Two Types of Bird Dropping Etchings

Joined
Dec 5, 2022
Messages
51,004
Reaction score
7
Two Types of Bird Dropping Etchings



Copyright ©PBMA - AutogeekOnline.net® All Rights Reserved



Two Types of Bird Dropping Etchings
  • Type I Bird Dropping - Topical Stain Etching
  • Type II Bird Dropping - Fractured/Wrinkled Etching


There are two common types of damage associated with bird dropping etchings;



Type I Bird Dropping - Topical Stain Etching
Type I Topical Stain Etchings are usually only topical, that is shallow enough that they can be completely removed or at least greatly improved to the point where they are difficult to see.

This type of etching can be removed using a clear coat safe compound or polish by hand or machine. Hand removal is almost always more efficient as you can exert more pressure to a small area and thus keep your work area isolated to just the affected area. By machine you can use a Spot Repair System, again to keep the work area isolated to just the affected area.

M105RemoveBirdDropping002c.jpg



Type II Bird Dropping - Fractured/Wrinkled Etching
Type II Wrinkled Etchings are usually too deep to fix safely. The problem is the paint fractures, (splits apart in tiny lines,), or wrinkles as the paint swells and bunches together. In both instances, the resulting defect is throughout the clear layer of paint and not topical. Thus trying to remove it will require removing so much clear paint that you will likely expose the basecoat, or colored layer of paint which has a dull appearance. For this reason it's not safe to try to remove a Type II Bird Dropping Wrinkled or Fractured Etching.

BirdDroppingEtchingWrinkles.jpg



smile.gif
 
Type 2 is pretty rare IMO. Only seen it several times in my life.
 
I got egged in my side door one time and it looks very much like the type 2 picture. I always thought it was not correctable and now it seems I was probably right.
 
Although you cannot fix a type 2 permantley, you can defintley hide some of the defect away by giving it a spot sand and polish. You are also right Super sport, I see this damage on cars that have been egged also.
 
Had it on the roof of my SS when I bought it....

SSBirdetching.jpg


And this is my sister's Renault Megane I polished today...

Poop.jpg


Defect1.jpg
 
When a car is hit by an egg, the impact of the shell against the paint leaves Imprint Chips, which are chipped-out areas in the paint and it's usually in a radial or circular pattern like this,

Imprint Chips
EggImprintChips02.jpg



Imprint Chips
557egg1.JPG



The above type of defect is very difficult to fix and make look good because you have to only put touch-up paint into the actual chipped spots.

Usually the shell creates divets in the paint like little chips, usually in a round or circle pattern. Fixing these chips would be akin to fixing a rock chip except they're typically a lot of them, they're small and it's difficult to do if not impossible, especially if the goal is to make the repair invisible.

Imprint Chips caused by an egg thrown at paint looks a lot different then either,

  • Type I Bird Dropping - Topical Stain Etching
  • Type II Bird Dropping - Fractured/Wrinkled Etching


If the egg yolk is not removed then it could stain or wrinkle the paint, but the impact of the shell against the paint looks like the two pictures above with Imprint Chips.


:)
 
So since you cant buff out the type II bird etching, what would you suggest as the best way to fix it?

"Fixing these chips would be akin to fixing a rock chip except they're typically a lot of them, they're small and it's difficult to do if not impossible, especially if the goal is to make the repair invisible."
 
"Fixing these chips would be akin to fixing a rock chip except they're typically a lot of them, they're small and it's difficult to do if not impossible, especially if the goal is to make the repair invisible."

Gotcha...guess I need to go find the link to fixing rock chips now huh :props:
 
Gotcha...guess I need to go find the link to fixing rock chips now huh :props:

I've got a few links for you but don't want to hijack this thread so I'm just going to PM them to you. :xyxthumbs:
 
Two Types of Bird Dropping Etchings

Copyright ©PBMA - AutogeekOnline.net® All Rights Reserved



Two Types of Bird Dropping Etchings
  • Type I Bird Dropping - Topical Stain Etching
  • Type II Bird Dropping - Fractured/Wrinkled Etching


There are two common types of damage associated with bird dropping etchings;



Type I Bird Dropping - Topical Stain Etching
Type I Topical Stain Etchings are usually only topical, that is shallow enough that they can be completely removed or at least greatly improved to the point where they are difficult to see.

This type of etching can be removed using a clear coat safe compound or polish by hand or machine. Hand removal is almost always more efficient as you can exert more pressure to a small area and thus keep your work area isolated to just the affected area. By machine you can use a Spot Repair System, again to keep the work area isolated to just the affected area.

Photo courtesy of MeguiarsOnline.com
M105RemoveBirdDropping002c.jpg



Type II Bird Dropping - Fractured/Wrinkled Etching
Type II Wrinkled Etchings are usually too deep to fix safely. The problem is the paint fractures, (splits apart in tiny lines,), or wrinkles as the paint swells and bunches together. In both instances, the resulting defect is throughout the clear layer of paint and not topical. Thus trying to remove it will require removing so much clear paint that you will likely expose the basecoat, or colored layer of paint which has a dull appearance. For this reason it's not safe to try to remove a Type II Bird Dropping Wrinkled or Fractured Etching.

Photo courtesy of AutogeekOnline.com
BirdDroppingEtchingWrinkles.jpg



:)

My god....looking at that first photo sure does get ones blood pressure up...I think that starling was on a mission.
 
When I get small chips similar to the egg shell type I use a plastic razor blade and touch up paint and work the paintever so thin into the chip by dragging it across it like putting on body putty. You get the chip filled and don't have a gob of paint aorund the area to have to deal with. They after it drys good I polish it to smooth it out. Not perfect but better than the chip. On a side note the piant will scrap right off the plastic blade so you can use it over again.
 
When I get small chips similar to the egg shell type I use a plastic razor blade and touch up paint and work the paintever so thin into the chip by dragging it across it like putting on body putty.

You get the chip filled and don't have a gob of paint aorund the area to have to deal with.

They after it drys good I polish it to smooth it out. Not perfect but better than the chip. On a side note the piant will scrap right off the plastic blade so you can use it over again.


Good tip...

Sounds like a technique a person would have to practice to perfect. Not everyone is skilled enough to do this type of touch-up paint work.


I think the key to succeess for this type of work is to first start without the cracks or fissure filled with compound, polish or wax residue.


:)
 
Hi Mike,

Not to bump up an old thread, but are there any specific clear coat safe compounds you’d recommend? I tried Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound after usingy GG G5 and Boss Orange foam pads with BF One Step didn’t fully remove the stains I had from 10 droppings while at a car meet today.

I can slightly feel them after polishing over so I fear it’s the second type. Really bums me out given that it’s 1 year old paint and I had just washed it this morning and it had One Step and Sonax PNS applied. It was only on the car for a couple of hours but of course in the sunlight.
 
Hi Mike,

Not to bump up an old thread,

When it comes to any article I've written there's no such thing as

"bumping and old thread"

I write for the future, never the present. What I wrote in this article is still just as accurate as when I wrote it over 10 years ago.

Time stamp = 04-16-2010, 05:53 PM



but are there any specific clear coat safe compounds you’d recommend? I tried Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound after using GG G5 and Boss Orange foam pads with BF One Step didn’t fully remove the stains I had from 10 droppings while at a car meet today.

I can slightly feel them after polishing over so I fear it’s the second type. Really bums me out given that it’s 1 year old paint and I had just washed it this morning and it had One Step and Sonax PNS applied. It was only on the car for a couple of hours but of course in the sunlight.

Meguiar's Ultimate Compound is a great compound.

You can get more cut by using a FIBER pad because FIBERS ARE ABRASIVES.

When using a fiber pad with a compound you have TWO things cutting for you. Lots of great microfiber pads on the market - the Griot's pads are great.


:)
 
Here's your picture,


69950d1592766593-two-types-bird-dropping-etchings-eb2f12bb-a303-4155-a782-d166e934d2da-jpeg



Dang birds - BAD LUCK.

One thing you can do is to take your time and just hit the spots with more passes.

At some point you'll reach your comfort level where you'll be willing to live with the defects versus re-paint the hood.


If you lived closer I would be happy to give you a hand.



:)
 
Back
Top