How do you wetsand?

[LiloleG]

Recently I have been absorbing as much as humanly possible...I'm deployed and on my off time this is all I do is research detailing. I'm embarrassed on how I THOUGHT I used to do a good job at detailing my car. Right now my biggest misunderstanding is wet sanding. I tried researching here on the forums I either missed this topic which im sure was talked about multiple times... or maybe im the first looking for a detailed explaination that you all have done with washing,drying,waxing, etc.

Whats the point? How does it work?

From what I understand polishing your car gets rid of light-moderate swirls... so why wetsand if you are going to get the sam results? For me wetsanding a car is taboo... i know if you use fine paper you be ok, but no mater how fine the paper is to me a scratch is a scratch!!! Also I thought the whole point to washing your car was protecting the paint and clear coat...

SO again I ask for all of your advice, what are the steps involved? what are the biggest things to watch out for? How does it work? and WHATS THE POINT!!!???

THANK YOU!

[Garry Dean]

Wet sanding has a couple of benefits. The first is that you can cut to the bottom of a scratch that is not through the clear coat much quicker than doing it with polish. It is just a quicker way to level the paint. The second benefit to me is it allows you to actually remove deeper scratches that otherwise could not be removed. Wet sanding cuts through swirls, oxidation, RIDS, etc. You still have to polish the sanding scratches back out, but wet sanding is a more aggressive way to get rid of deeper scratches and oxidation. Did you try the search button? I hope this helps.

[ryandamartini]

Recently I have been absorbing as much as humanly possible...I'm deployed and on my off time this is all I do is research detailing. I'm embarrassed on how I THOUGHT I used to do a good job at detailing my car. Right now my biggest misunderstanding is wet sanding. I tried researching here on the forums I either missed this topic which im sure was talked about multiple times... or maybe im the first looking for a detailed explaination that you all have done with washing,drying,waxing, etc.

Whats the point? How does it work?

From what I understand polishing your car gets rid of light-moderate swirls... so why wetsand if you are going to get the sam results? For me wetsanding a car is taboo... i know if you use fine paper you be ok, but no mater how fine the paper is to me a scratch is a scratch!!! Also I thought the whole point to washing your car was protecting the paint and clear coat...

SO again I ask for all of your advice, what are the steps involved? what are the biggest things to watch out for? How does it work? and WHATS THE POINT!!!???

THANK YOU!

I have only had to wetsand a couple cars and it has to be careful and arduous work. I now use an air sander hooked up to our air compressor and start with 2000 grit sand paper and 1500 if its nasty. While keeping a supply of water coming, I sand a small area at a time similar to polishing size until there is a uniform haze. I do this over a panel as needed then buff it out. It leaves just a gorgeous shine.

Now wetsanding is not something to do as common as polishing. You have to be very careful. We have been contracted to do it on OEM cars that are just FULL of orange peel. We have also done it to doors and lower areas where the dealer just went happy with clearcote.

As far as deep defect removal, I will not wetsand for that and tend to lean towards a rotary.

I hope that gives you some insight.
Wet Sanding| Detailing Technique and Procedure

[ScottB]

I would interject that most should consider a professional when wetsanding. Precious clearcoat is removed and cannot easily be readded.

[ryandamartini]

I would interject that most should consider a professional when wetsanding. Precious clearcoat is removed and cannot easily be readded.

That as well, I was just posting some information on it. The meguiars videos 1-5 are very informative

[Blackthorn One]

Yes, the Meguiars videos are very informative. I've used their unigrit sandpaper, and it is definitely better than all the others I've tried.

Unless there is a major spot problem on a factory paint job, I wouldn't wetsand it. Factory paint is just too thin. If you really want your car to have a perfect paint job, which is to say without orange peel,have it repainted. Expect to pay $10,000 and up for a perfect paint job. You can easily spend $40,000 on a paint job.

[RaskyR1]

I very rarely wet sand a scratch out of factory paint. I do however wet sand cars that have been repainted from time to time to remove orange peel. I'm working on two right now and here is another I did several weeks back. I'd agree that wet sanding should be left to those who have lots of experience doing it.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...sand-buff.html

Current cars also getting a full wet sand and buff...on top of many other things...

[CakeDaddy]

Look at the link below. We debated if this guy should have even bothered to wet sand his vette. I've componded and polished out some real nasty scratches and they more than what was on this vette, but not to knock anyones technique....Im just saying..............

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...nding-not.html

[conan777]

I wet sand alot when dealing with cars that had minor accidents and rubbed against another car etc. Some times polishing alone can fix the problem but most often I need to wet sand the scratches down. This can completely remove some deeper scratches and sometimes it merely minimizes the damage. I have also used wet sanding to correct poorly repainted cars where there is bad orange peel or drips in the clear, or when someone used way too aggressive wet sanding paper which were buffed but still remained. I had to hit it with 1500, then 2000 grit and then buffed it which came out great.