If your car has lost its original luster, small scratches, chipped, it is worth thinking about. It will not be difficult to do this. You can contact a car service, where for a certain amount your car will be brought into proper condition. Or you can use the recommendations on how to polish the car with your own hands. So, let's try to give the paintwork a shiny look.
How to polish a car with your own hands: we evaluate the nature of the damage
To begin with, it is worth making sure that the parts do not require repainting. Small scratches, abrasions can be removed independently. If you use the method, then be aware that a layer of enamel about 5 microns thick is removed in the process. factory painting is 100-150 microns thick, meaning you can use 10-15 polishing cycles and be sure that you won't reach the ground layer. To be completely sure that the polishing will not rub the enamel "to the holes", measure the thickness of the paint in several places using a thickness gauge. If everything is fine, proceed to the choice of polishes.
How to polish a car with your own hands: the choice of materials
In order to choose the right paste for polishing, you should pay attention to the nature of the damage. If there is a grid of small scratches, then a recovery polish is needed - an abrasive and a mixture containing a reduced amount of grinding particles. For deep scratches, polishes with a color enriching effect are well suited. If the problem is cloudy spots on the coating, then a restorative paste without sanding particles will be enough. In addition to polishing, you need to choose the right one. For each paste, it has its own. After polishing, the coating becomes thinner and requires additional protection in the form of a special paste. It should be selected according to the color of your car.
How to polish a car with your own hands: surface preparation
You have selected the right materials. But before you polish the car yourself, you first need to properly prepare it. To begin with, wash and dry Remove traces of midges, bitumen and anticorrosive. Can be used special formulations or ordinary white spirit. If you are polishing outdoors, then choose non-sunny weather, without rain, with comfortable temperature. If possible, it is better to polish in a garage or a special box with a good hood. Provide good lighting, otherwise some defects may go unnoticed. Seal up deep scratches and chips to the primer with special adhesive tape.
How to polish a car with your own hands: doing the work
Polishing can be done by hand or with a power tool. With the manual method, the paste is applied to a special lint-free cloth and rubbed over the body. Then you need to wait some time to dry the composition and perform a circular polishing until a shine appears. Pay attention to the indicated drying time on the jar of pasta. Following the recommendations will lead to best result. Polishing a car on your own with deep scratches requires the use of additional tools. It is best to use if you do not have it at your disposal, then a drill with a special nozzle will do. Such polishing is done first with an abrasive paste to remove heavy scratches, then with a "soft" mixture to create a shine. After polishing, apply to the surface protective layer.
An article about how to properly polish a car on your own, what to look for when polishing, tools and materials. At the end of the article - visual video about polishing the car body!
The content of the article:
Over time, under the influence external factors the car loses its gloss and shine, the paintwork loses its brightness and richness - this is the first signal that it is time to polish the car. But first you need to figure out what is the reason for the loss of the appearance of the "iron friend".
The paintwork of the car consists of several layers: a phosphate protective film, a primer and several paintwork layers. In a new car, this layered cake has "pores" and breathes through them.
As a result of operation, exposure to ultraviolet rays and temperature changes, the surface of the body paint is covered with small cracks, small chips, mostly invisible to the naked eye. The dust and pieces of dirt accumulating over time in microdamages worsen the reflective ability of the coating, and the car loses its original luster. Formation on the surface of the paint is more deep damage leads to metal exposure. And this can cause the formation of rust - the most terrible disease of the car.
Rules for polishing
In order to get a satisfactory result when polishing with your own hands, you need to fulfill five simple and affordable conditions:
- The surface to be polished must be absolutely clean, i. the body of the car must be thoroughly washed. By specialized means remove tar drops, traces of insects.
- Polishing should be carried out in a clean room. All available measures must be taken to prevent the entry of dust particles into the room.
- To maintain health, the polishing area must be well ventilated. Dust generated during operation can be removed with a vacuum cleaner.
- It is desirable to exclude hit on the processed surfaces of direct sunshine. This will complicate the work, as it will speed up the drying of the working composition. In order to detect deficiencies in a timely manner workplace it is necessary to equip with several sources of artificial lighting. It is necessary to have the backlight uniform, without significant differences in illumination.
- Before you start polishing, you should critically inspect the surface. Discovered deep chips can be sealed with specialized tape, and dents will require alignment. For deep polishing of scratches and chips using special method. If possible, all plastic and rubber parts are dismantled or sealed with adhesive tape, and the headlights are removed or sealed. Masking of parts prevents their contamination and damage.
Steps for performing simple polishing
If there are no pronounced and gross defects on the surface, then you can use simple polishing. To perform the procedure with your own hands, a special polish is applied to a microfiber cloth, then it is carefully and evenly distributed over the entire surface to be treated. When it becomes noticeable white coating- the polish has dried, which means that the moment has come for the final polishing to a shine.
Do not allow the polish to dry completely - it will be more difficult to achieve an even layer, and in general this will complicate the work.
As practice shows, a perfectly smooth and shiny surface can be obtained by making 10-20 movements within a small area. In the instructions for any polish, the manufacturer recommends a simple polishing every 4-6 weeks.
Stages of deep polishing
Using deep polishing of the car body, you can rid the surface of the car from scratches. The operation will require special tools and materials:
- Fine (r2000) and very fine (r2500) emery;
- Pure water;
- Rubber bar.
To increase the elasticity of sandpaper, it is pre-soaked for 15-20 minutes. In advance, you should take care of an additional container for washing sandpaper during work.
As a result of manipulations, the entire treated area should become homogeneous. For a more pronounced effect, we grind with cross-shaped movements. It happens that there is a large area with a lot of damage - it is recommended to break it into smaller sections and grind them one after another. The roof can be divided into 4 parts, and the hood into two.
One more thing. It's better to leave shallow scratch, which will not be visible on the updated mirror surface. If you overdo it and wipe the varnish down to paint, then this can only be corrected by a complete repainting.
You can improve the adhesion of polish and paintwork by degreasing the surface by special means deep cleaning. The surface prepared in this way is moistened and a polishing paste is applied. A special machine for polishing surfaces at low speed distributes the paste.
Gradually, the speed of the machine can be increased. The tool in your hands should make smooth, unhurried movements, lingering a little longer in problem areas for a better even result. Do not overdo it, the machine can overheat, so do not work with one area for a long time.
The polishing wheel should not dry out completely - moisten it periodically. But in moderation, the paste should not fly in all directions.
Cracks and scratches under the handles are removed manually. First, with p2000 sandpaper, and then with a felt wheel with coarse paste, we process the surface under the handles. Additional measures usually not required.
Restorative polishing removes small surface scratches- return to original appearance paintwork. The process of removing the top layer of enamel and varnish begins. The fresh surface is polished. It is permissible to carry out no more than 20 such operations, since further paintwork is violated.
To protect the car body from the effects of precipitation and other weather factors, as well as in preparation for sale, protective polishing is used. In this case, the entire body is processed. Protect from weather factors with silicone-containing preparations. To protect the intact paintwork of older cars, soft protective polishing is used.
High-quality protective polishes remain on the surface for up to 5-6 months, depending on the features of operation and storage, the frequency of washes. The recommended frequency is 2 times a year. They carry out procedures in the complex of works to prepare the car for the summer and winter seasons.
With high-quality polishing, the car owner postpones the moment of complex painting. In addition, a job well done will give the car coating a bright new life. You can be proud of what you got great result and saved the budget.
Polishing materials, tools and equipment
To carry out high-quality polishing and grinding, it is necessary to have materials of the appropriate level:
- Preferably a professional polishing machine;
- A set of polishing wheels of different hardness (it is better not to use orange ones);
- Microfiber cloths or cotton rags;
- Quality polish;
- White Spirit.
Of the entire set of tools, the polishing wheel is the simplest. They produce two types of them: felt and foam rubber. Both types differ in the level of hardness - it should correspond to the hardness of the paste used. The stiffness of a circle is easiest to determine by color:
- The hardest are white (hard paste);
- The softest are black (soft paste);
- Orange circles are suitable for all types of pastes.
Choosing a polish
Before purchasing the product, you should determine the degree and depth of damage to the paintwork. This is very important point and should be treated with the utmost care.
By chemical composition, polishes are divided into wax (animal and vegetable origin) and polymer (synthetic). Silicone and wax formulations last up to 2 washes. Their use gives a beautiful, deep, but short-lived effect.
Polymer coatings win by a margin in terms of durability, but they are more expensive and more difficult to work with. We recommend using only high-quality, proven polishes, degreasers and wipes.
Present on the market a large number of various polishes. All diversity can be divided into two groups:
- Powder, the action of which is due to the abrasive substances contained in the composition. This group of polishes copes well with small scratches.
- Gel-like - filling cracks and forming a protective layer on the surface. Manufacturers usually recommend using them for polishing freshly painted and new cars.
Liquid polishes, unlike paste-like ones, quickly drain even from surfaces inclined at a small angle. It is most convenient to polish the roof and trunk and hood lids with them.
The obvious advantage of liquid polishes is the inability to wear down the varnish to the ground, so you can use them as often as you like.
Aerosol polishes are convenient to use, but their volatility reduces the amount of polishing agent.
Video about polishing the car body:
As we know, the paintwork of a car is exposed to strong external influences on a daily basis. This and constant fluctuations temperature, and fine road dust, which seems to eat into the paint at speed, thereby forming microcracks.
Thanks to the polish, a thin protective layer appears on the paintwork, which prevents the paint from fading and the appearance of various deformations on it. If you regularly polish, you will save that perv. this species car, which was given to him by the manufacturer, without resorting to painting services at the service station.
Types of polishes
Before answering the question of how to polish a car with your own hands, consider the types of protective equipment. They are divided into two types. protective polishing can be both with Teflon and wax base. The difference between them lies in the duration of the protective function. For example, Teflon polishes are able not to lose their properties up to 7-8 washes. At the same time, wax analogs are washed off for the second or third time.
How long does this procedure take?
As practice shows, it takes from 30 to 50 minutes to manually polish the body of a simple passenger car. The presence of special machines with nozzles can speed up this process by 2-3 times.
Regularity of execution
How often do you need to produce similar works? Experts recommend polishing the car body at least once every 3-4 months. If you rarely use vehicle(for example, only on weekends 1-2 times a week), it is enough to do the work once every six months. Can I polish my car more often? Of course you can, it does not harm the car. But each time before work, the machine must be thoroughly washed to remove any traces of wax or Teflon substances. On dirty car Under no circumstances should polish be rubbed. So you only harm the paintwork of the car - with your own hands you press small particles of dust and deposits into it.
How much does it cost in car services?
About 1 thousand rubles will be requested at the service station for such services. Considering that the price of one tube of TEMRO polish costs up to 100 rubles, it becomes clear that doing this procedure on your own is much cheaper. And one bottle is usually enough for 2 times.
abrasive polishing
A lot of workshops advertise such a service as abrasive polishing. It is also called restorative. This type of work is used in cases where the car needs to eliminate microcracks, scratches and other minor defects paintwork. Unlike simple protective polishing, such polishing requires more time and special tools.
This work consists of several stages: the preparation of the paintwork (this is the removal of the top layer of the coating) and the alignment of scuffs.
It should be borne in mind that along with scratches, this polish also removes part of the paintwork itself. Therefore, it is recommended to use no more than 10 abrasive restoration cycles per vehicle. If the number is higher, instead of paint and varnish, the polish will already remove the primer.
How to polish a car with a polishing machine at home?
Oddly enough, polishing is quite possible to do at home. To do this, it is enough to have an electric drill or a small grinder and a special nozzle. The latter is called a polishing block. Also in stores you can buy ready-made machines for such work, however, the result of the work will be the same with a grinder, with such a device.
essence professional polishing is as follows: during friction, the block heats up the paintwork, while the polish fills all the small bumps and crevices on the body with its particles.
Preparatory work
Regardless of whether you use special tools during work or an ordinary rag, the process of preparing the machine is the same. It includes several stages:
1. Full car wash. We must perform it before polishing the car. After painting, part of the paintwork must dry in the sun.
2. Removal various stains from insects, ingrained resin and dirt on the paintwork near the wheel arches. Here you can use various chemicals such as white spirit, neosteril or gasoline.
3. Surface degreasing. It is likely that in small areas of the body after application detergents left traces. Such places usually have a cloudy appearance in the sun. To keep the polish on the body as long as possible, you should treat the entire perimeter of the paintwork with white spirit or other chemicals (but not abrasive). By the way, in auto shops you can buy Hi-Gear deep cleaning agent. It is intended for degreasing such surfaces. It is very easy to use it. First, shake the bottle well, then apply the substance to a soft piece of cloth and rub evenly over the entire body area.
As a result of this, you will see how the car looks noticeably fresher.
Polishing
So, how to polish the car after preparing the paintwork? Let's start with the bottles themselves. Polishes can be both in tubes (thick mass) and in plastic jars (a mixture of mass with liquid). In the latter case, shake the vial thoroughly before use.
Next, let's get to work. It is necessary to apply polish on the bodywork sequentially, in sections of 50x50 centimeters, starting from the front bumper and hood, ending with the trunk and roof. By the way, the roof can be divided into 4 parts and polished in several stages.
How to apply the mass to the surface of the body, determine for yourself. This can be done both in small circular ribbons and in the form of dots. If your polish is filled in a metal tube, in no case should it touch the surface of the paintwork - it leaves gray prints that are very difficult to remove.
Having evenly applied the mass to the body, we wait a while (usually 1 minute) until it dries a little. After that, we take a soft cloth in our hands and rub the mass until it turns into a transparent shiny film. How to polish a car with a machine? The process can be said to be similar. Only here, instead of a rag, you use a drill with a nozzle. When using such a tool, it is important to remember that the polish must be rubbed with uniform force. You should not put pressure on the body with all your weight, as you can damage the paintwork itself. If you want to know how to properly polish a car with a machine, remember that the tool must work around the entire perimeter where this mass is applied. Drive it left and right, up and down, or handle in a circular motion.
During work, do not allow the polish to dry out. Remember that the dried mass will not turn into a thin film - it will simply be scattered in pieces in the other direction.
The shrinkage period of the polish is 24 hours. At this time, you can travel by car, but it is best to refrain from them for a day so that the protective film is finally strengthened on the body paintwork.
How to polish a car after painting?
It should be noted that this type of work is somewhat different from the usual application of a protective mass. The fact is that polishing after painting includes a whole range of works using special equipment and automotive cosmetics. It is done 3-4 weeks after painting. This is necessary so that the varnish settles and does not form dips during polishing. This work also includes removing various scratches and irregularities that could appear from high humidity or negative impact environment. By the way, before polishing the car, it is necessary to rub it in places with a fine-grained sandpaper. The technology of these works is very complex, so here you can not do without the hands of professionals.
Conclusion
So, we figured out how to polish a car by hand and with a machine.
As you can see, the process is not very complicated and not very long. Therefore, it makes sense to independently master the skills of using polishes, and spend the saved 3-4 thousand on a couple of new tires, pads or other spare parts.
If the paintwork of your car has lost its former appearance and is covered with small scratches and chips, then you can try to restore the attractive and shiny look of the car using hand polished car body. In this article, we will consider the option of working manually, without using a grinder, because it is not always found in a car enthusiast’s garage, and if you have free time and a desire to correct the situation, then you can even manually achieve best effect. For example, in Soviet time there were no special polishing machines at all, but car owners, using manual labor, achieved the shine of their cars using the same goy paste and other products that could be found in the store.
As of today you have wide choose materials, for example, for polishing a car body manually, you can use the G-3 polish from the manufacturer Farecla. It is very easy to work with her. To do this, take a rag, wet it and apply polish. Next, we rub the car with it until a shine appears and periodically moisten the surface with a manual sprayer to avoid rapid drying of the material. After that, we wash the surface to be treated, washing off the G-3 paste, and apply the next grade G-10, from the same manufacturer. G-10 is petty abrasive polish, which eliminates even smaller bumps and scratches, while bringing gloss to the body. And as a finish, you can use any paste to preserve the surface and protect it from moisture, salt and chemical compositions that may fall on the machine during its operation. We took the manufacturer Farecla as an example, there are also analogues of other companies on the market, such as 3M, TURTLE WAX, ABRO, LIQUI MOLY, Willson and others.
The surface of the body treated in this way receives dirt and water-repellent functions. Which has a positive effect not only on the appearance, but also on the protection of the paintwork from destruction.
On this moment do-it-yourself car polishing is not often done manually, because it requires a lot of time and effort, and city residents do not have time to set aside a day or two for this, so many people buy polishing machines or rent them. But you also need to be able to work with them. Monitor the surface temperature and RPM to avoid overheating the paintwork and damaging it. This moment, many novice masters are repelled, and they rub the abrasive and protective polish by hand.
Removing small scratches on the paintwork
Restoration is possible primarily on small scratches on the varnish of the coating. You must have noticed small scratches white or darkish color on the body, but when washed, they disappear, and then appear again. This is due to the optical effect of light refraction. Scratched varnish displays a slightly different shade, but when washed, water fills the pore, which has similar display properties to varnish and visually this defect disappears, but as soon as it dries, it appears again. It is precisely such minor flaws that you can eliminate with the help of manual polishing of the machine, thus updating the paintwork and giving more presentable appearance vehicle.
Some car owners try to remove these scratches with the help of “pencils”, but this is nothing more than an oil or gel that fills these small pores, but they are quite expensive. Some people also use WD-40 lubricant, but it does not harden, thus collecting all the dirt and dust, resulting in greasy spots in the treated areas. There are also specially made optical polishes on the market, but they do not eliminate everything.
We would advise you to solve the problem in terms of actually removing the scratch by manually rubbing the polish on the pre-sanded surface. The essence of the process is to carry out several operations.
- Surface washing.
- Degreasing with anti-silicone. Don't skip this step as resins and greasy spots tend to clump up the paste and the process will be difficult and you may damage the surface altogether.
- Next, fine-grained sandpaper of the P2000 brand is wet rubbed problem areas where there are scratches. As soon as the scratch visually disappears, the process must be stopped and proceed to the next processing area.
- Take the first kind of polish with fine grain and apply to a wet rag. Rub the composition, wetting it on the body with a spray bottle with water.
- After that, they take the second type of polish, with even smaller grains, and repeat the operation.
- The final layer is protective. By type of liquid glass or film stickers.
Rub the polish with a fluffy cloth in a circular motion. During independent work make sure that no dirt gets on the rag, otherwise you can scratch the varnish layer of your car again.
Video example, work in your garage, without special equipment.
Is polishing worth it or is it better to do without it?
Despite the fact that polishing updates the appearance of the car, it also reduces part of the paint layer, which in turn makes it less resistant to various influences, both mechanical and chemical. Whether you need it or not, decide for yourself. We will only advise after manual polishing of a car without a machine, process on top protective polish, by the type of liquid glass or nano polishes. Yes, it is expensive, but such layers last long enough, it all depends on the nature of the operation of the machine and the number of washes. This will protect the paintwork from more intense wear, and preserve the visual effect of polishing for a long period.
Have you polished your car by hand? If yes, please share your results in the comments.
Why polish your car? A layer of wax makes any, even not too expensive, car more presentable and attractive. Transparent film protects iron horse from dirt and scratches, preventing the appearance of corrosion and increasing the life of the vehicle. But polishing a car in a car repair shop - expensive pleasure, That's why experienced drivers prefer to take care of the car at home.
Preparation
The procedure is carried out in the garage. If it is not possible to hide the car indoors, then choose a day when there is no rain and strong wind otherwise the dust will mix with the polish, leaving small scratches on the surface.
The car is placed in the shade. The body is hot because of the sun, and paints and varnishes overheat, do not fit well and release toxic substances. The car is not polished in late autumn and winter, when the temperature drops below +6 degrees.
Before the procedure, it is recommended to visit a car wash or independently clean the vehicle from dirt, pieces of tar and dust. Repair deep scratches. minor damage you can leave it, but then instead of transparent, use a colored polish.
After washing the car, carefully wipe it with a soft, clean cloth. In the room where polishing will take place, general cleaning is arranged. Sweeping floors, wiping racks and taking out all trash. When the car is dry and the garage is perfectly clean, proceed to the second stage.
Tools and materials
What polish to choose for home use? Waxy varieties mask chips and fill cracks, but attract dirt. A vehicle coated with a vegetable or animal based product will lose its shine after 1-3 washes.
Synthetic options are more resistant, repel dirt and water droplets. Silicone-based polish will last for 2-3 months. At home, use the means protective type containing no abrasive particles.
Cover the body and liquid glass. The tool will cost more than a wax polish, but the effect of using such a composition is longer. Liquid glass does not mask scratches, but only creates protective film and shines beautifully in the sun.
The polish comes with a soft sponge. Microfiber cloths or baby diapers will do. When choosing a rag for polishing the body, three criteria are guided:
- The material absorbs moisture well.
- There are no dirt, paint stains or pellets on the napkin or towel.
- The cloth is not too hard and lint-free.
Rough rags leave small scratches on the surface of the body, contribute to paint peeling and rust.
Manual polishing lasts from 5 to 15 hours. A special machine will speed up the process. The technique is equipped with soft discs made of cotton fabric or felt. They evenly distribute silicone and wax products on the surface of the body, facilitate work and reduce the polishing time by 3-4 times.
Owners special equipment use thick formulations that last longer liquid wax. With the help of a machine, they not only polish the car, but also remove the old layer of paint into which dirt has eaten in, eliminate minor and gross defects, and protect the iron horse from corrosion.
Standard procedure
If there is no special equipment, you will have to work with your hands. Plastic and rubber parts, as well as windows, are recommended to be sealed with adhesive tape. The polish is difficult to clean without damaging the glass.
Important: Doors and windows in the garage are opened, and a respirator or gauze bandage is put on the face. Polishes emit chemical fumes, which in small doses do not harm the body. But you will have to work with the trains for 5-10 hours, and if you neglect the safety rules, you can get poisoned.
The machine is polished in two stages:
- A wax or silicone agent is applied to a clean surface. Capture a plot measuring 50x50 cm, no more.
- Wait 1-2 minutes until the polish dries, then grind it.
Start from the top of the car, gradually lowering. There should be no sharp transitions or unworked areas between the squares. Do not apply too much pressure to the cloth.
What happens if you wax the entire car? The composition will dry quickly and you will have to go to a car repair shop so that professionals can remove the polish along with paint, and then apply a new layer. The procedure is long and expensive, so experimenting with a car is not recommended.
If the polish gets on the glass or mirror, the part is immediately wiped with a dry cloth, otherwise there will be stains that are difficult to get rid of. Polishing wipes are changed regularly, because paint particles stick to them, which leave noticeable scratches on the body.
Silicone and wax formulations are applied in small portions. A thick layer of the drug is difficult to evenly distribute over the car.
Machine upgrade
Dirt has eaten into the paintwork and is not washed off? Are there deep scratches on the body or doors? The car was recently painted, and it's time to polish the iron horse? Simple compositions are not enough. You will need preparations with abrasive particles that remove the top layer of paint, and polishing machine or a drill with special nozzles.
In the store, ask for a “numbered” polish. Professionals use preparations No. 1, 2 and 3. It is advisable to buy nozzles for polishing machine or drills. Additionally, purchase waterproof sandpaper. Choose a fine-grained option, for example, No. 2000.
The plastic parts of the car are sealed with masking tape. Wear a respirator, protective suit or old clothing, and rubber gloves. Open the windows in the garage, and then start polishing:
- Degrease the surface of the car with special wipes. Do not touch the machine with your hands, otherwise greasy traces will remain, on which the product does not fit well.
- Moisten the sandpaper with water and sand the body, roof and doors. In order not to get confused, the treated areas are marked with strips of adhesive tape. Sandpaper moves from top to bottom. Do not apply too much pressure to avoid damaging the paint. Moisten the skin periodically with water.
- Apply to a small area polishing agent No. 1 with abrasive particles. Rub the preparation polishing machine. Use cloth or leather discs. Hold the machine at a right angle so as not to scratch the car. During polishing, wet the surface with water.
- The first, rough, processing is designed to mask scratches. After sanding, the car is washed, then polish No. 2 is used. The tool will fix the result.
- The car is washed a second time, then polish No. 3 is applied, without abrasive particles, or liquid glass. The drug repels dirt and water, is responsible for the shine of the car.
IN hard-to-reach places and next to sharp corners It is recommended to turn off the machine and apply the polish manually. The effect will last 3-4 months, then the coating becomes dull, and it has to be renewed. It is recommended to apply natural wax products. They are softer than synthetic options and cheaper.
Polishing a car is not difficult, but it takes a long time. The result depends on the skill of the motorist and the quality of the materials that were used in the work. Therefore, it is recommended to carefully prepare the iron horse for polishing, not save on preparations and do everything with love.
Video: how to quickly and easily polish a car
