Redline
Try Redline
Contractor glossary

Paint correction

Updated

Definition

Paint correction is machine polishing that removes defects such as swirl marks, light scratches, water spots and haze by leveling a thin layer of the clear coat. Because it removes paint that never grows back, every correction uses up some of the finish.

Also called: Machine polishing, Paint polishing

What it means in practice

A swirl or a light scratch is a groove in the clear coat. Polishing doesn't fill it. The pad and compound cut the surrounding clear coat down until the groove is gone or shallow enough that light no longer catches it. That's why correction is different from a wax or glaze, which hide defects for a few washes, and why it's the step that sets the price of most coating jobs.

Stages

Detailers usually describe correction by how many polishing steps it takes:

Level What it is Typical goal
One-step A single polish, often called an enhancement Clear light swirls and add gloss on paint in decent shape
Two-step A cutting compound, then a finishing polish Remove heavier swirls and marring, then refine the haze the cut leaves
Multi-step Wet sanding or heavy cutting before compounding and polishing Deeper defects or show-level results, on paint with enough thickness

The level comes from the inspection, not the menu. Wash the car, look at it under focused and diffuse light, take paint depth readings on each panel and polish a test spot to see what each step achieves and how long a panel takes.

Example: A test spot on the hood takes 25 minutes for a one-step and removes most swirls. A two-step on the same spot takes 50 minutes and removes nearly all of them. Say the car has the equivalent of 12 hood-sized sections: about 5 hours for the one-step and 10 for the two-step. At $80 an hour of labor, that's $400 against $800 before products and prep. The numbers are made up, but the method gives two honest options.

The limits

  • Clear coat is finite. Every cut removes some, and factory clear coat is thin. Edges and body lines thin fastest, so tape them and keep heavy cuts off them.
  • Some defects stay. A scratch through the clear coat, a rock chip or failing clear coat can't be polished out. Write those exclusions on the quote.
  • A paint depth gauge reads total thickness. A typical handheld gauge measures everything over the metal, so it can't tell you exactly how much clear coat is left. Repainted panels and very low readings deserve the least aggressive step that works.

Claims you can stand behind

Under the FTC Act, advertising must be truthful and not deceptive, and you need evidence to back up your claims, express or implied, before the ad runs 1. "Removes 100% of scratches" fails that test on most cars. "Removes most swirls and light scratches; deeper scratches and chips excluded" describes the job.

Common mistakes

  • Quoting a fixed price over the phone without seeing the paint.
  • Selling "full correction" without saying which defects will remain.
  • Cutting harder than the paint needs to make a deadline.
  • Skipping the panel prep wipe before a ceramic coating, which can keep it from bonding.

How it connects

Correction is the prep that makes a coating worth buying, so most coating packages are tiered by correction level. Multi-day jobs warrant a deposit, and your workmanship warranty should say what your correction does and doesn't cover.

Go deeper

Auto detailing guideHow to Quote Ceramic Coating and Paint CorrectionHow detailers quote paint correction and ceramic coating: inspection, paint depth readings, correction levels, durability claims, deposits and exclusions.Auto detailing guideHow to Price Auto DetailingHow to price auto detailing by vehicle size and condition, with upcharges, memberships, paint correction and coating hours, travel fees and deposits.Auto detailing guideHow to Invoice Auto Detailing JobsHow detailers invoice packages and upcharges, coating deposits, no-show fees, tips, maintenance memberships, and dealer and fleet accounts on net terms.Auto detailing guideHow to Get More Detailing CustomersHow auto detailers win and keep customers: honest before-and-after photos, maintenance memberships, dealer and fleet accounts, reviews and referrals.
Ceramic coatingA ceramic coating is a liquid polymer coating that bonds to a vehicle's paint, and often its wheels and glass, and cures into a thin, hard, glossy layer. It makes the finish slicker and easier to keep clean, but it won't stop rock chips or hide defects already in the paint.Good-better-best pricingGood-better-best pricing means presenting a customer with three options for the same job, each a complete solution at a different price, instead of a single take-it-or-leave-it number. The tiers differ in materials, features or warranty, never in whether the job is done right.EstimateAn estimate is a contractor's expected price for a job, based on the scope as it's understood before work starts. It tells the customer the price could change if the work turns out different, but whether it binds you depends on its wording, the customer's acceptance and your state's law.DepositA deposit is a payment the customer makes before work starts, credited toward the final price. Contractors use it to cover materials bought for the job and to hold a place on the schedule. Some states limit how much a contractor can collect up front on home improvement work.Workmanship warrantyA workmanship warranty is your promise to fix, at no charge for a set period, problems caused by how you installed or did the work. It stands behind your labor; defects in the equipment or materials themselves fall under the manufacturer's warranty.Scope of workA scope of work is the written description of exactly what a job includes and what it excludes: the tasks, materials, quantities, locations and standards of finish. It's the part of an estimate or contract that defines what the price buys, so anything outside it needs a change order.

See every term in the glossary

Sources

  1. Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business Federal Trade Commission

Rules and figures change, and many requirements vary by state and city. Check the current version of each source and your local authority before acting, and talk to a licensed professional about your specific situation.