Struggle with white paint..ugh

idriveblackcars

idriveblackcars

In time out
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
745
Reaction score
0
Hello all..I was looking to get some tips on how to work on light colored paint.

My entire driving life (since 1998) I have owned black VWs and Audis. It made me very proficient at working on dark colored paint.

However the other day while working on a friends car (white), my eyes really struggled to physically see any polish or sealant I was applying or taking off on the paint. The plan was just a quick wash,clay,polish and a sealant. The issues came when wiping the polish off. I couldn't see it over the light colored paint!

I just couldn't see anything on the car. It was extremely hard to see swirls in the light. It was hard to see where product was lying on the car. I just couldn't see anything. And I do feel I have a good eye. The light colored paint was really throwing me off.

Finally I gave up and moved the car into the garage. I know folks say black is the hardest color to work on but white was surely a challenge. This is just a hobby/passion for me so maybe I need to mess around on more light colored cars.

Maybe I was under the wrong working conditions ? Thoughts ?
 
I ran into a similar problem a couple weeks ago when detailing my mother-in-law's pearl white Genesis G90.

I was only doing a one-step on it with an AIO since it's only about two months old, but between the white color and the pear paint, I could never get a good read on the paint condition prior to working. I continued to struggle while applying the AIO because it too is white and simply disappeared almost instantly when being applied. I did all the work in her fairly well lit garage, but to make sure I buffed off the excess product, I turned off all the lights in the garage and left the door open. From there I stood at the dark end of the garage and with my eyes almost level with the panels and look toward the daylight. Any spots I missed would appear as flat or rough and stood out pretty clearly.

My technique wasn't totally fool-proof, as the next day when I was loading up the family I noticed to large areas on the back of the car I totally missed. In bright daylight you could not tell the AIO hadn't been buffed out! Fortunatly, I was able to easily remove it very quickly.
 
As I get older my eyes play tricks on me, the best method I've found is looking at the panels from every possible angle and alternating the light source. I also find it easier to work with garage lights off and looking at and away from my light source, outside in the sun is really difficult for me but it's easier working on the side opposite of the sun.
 
The struggle is real. My car is white and correcting and coating it took me forever it seemed. I just use my flex swirl finder light over each panel when i'm done and even then sometimes it's hard to tell. Darker colors are definitely easier to see where you've been.
 
I have three white cars. You just have to go over them in a consistent pattern when applying and removing any polishes or lsps. When in doubt, wipe it again.

This was outside my garage under natural light.

LSP applied:



LSP Removed:

 
Thanks for the replies! I feel a little better. And my eyes are good, at least I think lol.

Lighter color cars...I'm going to have to get use to them.

Good advice here as usual.
 
My brother has a Metallic Silver Mazda RX8 in which I had trouble seen what was I doing to the paint! I read on some other post that some light colors can be really hard to work on in which it is hard to read on what you are doing, what have you done, and what you need to do. Black cars bam! You can see the results with no problem, Red as well, but I haven't work on any other light colors. Want to take on the challenge but also want to pick up techniques on how to work on them. So far only Black is the majority I worked with, one Red, one Blue, and that about it.
 
•Paint inspection (swirl-finder) lights'
"color temperature" is an important
factor to take into consideration.

-Light sources @ ~6500K can often
enable paint defects/swirls/blemishes
etc. to be better seen, than lighting @
~5000K or less.


•Also, (with that in mind), IMO:

-The main thing to keep in mind is,
that, in order to better see what the
condition of the paint actually is...
(regardless the vehicles' "paint color")...

-The lighting-values of the swirl-finder
light should be greater than those of the
ambient light in which it's being used.


Bob
 
FUNX650 said:
Paint inspection (swirl-finder) lights'
"color temperature" is an important
factor to take into consideration.

Light sources @ ~6500K can often
enable paint defects/swirls/blemishes
etc. to be better seen, than lighting @
~5000K or less.

•Also, (with that in mind), IMO:
-The main thing to keep in mind is,
that, in order to better see what the
condition of the paint actually is...
(regardless the vehicles' "paint color")...

-The lighting-values of the swirl-finder
light should be greater than those of the
ambient light in which it's being used.


Bob
Click to expand...

It was more than just finding the swirls Bob. If that were the case I just would have brought the car in from the beginning, shut all the lights off and go around the car with my Rupes pen.

But I couldn't even see a line of product I put on the car. It went invisible the second it was on the paint. I didn't know where to wipe or where I left off lol.

This was a friends car nothing serious, but it was a struggle to say the least.
 
idriveblackcars said:
But I couldn't even see a line of product
I put on the car. It went invisible the second
it was on the paint. I didn't know where to
wipe or where I left off lol.
Click to expand...
"A line of product" just creates another
type of "paint condition".

The same lighting principles that I
mentioned earlier still apply, IMO.


Bob
 
In the case of white or light colored paint, the lighting of the environment in which you're detailing is so important. We use headlamps if necessary!
 
I would suggest headlamps as well. I don't polish without them, and I definitely don't coat without them either. I also have a LED flashlight that you can put down on the ground and aim the head that I use as well. Other thing about white cars, might be just me but does it seem that white is generally a harder paint?
 
Machine polish or wax application instead of hand application
Wipe off residue
Go over car again with a quick detailer or spray wax

I think that should work for not missing a spot on white paint, even with poor lighting.
 
A black light might help.


Sent from my iPhone using AGOnline
 
I've found I have to set a section before I start, then I know where that polish is and can wipe it off. Make another section etc etc. Like I'll go from a door handle edge (the rear of it) and leave one foot planted for the other"edge" of my section. Then I know I gotta wipe between the door handle and my leg.
 
My last couple cars have white. When polishing, I like to use little bits of the green tape to mark boundaries of polishing areas. With my grid pointers I know what I have done. Sealants and lsp's are still a challenge though. Real slow final wipe with a plush towel can help you feel any difference in the surface condition such as remaining product. No perfect solution though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top