The 5 Best Tools for Paint Correction Jobs

In this article, you will learn:

Which paint correction tools are the most effective and efficient

Which Turtle Wax products work best with the tools in this list

Which cutting pads correct light, medium and heavy clear coat damage

Throughout our decades of auto detailing, we’ve amassed a mountain of expertise when it comes to returning a finish to showroom condition. Much of that process depends on correcting your paint by removing any oxidation, stains, surface scratches, swirl marks and other imperfections in your car’s clear coat finish. Using the five tools in this article, along with a professional-grade polishing compound, you’ll make your paint correction jobs faster and easier with better results…just like pro detailing services do!

So let’s get to those must-have tools!

Microfiber towels 

Car detailers need a large stock of microfiber towels. Pro-quality, super-soft microfiber towels are the most-used supply of all. To prep for paint correction, you’ll need them for car washes, drying and decontaminating with a clay bar. During the polishing process, you’ll use them to wipe away residual compound. And that’s just for exterior jobs. You can seemingly never have too many for comprehensive car care. Buy them in bulk and color-code them by jobs. One color for glass. Another for interior plastics. Another for upholstery and carpet. And so on and so on.

Mechanical polisher 

In the age-old battle between tradition and innovation, innovation almost always wins. Such is the case with auto detailing, too. When you compare polishing and waxing by hand versus using a machine polisher, you’ll find the machine gives you faster, better and more consistent paint correction. And while all types of mechanical polishers will save you time and trouble, we prefer dual-action polishers.

Compared to rotary and orbital models, DA polishers are the most foolproof, and, for beginners, we always recommend an economical, entry-level polisher. The less powerful motors in these models will stall before you apply too much pressure, which will protect your clear coat from burn-in sometimes caused by operator error.

To make your paint correction work even simpler, we developed Hybrid Solutions Pro 1 & Done Polishing Compound. Formulated to work with today’s mechanical polishers, 1 & Done is the only compound you may ever need. When paired with the appropriate cutting pad, it corrects everything from fine scratches and swirls to moderate damage from oxidation and scratches. Then, when used with a softer polishing pad, it delivers a like-new, glossy shine for superior finish-out. That’s why we called it 1 & Done. It’s the one and only compound that does it all.

Cutting pads 

Along with a DA polisher, you’ll need the right cutting pads for your corrective process. Because pads contact your paint directly to apply compound to your car’s finish, you need to be sure to choose the right ones.

The best foam pads use CCS technology. The cellular structure of CCS pads hold and gradually release compound as you work. CCS pads are color-coded, so you’ll always know you’re using the right pad for the job. Yellow is for the most aggressive paint correction, orange provides medium correction, and black is for finish-out.

If you prefer microfiber material over foam, a 50-50 microfiber pad simplifies your paint correction supplies. Integrating two different types of microfibers in one pad, 50-50 pads can correct, polish and finish the paint beautifully. You’ll want to keep several of these on hand, so you always have a clean, dry pad for each stage of paint correction, polishing and finishing.

Pro Tip: If you use CCS foam pads, switch to a clean pad every 2 or 3 sections of the car or use an air compressor to clear excess compound from the pad after each section of the car. If you use microfiber pads, make sure you have 4-5 pads on hand to correct the paint on an entire car and more if you plan to use microfiber pads for finish-out.

Masking tape

Sometimes, low-tech tools are important, too. Masking tape keeps cutting and cutting compounds from the non-painted surfaces of your car or truck, such as plastic, rubber and vinyl trim. Better still, masking tape can protect trim and badges as you work around them with a high-speed polisher.

Wax applicator pads 

Finally, after you correct the paint, the car will be ready for its showroom shine. A layer of wax or paint sealant will do the job while protecting the finish and all your hard work. Before you wax or seal, don’t overlook the importance of a good microfiber applicator pad. Our Microfiber Wax Applicator Pad, used in combination with an advanced wax, will help you restore an incredible shine and lasting paint protection.

Our Hybrid Solutions Pro to the Max Wax is one of the best waxes on the market today and works great with the microfiber applicator. Thanks to the innovative formula of carnauba wax, synthetic polymers and pure graphene, you’ll get deeper, richer paint colors, a warm glow, eye-popping shine and incredibly durable protection.