I'm new to the world of detailing but i've been reading a lot about it. One thing I still have not come across is what all the polishing, buffing, rubbing, wiping.... actually does to the thickness of the clear coat.

i've seen the illustrations on DetailedImage but how thick is the actual clear coat anyway? (ie on a 08 G35).

How much of the clear coat is taken off by normal use of a moderately abrasive polish with an orbital polisher?

How many applications would it take to get to the paint layer?

and finally, can you "re-apply" clear coat???


just wondering..

 

Rubbing and wiping does not do much, but polishing/buffing can. Im not saying it allways does, but if you use heavy cut compond,wullpad,ect it will! The factore puts on "about" 2mils of clear. A good buff job will take off 1/2 a mil and up to 1 mil. Dont get me wrong, I have gone thrue both trying to take out a scratch. Yes you can re-apply clear, if your asking questons about it then have some one else do that. Im a painter at a dealership and the only way I will try and buff somthing is by first going over to the car and checking the mil thickness with a digital mil reader. Then I know how much paint there is befor and after im done. REMEMBER the clear is your paint jobs UV protection! Do not take it all off!

 

If you're using a random orbital (PC/Flex) you can polish semi-annually for 20 years and still have not reached through the clear. A rotary can do more damage when not in the right hands.

 

Polish when needed with least aggessive method first. Then go more aggressive if needed. For normal wax/sealant removal use either a IPA wipedown or a paint cleansing lotion(Dodo lime lite/Pinnicle). These lotions are very mild.

 

There is a huge difference between a dealership "buff" and a proper detail. If you are working on your own car, as stated below, with a PC and normal polishes, you can basically polish for years and years. 1/2-1 mil is ridiculous. I have wetsanded scratches and not removed that much. If you have an 08 infiniti and polish it 2 times a year, you will never have to worry about your clear. If you use a heavy compound, it will remove your clear faster. Go to Autopia.org and use the search button for advice and answers to any questions you have.