What if I did compound and no clay?

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ShowCar

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I don't know if the car I have has ever been detailed. Just taken to the auto carwash places. It was given to me, a 98 Honda Accord. Anyway, trying to learn and didn't buy the clay. I bought Meguiars Ultimate Compound and buffed it in and then wiped it off. The paint was super smooth. Then I put cleaner wax on it because the product said it was polish and wax (I thought). Did I ruin my paint? Is the clay absolutely necessary? Was I wrong to use the compound? Thanks.
 
You`re the only one that can tell if you damaged the paint. Before compounding or polishing you needed to view the videos on this sight for help on how to do it.

Clay is not needed if you compound or polish, clay is just a surface cleaner product and since you have compounded it you don`t need to clay.

Does your paint still have swirls and scratches in it? if so you didn`t get it finished with the compounding.

Did you use a buffer to do the compounding of did you do t by hand?
 
Ok so, yeah you need to clay before you polish, regardless. Did you mess anything up? Probably not, but you probably still have embedded crap on your car.


jimjc said:
Clay is not needed if you compound or polish, clay is just a surface cleaner product and since you have compounded it you don`t need to clay.
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Wait, what? So is it necessary or not necessary before paint correction? I would assume paint correction is more evasive than claying, therefore clay isn't needed before. But i'm just a green pea so what do i know?
 
anonymoususer said:
Wait, what? So is it necessary or not necessary before paint correction? I would assume paint correction is more evasive than claying, therefore clay isn't needed before. But i'm just a green pea so what do i know?
Click to expand...

I'd say yeah, you should clay. But that's just me. I've heard Mike Phillips suggest it a bunch to I think ;):xyxthumbs:
 
The car looks fine. Looks better than ever, smooth as glass. But, I keep reading how I was supposed to use clay, and then how compound is only for something "terrible," some terrible condition. I mean it's not a 1966 car that's been outside forever, just my daily that needs help. In other words, I didn't do the clay so I thought I might have been cheating myself or doing it "wrong."

edit: used a cheapo buffer Waxmaster w109, just learning, to put it on, then wiped it off by hand.
 
Clay will shear off contaminants, you don't want these embedded in your pads.

You want a clean slate to work with.
 
jimjc said:
Clay is not needed if you compound or polish, clay is just a surface cleaner product and since you have compounded it you don`t need to clay.
Click to expand...

Not exactly true. If the car doesn't have surface contaminants then it doesn't need to be Clayed before being polished. Most cars need to be clayed. Without it you risk picking up contaminants on your pad and marring the finish as you polish the car.

anonymoususer said:
Wait, what? So is it necessary or not necessary before paint correction? I would assume paint correction is more evasive than claying, therefore clay isn't needed before. But i'm just a green pea so what do i know?
Click to expand...

It's a good practice to clay before you polish. There is plenty of info on claying if you just do a search for it. In the old days we didn't have clay but then again it was single stage paint. If your pad picks up debris then you just made the polishing step harder.
 
I believe it`s a waste of time to clay if your paint needs a lot of correction. Compounding cuts and removes paint. Prepares paint for polishing. Compounding then polishing then sealer/wax
 
There is a possbility that your pad/applicator may catch contanimination and mar or scratch the paint.
 
ShowCar said:
So when do you use compound? I've read but I saw some places that had compound then polish. Others, wash, clay, compound, polish, wax. Like here,

Meguiars Mirror Glaze #205 Ultra Finishing Polish, final polish, Meguiars polishes, car polish, 205 FP

I can assume they washed the car at some point but not the rest. Looks like they just used compound and then polish. I can only guess they waxed later.
Click to expand...

Compound when just using a polish doesn't give you the result you wanted. Good policy is to do a test spot first. And yes any detailer that knows what they are doing will only polish on a clean car.
 
rmagnus said:
Compound when just using a polish doesn't give you the result you wanted. Good policy is to do a test spot first. And yes any detailer that knows what they are doing will only polish on a clean car.
Click to expand...

What if my car is smooth after I compound? Does that mean I didn't need the clay after all?
 
...The car is 15 years old, even if it was clayed 6 months ago, I would still clay it before putting a machine to it. I think most people here will agree that you should definitely clay the car before you begin buffing the paint. I'd highly suggest it given the age, the fact that it's a DD and the lack of knowledge of previous care.

The principal behind claying before correction is to have as clean of a surface as possible when you correct the paint. The fear is that embedded particles removed from buffing the paint, will remain on the pad and only be repeatedly ground into the surface of the paint.

Compounding cuts deeper than polishing does, if more harm is inflicted during the heavier part of the correction, you're not going to have much luck removing those with a polish.

If you're happy with your results having not clayed it, and wish to proceed that way, then go don't let me stop you.

"You can lead a horse to water..."
 
ShowCar said:
Is the clay absolutely necessary?

IMO...Performing the "baggie test" is an almost fool-proof method
of determining the answer to your above question.
Click to expand...


If I may:
Next time you decide to detail this vehicle, you could use the below as a guideline:

1. Wash/Dry vehicle

2. Use a decontamination system:
a.) ValuGard's ABC
b.) FinishKare's Decontamination System
c.) IronX, or a facsimile thereof

3. Determine if Claying is needed via "Baggie Test"

4. "Test Spot" to determine:
a.) Machine (polisher)/pads/compound/polish combinations
b.) Least aggressive products/methods first!!!

5. When satisfied with the results from the above steps:
a.) Apply a film-layer (or two) of an LSP---wax, sealant, 'coating'

A couple of "tips":
-Try to always be in a relaxed frame of mind when detailing.

-Spread your detailing-steps out over a few days, if necessary.
Remember: Rome wasn't built in a day!

-Purchase and peruse, at length, Mike Phillips' detailing books.

-Keep posing questions to the AGO forum


:)

Bob
 
If you already did it, oh well what can you do.

But next time just clay, you can work as clean as possible do everything right. Technique/products, So if your going to do all that. Might as well clay also. So you can say "I did a full Detail"
 
dooyaunastan said:
...The car is 15 years old, even if it was clayed 6 months ago, I would still clay it before putting a machine to it. I think most people here will agree that you should definitely clay the car before you begin buffing the paint. I'd highly suggest it given the age, the fact that it's a DD and the lack of knowledge of previous care.

The principal behind claying before correction is to have as clean of a surface as possible when you correct the paint. The fear is that embedded particles removed from buffing the paint, will remain on the pad and only be repeatedly ground into the surface of the paint.

Compounding cuts deeper than polishing does, if more harm is inflicted during the heavier part of the correction, you're not going to have much luck removing those with a polish.

If you're happy with your results having not clayed it, and wish to proceed that way, then go don't let me stop you.

"You can lead a horse to water..."
Click to expand...

That makes perfect sense. I understand now.

FUNX725 said:
If I may:
Next time you decide to detail this vehicle, you could use the below as a guideline:

1. Wash/Dry vehicle

2. Use a decontamination system:
a.) ValuGard's ABC
b.) FinishKare's Decontamination System
c.) IronX, or a facsimile thereof

3. Determine if Claying is needed via "Baggie Test"

4. "Test Spot" to determine:
a.) Machine (polisher)/pads/compound/polish combinations
b.) Least aggressive products/methods first!!!

5. When satisfied with the results from the above steps:
a.) Apply a film-layer (or two) of an LSP---wax, sealant, 'coating'

A couple of "tips":
-Try to always be in a relaxed frame of mind when detailing.

-Spread your detailing-steps out over a few days, if necessary.
Remember: Rome wasn't built in a day!

-Purchase and peruse, at length, Mike Phillips' detailing books.

-Keep posing questions to the AGO forum


:)

Bob
Click to expand...

I didn't know you could spread some of it out...just not too far.

Thanks everyone. I'll get the clay.
 
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