Last Updated May 3, 2024
Got a scratch in your matte finish car? You may be wondering if it can be removed with polish. The fact is, you should NEVER polish matte paint — polishing will RUIN the matte appearance, creating a splotchy semi-gloss mess. Why is that? Let’s explain.
Why Polishing a Matte Finish Ruins the Matte Appearance
Polishing a car with a matte finish ruins the matte appearance because it sands down the surface texture that produces the diffused reflection we describe as “matte”. Matte finishes look matte because light is scattered (diffused) by the hills and valleys in its bumpy surface. Because the scattered light rays hit your eye at different angles, the reflection you see is hazy and indistinct.
When you polish a matte finish, the abrasives in the polish and the roughness of the polishing pad remove layers of paint from the surface, flattening the bumpy texture. This causes reflected light to scatter at a more consistent angle, producing a specular reflection similar to gloss paint. That’s right — polishing a matte finish will make it look glossy!
And it’s not even a pretty gloss, at that. Because the hills and valleys in the matte paint’s texture won’t be completely sanded down, you’ll get more of a sickly semi-gloss finish. Gross.
What Should I Do Instead of Polishing?
There are two alternatives to polishing when it comes to removing a scratch from a matte finish paint.
- Clean The Scratch or Blemish: You should always clean the scratch with a matte-safe cleaner before doing anything else. Cleaning a scratch removes dirt and grime that make scratches look worse, potentially obscuring the visual impact of the blemish.
- Apply Matching Touch-Up Paint: If your matte finish is OEM (meaning it was applied by the manufacturer) the dealership at which the vehicle was purchased should have or be able to procure matching touch-up paint from the manufacturer. From there a dealership technician will typically apply the touch-up paint, though some car owners may choose to hire an independent detailer or body shop to complete the work.
- Protect With PPF (Paint Protection Film): Once the scratch or blemish is covered with touch-up paint, get paint protection film installed over the vehicle’s matte paint. PPF will help prevent future scratches or rock chips so you won’t even need to think about removing them.
At the end of the day, polishing is a destructive procedure that eats away at your vehicle’s protective clear coat in the pursuit of leveling scratches. With that in mind, it’s almost a benefit of matte finishes that you can’t polish them!
Have you ever had a scratch in matte paint? How did you take care of it? Let us know in the comments below.
The end statement is “you really won’t need to buff matte paint, hardly ever”. Please edit the last comment OUT. “you really won’t need to buff matte paint, NEVER”. Never Ever. OR would you ever buff matte?
Eric,
Thanks for the comment and you’re absolutely right! As of this point in time, there is no reason to buff matte paint. However, I’m continuing to be optimistic to think that there will be a solution to remove scratches from matte paint with either a polisher or another piece of technology.
When that technology becomes available, you can believe this article will be updated.
As far as removing scratches from matte paint, that option is not available as of yet, however you can remove/hide scratches from matte vinyl with the use of a heat gun (on many wraps which are self-healing).
Will
@drbeasleys
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/65587a3c8d83b14f85b544c1642bccd9a0ffdecbb4597d488e78819ac0bb4bf3.jpg If the scratch has only just touched the matt coat layer and no deeper and appears white in appearance then try using Humbrol Matt Coat. Its available in a small bottle available from most model hobby stores and online. For my scratch I was able to just apply a small amount on a cloth – not a brush! and only apply what you need to. A finger width will do it. Leave it dry for 10 minutes and you might need to use Isopropyl Alcohol and very very lightly just apply over the matt coat to remove any excess.
In wanting to do a two-tone mattegloss finish, but I’m afraid of a paint line that will result from taping. Can you polish a matte clear to a gloss level? The video doesn’t look quite there, but you said you were using single stage…
What if i were to buff my entire car.. would it be possible to attain a perfect brilliant deep gloss?
Hi Ryan! Theoretically you could, but it would take a ridiculous amount of precision to get to the level of smooth you see on a glossy finish. You would probably end up with an uneven mixture of satin to eggshell tones rather than a true glossy finish.
Hi I have a customer who wants a bonnet painted matt graphite I’m assuming that I can’t polish it after painting so a gun finish is required
Yes, that would be correct. Thankfully polishing isn’t necessary after applying a matte paint finish.
Hi i have already ruined my matte and turned it into glossy after i buffed it with polish and did ceramic which eventually turned the matte into gloss please help me how would I reverse the gloss now back into matte (repainting is what I don’t prefer) so apart from repainting any solution please help sir!!
Hi Paul, unfortunately, due to the nature of the matte finish and how the matte clear coat diffuses the light, there is no coming back if you polished the surface as discussed above. If you have takes that “textured” surface and made it flat and smooth (like a mirror) there really is no chemical that is going to rebuild those “peaks and valleys” that give the matte finish its unique characteristics. The only solution is to re-paint. We wish we had better news for you. Sorry.
I’m wonder, if you used a 600grit wet sand paper, would that dull the finish enough?
Hi, i got matte paint that had been polished. Can i “re-matte” using clear matte paint?
Hey, i got matte paint had been polished can i make them matte again using clear matte spray? Or you got any idea?
Hello Ankrim, The only option would be to repaint the area that was polished. Sorry.
Hi, I just read so many comment about their buffed paint. I just wanna ask, if the matte clear coat (not the paint) buffed, can I recoat it again?
Hi John, there is no way to safely buff matte paint at this time. If you buff your matte paint, you will turn it glossy.
Hi, i read so many comment about their buffed matte paint. But i just wanna ask if the clear matte coat got buffed, can i recoat only the spesific area? Or i need to recoat the whole thing?
Sorry I wish I had an answer for you but I have a 2018 challenger T/A 392 the leading edge of the hood has marks not deep I see no paint ( it’s a wrap) the hood is Matt paint , stripes on the sides ( wrap) that have like rub marks again not deep what can I do to remove the rub marks? You can only see in the sun at a certain angle. I would like to use a Matt ceramic coating after the repair. Thanks
Please correct me but the factory ‘Matte’ is the base coat plus a ‘matte’ clear coat layer on OEM from factory. I listened to someone on YT and they said matte is the base coat without a clear coat layer (I stopped that video immediately). In my opinion if you want matte, consider using a wrap. Much easier in the end game.