Paint polishing

Polishing car paint isn't about wiping wax. It's a controlled mechanical process: with a polisher, a specific pad and an abrasive compound of calibrated granulometry, we remove a micrometric layer of paint — almost always from the clearcoat, not the pigment — to eliminate defects like surface scratches, wash-tunnel swirl marks, bird-droppings etched into the clearcoat, or oxidation from lack of maintenance.

It's delicate. Over-polishing removes too much clearcoat and leaves the pigment vulnerable. Under-polishing doesn't fix the defects. We always use a paint-thickness gauge to know exactly what clearcoat we're working with — most modern cars carry 90-140 micrometres of clear, and any serious polish starts with measuring before touching.

Polishing has levels. A 'one-step' is entry-level: a single pass with a medium compound that removes 60-70% of minor defects and restores gloss. This is our pick for cars in good shape whose owners want a 'refresh'.

A 'two-step' combines a more aggressive compound to remove defects, followed by a finishing compound to clean up any holograms left by the cutting compound. Removes 85-95% of defects and leaves a deep, clean gloss. The choice for cars with visible scratches, heavy swirl marks or cars about to be sold.

Full correction (three-step, with wet-sanding in specific zones) is reserved for extreme cases — show cars, collectors, deep corrections. Involves more hours and more risk — we always proceed with written consent and constant measurement.

We start with a full wash, followed by decontamination with clay (magic clay) that removes embedded particles a normal wash can't. Only then is the paint 'ready' for polishing — polishing over dirt produces additional scratches.

We mask panel by panel and work in small zones (about 40×40 cm), checking the result under dedicated LED lighting that reveals defects invisible under normal light. When a panel is done, the gauge passes again to confirm no excess clearcoat was removed.

We finish with a sealant — synthetic wax, polymer sealant or liquid glass (ceramic coating), per the chosen package. Each option has a different durability (see FAQ below).

For any car 3+ years old that's been through automatic washes, direct daily sun or carries annoying parking-lot scratches. On black, dark blue or maroon cars — colours that show defects more — polishing makes a striking difference. For anyone selling, perceived value can rise €500-€1,500 with well-done polishing.

For buyers of a used car wanting to 'undo' previous owners' wear, it's often the first service we recommend. A 5-year-old car with a two-step polish looks 2 years younger — from that point, only hand washing and proper protection are needed.