Once you are done with your painting, the next thing constantly banging your head is how long does paint correction take? Isn’t it right? Whether you crash your car or want new paint for your room. It’s a fundamental question that comes in the first place. Everybody is conscious about their time, so why not just calculate how much time is needed to correct the repaint. We will try to discuss this in this article, so keep reading.
What is paint correction exactly?
Paint Correction is the process of removing imperfections from your vehicle’s paint to reveal a flawless, deep, glossy shine Cut or Buff is not a just “cut or buff.” It is a complete transformation. It requires a lot of expertise and experience, the right tools, and a lot of time to get a vehicle that needs the best possible paint finish looking its best.
Detailers use “paint correction” to describe restoring and rejuvenating the vehicle’s paint. Not only vehicle, its means all kinds of color. If your car’s paint has any sort of surface imperfections, whether they be light scratches, swirl marks, hazing, oxidation, etc., your car needs more than just exterior detailing.
A detailer who isn’t experienced can do some pretty extensive damage to your car’s paint job that might or might not be able to be fixed. Before hiring a detailer, I’ll ask them some questions to ensure they’re trustworthy.
How much exact time does it take to do paint correction?
Many people get confused between an interior detail and a complete paint repair, and they are two completely different services. And I’m here to help you understand the differences.
It takes about two hours to prep the car, clean it, and decontaminate it, one stage of spot compound, one stage of polish, and a coat of wax for an exterior detail. Painting correction is a process that takes anywhere from 6 hours to 22 hours of multiple stages of the Compound, polish, and touch-up. Let’s discuss each product and its function before moving further into the discussion.
What is the process of paint correction?
To begin a full paint correction, a vehicle must first be thoroughly prepared. Depending on the level of contamination, the preparation alone may take anywhere from one hour to several hours. Most contaminants that you can find on an exterior surface of a vehicle are caused by acid rain, iron, dirt, bird droppings, scratches, and water stains. We will focus on the dirt, dust, and debris during the prep.
how long does paint correction take: step by step guides for paint correction
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Gently wash the car
First, wash our car with a PH neutral detergent, Gliptone Foam Blizzard Soap. PH neutral soap helps balance the iron and sediment in the water, so you aren’t adding any additional contaminants to your paint. Make sure you’re using a clean wash mitten to avoid adding extra swirl marks to your color.
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Spray the whole body of the car
Spray
down the car with
Gliptones Iron Eater
. This stuff works, and you can observe it working. Iron deficiency leads to anemia, which means that the body doesn’t absorb enough iron. Once it starts working its magic, you’ll see it turn from clear to purple.
This product is great because instead of using an old-fashioned wire brush to remove rust from the car, you’re using a high-tech tool that eliminates the more challenging elements without damaging the paint. Now rinse.
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Clay out the painting surface
A
clay bar
is a type of molded plastic material used for sculpting. It’s similar to children’s play dough but much more complicated and stickier. After washing your vehicle, you’ll know whether you need a clay bar if you touch the paint. If your car’s paint feels gritty or sticky, it may be time for some decontaminating. Never clays your vehicle without any lubricants. Optimum Nourish is an insane product on its own.
However, when you use the clay bar, you’ll see that the amount of dirt you can quickly get rid of with a simple wash is reduced. Those contaminants that are stuck to your car’s paint are causing damage to the clear coat the longer you leave them there. Be sure to get at least your vehicle detailed twice a year.
If you’re an enthusiast and doing these things yourself, follow steps one through three. If you don’t, you’ll be adding more scratches and scratches to your car. You are now ready for the last action of cleaning your vehicle. Rinse the car one final time, dry with a clean microfiber cloth, and blow out any remaining water. After we choose to clean the car, we remove any contaminants from the paint by using an alcohol wipe.
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Clear coat the surface
We are now prepared to begin determining the paint condition on the vehicle. We can apply multiple stages of Compound and polish. We use different methods to assess the car’s age, its make, if it’s been previously detailed, and if it’s had a previous paint job.
It would help if you considered this factor when choosing a detailer. Their knowledge of the clear coat on the vehicle will help you determine if they can properly clean it.
Detailers who have been in the business for some time often don’t need a paint gauge because they know what the paint looks like and can determine if it needs to be repaired by looking at it. Let’s get started!
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Use good quality compound
compound noun Compound is a word used to Compound is a type of liquid used by detailers to remove moderate to deep imperfections from the surface of a car’s paint. Detailers often refer to this step as “leveling” or “cutting.” Essentially, it cuts lightly through a layer of clear coat to create a smooth surface that eliminates any swirl marks and light surface scratching.
In this stage, it’s imperative to go slowly and steadily with moderate pressure on the blade. We use McGuire’s Microfiber Cutting pads, which are great for beginners. Still, for more experienced users, we would recommend Grips Fast Correcting Cream, which is less demanding and doesn’t create as much dust. If the scratches are deep enough, they may need to repeat this process several times before eradicating the rust.
We focus on a two-by-two square section to ensure the scratches have been removed. There’s no such thing as “perfect,” but a professional detailer will tell you it can be done from 50-to 90 percent correct. This will all depend on what you want to pay and how close to perfect your car needs to be. It takes anywhere from five to 25 hours to complete a paint correction, depending on how long it takes for the painter to get to your house and how well they know their trade.
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Polish the surface
Polishing is the liquid that makes our cars shiny. We use two different kinds of this polish: Gliptone and High Dose Speed. You should always check if the detailer you are working with uses products with heavy polymers and fillers. These products fill in the scratches, and after some time, you will notice that your scratch marks start to reappear.
This means the detailers didn’t just cover up the scratches but made them worse. That’s why it’s so important to know that when shopping around for pricing, you must determine the knowledge that is at the heart of those prices and the hours a professional detailer will be working on your car before you decide to buy.
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Protect the paint
There are three different ways a detailer can finish up the job. One way to protect your paint from scratches is by using a simple coat of carnauba wax. However, it’s not the best choice after a paint repair job because it offers only temporary protection. Please refer to my last blog post on the differences between wax vs. sealant for more details. Next, you could use an adhesive. An excellent choice for price, quality, and protection. And then your last option would be a ceramic coating
how long does paint correction take: FAQ
How do we examine your paint to evaluate the condition?
We first use a ‘paint thickness gauge’ that tells us how thick the paint is in microns. These professional gauges are worth several hundred or thousand dollars and can provide valuable insight into the history of the paint layers. We also include our detailed experience in investigating the paint using xenon light also to check if the car has been repainted or repaired, as these factors are also important.
How long does Paint Correction take?
It depends entirely on the current condition of your paint. A small amount of minor paint correction can take two days, whereas a large amount of severe punishment for badly weathered and aged paint can take 6-10 days – yes, that is between 50 and 100 hours of polishing, refining, and finishing for one car!
If they tell you that they’ll be working for less than five hours, ask them if they’ll work for less than five hours. The painters will likely use filler, or the extent of the damage is not that bad, and an exterior detail may fix this problem for you at no cost. Know what you’re looking for before you start searching.
How much does Paint Correction cost?
It depends on how long a paint correction is take. If it takes less time than expected, it’s cheaper; if it takes longer than expected, it costs more. The cost usually starts at $500 for minor corrections, and any additional charges are billed at an hourly rate.
Is Paint Correction dangerous for my car?
If done by a professional painter like Mr. Detail, who knows about paint types, hardness, and depth and uses the right car care products and modern tools – then yes. The majority of imperfections are within the first 5–10 microns of paint or clear coat, and a current car will come with 100–140
microns
of color or more.
If the correct techniques for removing paint are used, paint removal will be minimal and consistent. Many cars have more paint hacked off and unevenly removed by some unqualified detailer and car washes that provide a cheap cut and buff service.
How long have you been detailing cars?
It takes an experienced painter to get a car’s paint close to perfect. However, it doesn’t take long for someone who has been painting for years to get their paint to look good. Don’t choose the guy with the lower price for this job; choose the one with the most experience because it could cost you a lot of money if something goes wrong!
Do you even need a paint correction?
It would be best to decide whether you want to spend a lot of money on an expensive service that might not give you the results you’re looking for. Ask your detailer for help, ask questions, and decide when you’ve collected all the information you need.
Why don’t you get Stage 1 or 2 details?
When you polish a metal surface with a machine, it creates holographic and swirling patterns. Incorrect. If the paint is not prepared correctly, if the polishing pad is not clean, if the polisher is not well maintained, or if the polisher is misused, then yes, holograms or buffer trails or swirl marks may appear in the paint. We prepare the paint surface properly using only the best products, and we’ve been doing this for 15+ years.
Detailers offer stage 1, stage 2, or stage 3 details, corrections, or enhancements. We don’t believe in this kind of “detail” – let alone for a “paint correction.” The reality is that there is no one condition for paint on your car. It varies from panel to panel. For example, the paint on your bonnets or boots is probably worse because they’ve been exposed to harsher conditions than the paint on your door.
So it will take longer, more stages, and a range of polishers and pads — so while one location might give good results in some areas, it won’t work well in others. Every panel in your car needs to be treated differently. Some meetings may require one stage, while others require four or five.
Do any of the products you use while doing the paint correction use polymers or fillers?
It doesn’t matter which brand of detailer you use, and there are many different ones. If you choose a particular brand, it’s probably because you’re familiar with that brand. But you don’t want to be misled because they use fillers in their products; they may just be using them for marketing purposes.
Warp up
I hope this article will help you to understand the concept of how long paint correction takes? I will also share with you detailed guidelines along with the process. If that helps, let me know what you think about this in the comment box and share the article with your friends.
