don't keep going back to the polish, it'll be like playing with fire.

Agree.

Total thickness doesn't tell how much clearcoat there is (usually 1/3 primer, basecoat and clear).

Polishing with fine polish and green/white/red pads on a DA doesn't remove alot of paint, if any.

The fine polishes I use are Menzerna 3800, Meg's Mirror Glaze and Optimum Polish II.