Paint hardness or softness.

_Nick_

_Nick_

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I have been reading a lot of threads, on a few forums about paint correction and techniques. Something I have came across a few times is mention of paint being hard or soft.

My question is this: Are there certain makes and models that have generally hard or soft paint? Or does this vary from car to car? If certain makes have a tendancy to be hard or soft, is there a thread, list or post it note somewhere I can read further about them? (The post-it part was a joke)
 
_Nick_ said:
I have been reading a lot of threads, on a few forums about paint correction and techniques. Something I have came across a few times is mention of paint being hard or soft.

My question is this: Are there certain makes and models that have generally hard or soft paint? Or does this vary from car to car? If certain makes have a tendancy to be hard or soft, is there a thread, list or post it note somewhere I can read further about them? (The post-it part was a joke)
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There are some generalizations that can typically be made, however it is ALWAYS best to do a test spot on every car and make your decisions based on your results, as every car has the potential to be totally different - even if you just did the same model, same color car last week... there is always a chance that you will have different results.

Generally speaking,Honda/Acura & Lexus/Toyota are known for softer paint. I have a Lexus and my dad has an Acura - both of which I have polished and I can say that the paint was soft. I was able to remove defects with a black finishing pad and M205... a combo that will usually not touch defects on average to harder paint.

BMW varies greatly - BMW jet black is known for being quite soft, while BMW sapphire black is average/maybe a little on the hard side. Their other colors vary as well.

Porsche is on the softer side, but it also varies. Porsche black is the softest paint I have worked with, but their silver was more on the average side.

Subaru (from what I hear) can have some soft, sticky paint (idk if it is color specific or not - no personal experience here).

I have only corrected 1 VW and it was average hardness.

Mercedes and Audi typically have harder paints.

Infiniti sometimes has a ceramic clear coat which is pretty tough from what I have heard.

I don't deal much with american cars, but I have done a Pontiac G8 (technically Australian, I know) and a Chevy Cobalt SS and they were both average hardness.
 
Really well said above.

The only thing I'll add to the list of generalizations regarding the Japanese Big Three....note the manufacturing location. Cars made in Japan totally fit the description of having soft paint, but those made in the U.S. (Camry and Accord variants for the most part) often have much harder paint. I still recall an '05 Avalon I detailed that had the hardest and most difficult clear I've worked on.

Nonetheless....always test and consider every car to be unique. If for no other reason, you may be working on non-factory paint from a body shop repair.
 
I really think it's a crap shoot to generalize because too many variable are involved besides make and model. The manufacture date, where it was made, solvent or water based clear, factory vs respray etc. Even over the course of a few years the CC processes could have changed. Just do a test spot first.

Hardness generallly refers to how hard it is to remove defects.
 
rmagnus said:
I really think it's a crap shoot to generalize because too many variable are involved besides make and model. The manufacture date, where it was made, solvent or water based clear, factory vs respray etc. Even over the course of a few years the CC processes could have changed. Just do a test spot first.

Hardness generallly refers to how hard it is to remove defects.
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+1 the only real way to tell is by a test spot.
 
Ahh I see. Thank you guys for the advice, and taking the time to educate me. In the future I will be diligent to do a test spot and make detailed notes. Notes are something I am beginning to do more, to further my thoroughness and experience.

I have someone interested in my work, and he had a newer model mustang in some limited color, I think it was called "Lava Red."

The hood was resprayed, but the rest of it is factory. I will do a test spot on each. It would be nice to be able to remove the swirls in it with polish, vice compound. I shall see.

I did find a template someone posted in here with panels on it that I can write my paint thickness reading on, so I am excited to start a file on each car I do. I will include the test results in each.
 
Thanks... I've seen both of those. Thought you may have found one that had dedicated PTG reading spot... I've been meaning to modify my VIF to have a thickness reading area, but I just don't have room at the moment.
 
Ahh, I see what you mean, I plan on putting the readings on there, though now that I think more into it, I may have to make a second copy, and keep one for readings, and the other for defects.
 
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