Category Archives: Exterior Detailing

How to Polish Aluminum Diamond Plate
29
Oct
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, How To

How to Polish Aluminum Diamond Plate

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Aluminum diamond plate (also called tread plate or checker plate) is used on a variety of surfaces where durability, slip resistance, and corrosion resistance are needed such as stairs, walkways, or in this case, the top of the trailer hitch portion of an AeroVault car hauling trailer. Like regular aluminum, aluminum diamond plate is typically […]

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28
Oct
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips

How to Polish Aluminum by Hand

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Aluminum is found on a variety of different vehicles and vessels from trucks and cars to trailers and boats. When aluminum is properly polished, it shines like chrome: Over time, however, the surface of aluminum will oxidize and turn dull. Accumulating oxidation, contamination and scratches erase the brilliant shine and leave behind a dirty haze: […]

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Diagram showing the different types of scratches on car paint based on depth
28
Apr
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, Paint Correction

How to Tell How Deep a Scratch is On Your Car

Posted on by Victor Espeland

Surface science begins with understanding clear coat, paintwork, and scratch identification. Here’s everything you need to know about the science behind car scratches and the different ways to remedy them.

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Before and after aluminum polishing
24
Oct
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, How To

How to Polish Aluminum | Complete Guide

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Polished aluminum looks like chrome with a brilliant shine. Whether it’s on a boat, trailer or wheels, polished aluminum positively glows.  The only downside of polished aluminum is over time, the surface will oxidize and turn dull. Like any metal surface, it will lose shine with time as it accumulates oxidation, contamination and scratches.  The […]

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Can you polish ceramic coatings
24
Oct
Behind the Detail, Ceramic Coatings, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, Paint Correction

Can You Polish Ceramic Coatings?

Posted on by Victor Espeland

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can polish a ceramic coating after application, you’re not alone.  Over time, a ceramic coating can develop unsightly swirl marks from improper washing and stains or etch marks from acid rain, bird droppings and bug guts.  On top of that, improper application of the ceramic coating can cause uneven […]

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BMW with Frozen finish paint
17
Oct
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Matte Car Care, Matte Car Detailing Basics, Matte Car Washing, Matte Ceramic Coating

The Beginner’s Guide to BMW Frozen Paint Care

Posted on by Victor Espeland

BMW’s Frozen paint finishes are some of the most popular factory matte finishes in the car world. Part of BMW’s “Individual” customization program, BMW’s Frozen paints deliver a distinctive matte look that stands out in a sea of gloss.  The only catch? You can’t polish a matte finish or use any product that adds gloss. […]

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How to Remove Holograms from Car Paint
16
Oct
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, Live Detailing Classes, Paint Correction, Videos & Media

How to Remove Holograms from Car Paint

Posted on by Mike Phillips

We’re going to talk about holograms and swirls. And some people think they’re the same, but they’re kind of different. And I always tell people it’s important that we understand what the words mean so when we talk to one another, whether it’s online or in the real world, we really have a clear idea […]

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TM Coat on Matte Metal Limited Edition Toyota Crown Sport Crossover
11
Oct
Behind the Detail, Ceramic Coatings, Exterior Detailing, Matte Car Care, Matte Ceramic Coating

What is TM Coat, Toyota’s New Factory Coating for Matte Cars?

Posted on by Victor Espeland

Toyota announced recently a new factory-applied protective coating specifically designed for matte finishes. Dubbed “TM Coat”, it was announced as a feature of the limited “Matte Metal” paint sported by Japan-only special edition of the 2024 Toyota Crown Sport Crossover.  It would seem the new “TM Coat” aims to address one of the biggest challenges […]

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10
Oct
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Paint Correction, Videos & Media

The Best Polishing Balls for Aluminum Wheels (2024)

Posted on by Mike Phillips

I’ve owned a lot of aluminum wheels in my life — specifically aluminum slotted mag wheels. From the trailer on my Sanger Drag Boat to the various classic trucks I’ve owned, they’ve all had aluminum wheels.  Simply put, I am a FAN of aluminum wheels. So I know how dirty, oxidized and scratched up they […]

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How to wet sand black paint to remove orange peel
23
Sep
Auto Detailing Training Classes, Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, How To, Paint Correction, Professional Detailing, Videos & Media

How to Wet Sand Black Cars to Remove Orange Peel

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Transcript So what we’re going to do today is we’re going to show hand wet sanding to remove orange peel, surface texture, and then this car actually has fish eyes and DIP, which stands for dirt in paint. A lot of times, you know, if you’ve got a shoddy paint booth or a contaminated shop, […]

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