Flexipads Blue Compounding/polish Sponge 150mm M14 X 2mm

Medium compounding/polishing foam sponge with
backing pad fitted

The blue compounding sponge has medium density and is ideal when used for polishing and compounding on all modern paints.

What is polishing?

A polishing compound rubbed against a painted surface acts like an abrasive and removes microscopic layers of paint to even out the surface. It is this process that removes the appearance of dullness and scratches.

Automotive paints generally have 3 layers:

• Primer layer - Bonding agent and prevents rust
• Base coat - Colour layer
• Clearcoat - Top protective layer

The clear coat is the layer on the car that will be polished and is extremely thin - about half the thickness of a piece of paper. It is possible to remove scratch marks if you can't feel them with your fingernail. Scratches deeper than the clearcoat won't be corrected by polishing.

It is highly recommended to invest in a paint thickness gauge to measure the thickness of the clearcoat. The polishing process should never remove the clearcoat.

Processes in polishing:

1. Cutting - Aggressive compounding for severe paint correction. Hard foam sponge with Liquid Shine High-Cut.
2. Compounding - Clean up micro-marring from cutting process. Firm foam sponge with Liquid Shine Fine-Cut
3. Polish - Removes dullness, holograms and swirl marks. Medium/Soft foam sponge with Liquid Shine Zero Swirl
4. Glazing - A protective wax or sealant. Ultra soft foam sponge.

Foam sponge colour application chart: