To swirl or not to swirl??

[Fla02LS]

I'm wanting to polish/wax the car and have various products. I was pondering the method of application. Some products will use a circular motion, others a back and forth motion. Not wanting "swirl marks" so i was thinking about other methods and wondered....if whatever particles that are causing the swirl marks are present with that application then it wouldnt matter the application you would get slight marks. I dont know. Just thinking.

What are ya'lls preferred method of applying wax or polish?

1)Circular

2)Back and forth/straight

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

I would never use a circular motion doing anything on paint by hand.

 

[pektel]

I use both methods. If your paint is cleaned and prepped properly, and your applicator and application methods are sound, you won't swirl your paint using either method.

 

[broncobra]

Always forth and back with the way the wind flows over the car when applying wax and/or sealants.

 

[Timer]

Clay rub before waxing and using a new polishing bonnet= good end result! You will be amazed at what comes off the paint and endes up in the clay!

 

[97 Octane]

if whatever particles that are causing the swirl marks are present with that application then it wouldnt matter the application you would get slight marks. I dont know. Just thinking.

Swirl marks are inevitable with any daily driven car. You cannot prevent
them short of storing your car since the the day the paint dried.

Swirl marks are caused by agitating course debris over the paint
finish that have accumulated on the cars' surface. It is compunded either
by a number of reasons. Some are caused an automated car wash, a dirty mitt
or chamois, a dirty car cover, use of a rough dry towel or even using
the wrong polishing compound and harsh abrasive cleaners.

Failure to remove dirt, grime and other damaging particles before the
waxing stage will further create more micro scratches or swirl marks as
you rub the particles into your paint finish.

When washing your car, you must do it in the shade away from
direct sunlight. I normally wet my car early in the morning for a few
hours prior to shampooing. This method softens and loosens the caked
on debris ahead of time thereby allowing me to shampoo the car applying
as minimal pressure as can be to the paint as I work to loosen and remove the
debris using my clean synthetic chamois. Shampooing my car after rain
also works great as rainwater moistens and loosens up any debris.

Swirl removers can be used to remove deeper swirl marks but be aware
that it will remove a thin layer of your clear coat. Use it sparingly.
Most swirl marks can be effectively masked using a good carnauba wax
and polished to a nice flat reflective surface.

For best results, have a skilled pro apply wax and polish for you. If you
are confident enough, you can use a good foam pad wax applicator on
a dual action orbital polisher. Pay close attention as not to burn the
paint at corners and sharp edges.


Oh yeah, Option 2 is best.




Ren/Octane

 

[pektel]

Swirl marks are inevitable with any daily driven car. You cannot prevent
them short of storing your car since the the day the paint dried.

Swirl marks are caused by agitating course debris over the paint
finish that have accumulated on the cars' surface. It is compunded either
by a number of reasons. Some are caused an automated car wash, a dirty mitt
or chamois, a dirty car cover, use of a rough dry towel or even using
the wrong polishing compound and harsh abrasive cleaners.

Failure to remove dirt, grime and other damaging particles before the
waxing stage will further create more micro scratches or swirl marks as
you rub the particles into your paint finish.

When washing your car, you must do it in the shade away from
direct sunlight. I normally wet my car early in the morning for a few
hours prior to shampooing. This method softens and loosens the caked
on debris ahead of time thereby allowing me to shampoo the car applying
as minimal pressure as can be to the paint as I work to loosen and remove the
debris using my clean synthetic chamois. Shampooing my car after rain
also works great as rainwater moistens and loosens up any debris.

Swirl removers can be used to remove deeper swirl marks but be aware
that it will remove a thin layer of your clear coat. Use it sparingly.
Most swirl marks can be effectively masked using a good carnauba wax
and polished to a nice flat reflective surface.

For best results, have a skilled pro apply wax and polish for you. If you
are confident enough, you can use a good foam pad wax applicator on
a dual action orbital polisher. Pay close attention as not to burn the
paint at corners and sharp edges.


Oh yeah, Option 2 is best.




Ren/Octane

I'll just expand on a couple things here-

Instead of wetting the car hours beforehand, try a foam cannon with a pressure washer. Works nicely, and saves a BUNCH of time. I myself just use a hand pump sprayer with wash solution and a little APC in it. I let it sit for a few minutes before washing the panel. I find that safely and effectively loosens any contamination that can be realistically expected.

While it's true that preventing swirl marks completely is impossible, you can minimize the severity of them, and keep your paint looking better longer by simply improving wash technique. Improper washing is the main cause of swirl marks. Follow a proper two bucket method with grit guards, a good wash media, and proper drying towel, and you will find greatly reduced damage to the paint film, and that yearly polishing will require only a finishing polish/pad combo.

As far as polishing removing clear coat, that is of course a complete truth. If one is going to be compounding, one should have access to a paint thickness guage to accurately determine if there is enough clear coat to work with. But for standard polishing, such little CC is removed that one should be able to polish the car once a year for it's intended lifespan without issue. Of course, there are so many variables, one can't be sure of the actual amount of times a paint surface can be polished without a PTG.

These are some steps that a professional will take to ensure the best possible finish. A professional should also tell you how to maintain that finish, to keep new damage to a minimum.

 

[M4rk]

With the kind of water we have here, wetting the car and letting it sit would result in major water spots.

 

[Tru-Blu]

Swirls can be removed with moderate skill in polishing with a machine. The Porter Cable 7424XP is the safest to use if you're a just getting started, and will produce amazing results if you're using quality compounds and polishes.

Menzerna and Adam's are two lines that I have experience with. Pektel can give you a grocery list a mile long of other stuff that he's used.