So many colors...I'm so confused.

[VickMacky]

Hello everyone. I'm somewhat new here. I used to have an account many years ago but I got out of the "hobby" and sold my DA and other things. Now that I'm getting back into it I am stumbling when it comes to pad choices. I have a DA and some solid chemicals but my brain is going nuts over the tons of options in pads.

So, here's where I am. I have a few Hex-Logic 5.5" pads, orange, white and black. I know what each one is for. I also ordered some B&S pads from AG in colors I thought I would need but now I'm thinking I got too many choices. I have 2 orange, 2 white, 3 green, 1 blue and 2 black.

-The orange is a medium cut so I could use it with Ultimate Compound if needed. It wont be often so this color is simple.
-The white I thought was a regular polishing but is in fact a "heavy polishing". I have Griot's correcting cream, would these match?
-After seeing the white was heavy polishing I got the green polishing pads for my Griot's perfecting cream but now I'm thinking I should be using blue?
-The blue, light polishing. Simple
-The black. Again, wax and sealant, and maybe M205. Simple.

After all that I am now thinking I should pair things this way.
-Griots fast correcting cream/Ultimate Compound with the orange pads
-Griots perfecting cream/M205?One steps with the Blue pads
-Wax and sealant application with the black pads

So here are my questions.
-Am I just overthinking all this?
-I will mostly be doing light maintenance polishing with the Perfecting cream, M205 or a one step (like FK215), are the green pads good or should I be using Blue?
-Do I even need the white or can I go from orange straight to green/blue polishing?

I can still exchange these which is why I am asking people who have used these more often if any of these are redundant or unnecessary. I appreciate you help.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Every manufacturer (and even sub-line of pads per each manufacturer) has a color chart guide per each pad.

No one can tell you what pad for which product, that is what the "test spot" is for. You may try to pair a "polishing pad" with a polish product, and find you need a more aggressive pad, or you may find if there is micro-marring you may need a finer finishing pad.

Typically for correction, you want to use 6 - 8 pads. For polishing and removing micro marring, you want 4 to 6 pads. It's not uncommon for me to use 6 pads for compound and four for polish and one for wax application. You can end up with the right pad and product to get you the results you want, but if you don't change the pads out often, you'll have diminished returns. So it's not just about the color, it's about the amount of pads, product, work times, etc...

You'll notice a piece of paper taped to the left door. Both doors actually have the print-outs of the color code charts for each pad. This is Cab 1, Cab 2 has all the Rupes Pads and color chart taped to the door.

[VickMacky]

And I totally understand that. I'm used to keeping things simple so my mind is trying to justify having one color of pad per step rather than having multiple polishing pads to choose from.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

And I totally understand that. I'm used to keeping things simple so my mind is trying to justify having one color of pad per step rather than having multiple polishing pads to choose from.

Some manufacturers make it easy to do that... For example Rupes with the UHS system:
Rupes UHS Easy Gloss System

or Griot's Garage with the BOSS System. With that said, again it comes down to test spot. GG has a BOSS Fast Correcting White pad, which means they paired this with Fast Correcting Cream. With that said, I use Fast Correcting Cream with the BOSS Orange Correcting pad. Just depends on the results I get. I particularly love how the BOSS White pad finishes off, but I find (because they're so porous) that I will easily use 6 on a correcting job.

If you're just doing polishing or perfecting then you will be fine a polishing pad or correcting pad. I don't know which B&S pads you got, there are different lines, to include the new Uro-Tec.

[VickMacky]

I have the standard flat 5.5" pads. I like the idea of printing the charts. I'll see if u can find a copy for the Buff and Shine. Thanks again

[dlc95]

The good news is that Buff and Shine manufactures those Hex Face pads.

I only use their green, blue, black, and red.

Green/Ultimate Compound
Blue/Ultimate Polish
Black/M66
Red/Ultimate Liquid Wax

I've also used the green with Ultimate Polish for a one stage correction type application.

On the occasion that the green isn't getting done in a timely manner, I use the orange/black B&S microfiber cutting pads. Be warned that they usually require a follow up polishing sequence on some paints. I've done some black vehicles where the combo of M100, and those pads left some pretty good haze. This using a PC 7424xp. Very aggressive.

[VickMacky]

The good news is that Buff and Shine manufactures those Hex Face pads.

I only use their green, blue, black, and red.

Green/Ultimate Compound
Blue/Ultimate Polish
Black/M66
Red/Ultimate Liquid Wax

I've also used the green with Ultimate Polish for a one stage correction type application.

On the occasion that the green isn't getting done in a timely manner, I use the orange/black B&S microfiber cutting pads. Be warned that they usually require a follow up polishing sequence on some paints. I've done some black vehicles where the combo of M100, and those pads left some pretty good haze. This using a PC 7424xp. Very aggressive.

Cool thanks. So would the white be a step more aggressive than the green or would you go straight to the orange?

[dlc95]

In my experience, the green has consistently been more capable than the white, orange, and even yellow.

In about mid 2000's, the manufactures started marketing these European foams (yellow, orange, white). These pads featured a more rigid, dense characteristic. These pads seem to more efficiently push the abrasives into the paint, due to the increased resistance of the pad. However, the orange and white pads are fairly smooth from the onset. Once polish has been applied, and they start to get wet, they get even smoother, and their ability to efficiently push the abrasives into the paint diminishes. The yellow pad, while more coarse, is a lot less comfortable than the green (or pink Lake Country) foam.

The green, blue, and black pads are American foam, open cell pads. The green is unique in that it has the ability to both cut and polish effectively. It's cells are larger than the orange and yellow, which allows for more of a "scrubbing" effect on the paint. Instead of mashing the abrasives into the paint, They seem to have more of a "pulling/shaving" action. These pads also run much cooler, and are very durable. Next time you have your pads in the wash bucket, let them get soaked, and feel the foam with your fingertips. Even wet the green pad is still pretty coarse.

The exception is the Lake Country Hydrotech line. This line might be good for you because they just deal with three colors: Cyan cutting, Tangerine polishing, and Crimson finishing. They're similar to the yellow, orange, and white pads, but retain their cut better, and finish nicer. These pads feature a closed cell foam which resists the absorption of polishes.

To cut, I'd go to the orange. The white might work, but I only really liked that pad for cleaner waxes, and ultra fine polishing. The orange is actually a pretty good "one step correction" pad.

[Finick]

All of these colors and differences are why I ended up going with meguiars 5” foam discs, and I’ve been really pleased with them. I don’t see them mentioned all that often.

[VickMacky]

In my experience, the green has consistently been more capable than the white, orange, and even yellow.

In about mid 2000's, the manufactures started marketing these European foams (yellow, orange, white). These pads featured a more rigid, dense characteristic. These pads seem to more efficiently push the abrasives into the paint, due to the increased resistance of the pad. However, the orange and white pads are fairly smooth from the onset. Once polish has been applied, and they start to get wet, they get even smoother, and their ability to efficiently push the abrasives into the paint diminishes. The yellow pad, while more coarse, is a lot less comfortable than the green (or pink Lake Country) foam.

The green, blue, and black pads are American foam, open cell pads. The green is unique in that it has the ability to both cut and polish effectively. It's cells are larger than the orange and yellow, which allows for more of a "scrubbing" effect on the paint. Instead of mashing the abrasives into the paint, They seem to have more of a "pulling/shaving" action. These pads also run much cooler, and are very durable. Next time you have your pads in the wash bucket, let them get soaked, and feel the foam with your fingertips. Even wet the green pad is still pretty coarse.

The exception is the Lake Country Hydrotech line. This line might be good for you because they just deal with three colors: Cyan cutting, Tangerine polishing, and Crimson finishing. They're similar to the yellow, orange, and white pads, but retain their cut better, and finish nicer. These pads feature a closed cell foam which resists the absorption of polishes.

To cut, I'd go to the orange. The white might work, but I only really liked that pad for cleaner waxes, and ultra fine polishing. The orange is actually a pretty good "one step correction" pad.

Wow lots of great advice. So I'm feeling better about the green but still thinking I should have got more blue and less of the white. From the description it looks like if I need that much correcting I should just use an orange pad rather than a white.