Paint correction is the process of machine polishing a car’s clear coat to remove swirl marks, haze, water-spot etching and light scratches. It levels the surface so defects disappear, rather than filling them in. The result is a smoother, glossier finish.
Your car’s color sits under a clear coat. Most visible flaws live in that clear layer. Polishing removes a very small amount of it, enough to level out the scratches. The process starts with a hand wash and clay bar, then machine polishing with progressively finer polishes.
Swirl marks come from contact. Dirty wash mitts, worn tunnel brushes, rough towels and dry wiping all drag fine grit across the clear coat and leave microscopic scratches. In direct sun, those scratches catch the light and show up as circles. They are cumulative, which is why older cars and cars that get washed a lot at drive-through washes often look hazy even when they're clean.
Swirl marks that show as circles in direct sun
Haze and dullness from age and tunnel washes
Water-spot etching that sits in the clear coat
Light scratches that don't catch a fingernail
Marks from automatic car washes
Deep scratches that cut through the clear coat
Peeling or failing clear coat
Rock chips down to primer
Rust or body damage
Those need body-shop work. A good shop says so before starting.
A one-step correction uses a single polishing stage to remove light defects and restore gloss. Heavier defects may need a second stage. On our menu, the Exterior Detail includes one-step correction and a hand wax, and Platinum and Signature step up to two-step correction. See the pricing page.
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For a deeper look at removing existing swirls, see how to remove swirl marks. For our process in Renton, see paint correction.
Signature Auto Detail has detailed vehicles in Renton since 2006. Call (425) 687-2700 to talk about your paint.
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