The paintwork (LKP) of the car, released from the factory, is in perfect condition. But external factors contribute to its constant deterioration. Exposure to moisture, direct sunlight, scratches, etc., all this leads to a loss of shine. But you can restore the former look with the help of polishing. Moreover, it is not necessary to give the car to specialists, because you can handle it yourself, but first you need to learn how to polish the car. There is a whole mass of nuances, each of which plays an important role.
A little bit about polishing the body
The main objective of this event is to give the car a gloss of its original shine. Polishing removes the smallest irregularities of the paintwork, as well as scratches. Body polishes are divided into three main groups:
The choice of a specific type depends on the current state of the body. Polishing is needed not only to add gloss to the paintwork. During operation of the vehicle, microcracks form on the paint surface. Through them, aggressive substances fall on the metal. This leads to a deterioration in appearance and corrosion. In this case, polishing is not enough. You will have to remove rust, that is, repaint the car or a specific part. If you know how to properly polish the machine and do it in a timely manner, then its attractive appearance will be preserved for a long time.
The main types of polishing the body
Currently, there are four main groups: mild, cleansing, protective and regenerative. As for the choice of polishes for cars, much depends on the state of the paintwork. If it is satisfactory, then most likely you will not need an abrasive component.
First of all, consider the cleaning polish. It is performed before any complex work related to the paintwork of the car body, such as applying liquid or quartz glass. Cleaning polishing allows you to get rid of cobwebs, holograms and defects obtained as a result of low-quality previous polishing. A great option for new cars or with low mileage, when the paint is still in good condition. In this case, a car polish is usually used that does not contain abrasive particles or is finely abrasive. Cleaning polishing does not affect the thickness of the paintwork, which is its advantage.
Restorative and protective polishing
In the process of performing work, removes part of the varnish. This eliminates most coating defects such as scratches, cobwebs and scuffs. Restorative polishing involves the use of an abrasive compound and a set of fleecy circles. It is worth noting that the deeper the scratches, the larger the grain is used for processing and vice versa. Usually, restoration polishing is the only option for paintwork, which is already under 10 years old. But even in this case, the paint layer is minimized. As for the shortcomings of this type of work, there are only a few. Firstly, this is a rather expensive procedure, and secondly, paintwork can not withstand so many complete polishes, as the layer gradually decreases and body painting will be required.
After restoration work with paintwork, it is recommended to resort to protective polishing. She will allow to keep the received gloss for a long time. The polish is used synthetic or wax-based. Abrasive elements are not used. This treatment provides not only protection from ultraviolet radiation, but also prevents the penetration of various chemical elements deep into the paintwork.
How to polish a car
Before you proceed directly to the work, you need to know a few important points. For example, the fact that polishing can be not only mechanical, but also manual or even non-contact. It is advisable to carry out the work in a well-ventilated room and with proper circular lighting. It is also worth choosing the right polishing pastes, abrasive wheels and other materials.
The first step is to thoroughly wash the car body and dry it. Traces of insects or tar must be removed with a solvent. The same White Spirit or its equivalent will do. Next, it is advisable to degrease the body with anti-silicone. Places inaccessible for machining must be sanded by hand. To do this, it is advisable to take the P1500 sandpaper and, having slightly moistened it, rub the paintwork in circular motions. Some motorists try to minimize manual labor, so they only use a grinder. But there are a number of features.
How to polish a car with a machine
As an example, we will consider one of the simplest, but at the same time, large body parts. This, as you probably already guessed, will be about the roof. For ease of work, you can divide the zone into four parts and process each step by step. Now we apply the polish on the body precisely, let it stand for one minute and rub it with a rag on the treated area.
Then we proceed directly to the implementation of the work. To do this, we need such a grinding tool as a band, vibrating or centrifugal machine. You can even use a grinder using a polishing pad (special nozzle). With uniform effort, back-to-back movements or in a circle, we rub the paste into the body. Do not allow the polish to dry out, since in this case it will not cope with its task. The pressing force should be constantly the same, no need to press too hard. During the day, the protective film is fixed to the woodwork, so it is advisable to exclude washing with a karcher.
Why polish only painted cars
It will now be about used cars, not purchased from the passenger compartment. Usually polishing is performed about a month after painting the vehicle. This is necessary in order to donkey varnish. If this is not done, then failures during subsequent polishing are possible. It is worth noting that this set of measures is quite complex and it is advisable to entrust such work to specialists. Since it is necessary to polish a car after painting with a whole range of polishes and automotive cosmetics, it is quite difficult to deal with it on your own, especially if there is no experience in this matter.
Briefly about the choice of polishes
Another rather sensitive question is how to polish a car? The fact is that the market offers a huge selection of a wide variety of materials for the car body. Having no experience, making the right choice is not so simple. Nevertheless, it is worth highlighting only two large groups: powder polishes and gel-like. The latter are excellent for processing freshly painted cars, as they only refresh the paint and do not contain abrasive in their composition. But powder polishes are needed to remove even deep scratches. At times, this is the only option that can improve the appearance of the car. One of the popular brands in Russia is Turtle. The product range includes both pasty and liquid polishes and even waxes. Not the cheapest products, but effective, as confirmed by numerous reviews of motorists.
Some useful tips
Since polishing a car with your own hands is not too difficult, even a beginner will cope with this task. It is only necessary to observe a few simple rules. For example, choose the right grinding wheels and paste. In no case should you handle an unwashed car. Existing dirt and dust on the body will damage the paintwork. To achieve maximum results, it is advisable to use a tool with the ability to adjust the speed. You can burn the varnish with a grinder, so you need to work with it carefully. If you are polishing for the first time, it is advisable to start from an inconspicuous place and check the effectiveness on it. Most cars have places where it’s impossible to crawl with a grinder, they will have to work with their hands.
To summarize
So we have examined the main types of polishes and their purpose. As you can see, they are very different from each other. Some are designed to protect, while others can significantly improve the appearance of your car’s paintwork. In any case, it is not necessary to give the car to specialists. You can handle it yourself.
At the sink for abrasive polishing will take a lot of money. About 5-15 thousand, depending on the region. If you carry out the work yourself, then you can easily meet the deadline of 1.5-2 thousand rubles. Yes, and everything will be done as qualitatively as possible, even if there was no similar experience before.