Polishing pads

Polishing pads come in different shapes, colours and sizes. Which polishing pad should you use for the desired effect? On this page we try to give more clarity.

Which polishing pads are there?

Roughly speaking, we can divide the polishing pads into 3 types:

Pads for pre-polishing (cutting pad)
Pads for polishing large defects (polishing pad)
Pads for restoring the gloss (finishing)

Hard foam polishing pads (pre-polishing)

For heavier polishing work, you need a hard foam polishing pad. This is often referred to as a cutting pad or a heavy cut pad and has a high cutting power. This means that this pad removes, as it were, a small layer of the car's paintwork, and in this way you can remove scratches. These pads often have more hairs and are often used in combination with a heavier polish to remove most scratches.

Medium-hard foam (polishing pad)

A polishing pad is more suitable for restoring the gloss of the paintwork and is actually an intermediate step between coarse and fine polishing. This pad is less coarse and will also have less effect on any scratches. This medium-hard polishing pad is used in combination with a medium-hard polishing agent.

Fine foam (finishing pad)

These finishing pads are suitable for restoring the high gloss of the paintwork. This is often the last step in the polishing process. These pads are used in combination with a fine polishing agent. A fine polishing pad, in contrast to coarser pads, does not have any cutting properties and is therefore used, for example, to spread wax or sealer evenly across the surface.

Size of polishing pads

The pads are available in different sizes, which is the diameter of the pad. The smallest pads start at 75 mm and the largest at 200 mm. The 125 mm and 150 mm pads are very popular and well-suited for polishing the entire car. The 75 mm pads are suitable for smaller and fine surfaces.

How do you know which polishing pad to use for the desired result?

Before you start, it is advisable to carry out a small test to get to know the paintwork better. Choose a spot of approx. 50 x 50 cm to determine the right combination of pad and polish. This way you also quickly know how many steps you need to take to polish the paintwork. You can do as follows to determine which pads and polish you need:

It is best to start with a light/fine polishing pad and polishing agent.
Start by polishing the small surface to see if the desired result is treated and, of course, if it is scratch-free. If it is, then you can treat the entire surface with this combination of pad and agent.
Is the test not successful and would you rather see a different result? Then you can change the pad and use a heavier/coarser pad and/or a heavier polish. On a pad that you have used with a light polish, you can always apply a heavier polish. If you have used a pad with a heavier polish, do not use it with a lighter one, as there is a chance that it still contains residues of the coarse polish. Start polishing again to see if you have the right combination.
The combination of polishing pad and polishing agent may vary from one panel/surface to another, so we recommend carrying out a small test for each panel before polishing the whole one.

Pads for random or rotary polishers

The important thing to remember when choosing polishing pads is that they are suitable for the polishing machine you are using. For a rotating machine you can use the traditional pads without centre hole. If you use an excentric polishing machine, you need pads that can handle the excentric movement (and vibration). These pads have a centre hole to dissipate the heat that is released during polishing. Also, the pads for eccentric machines often have a slanted edge, this is to prevent you from hitting the paint with the machine's backing pad due to the eccentric movements.

There are also special pads for the forced polishing machine. This machine combines the power of the rotary polisher with the safety of the eccentric polisher. The pads for the forced polishing machine are often thin pads.

Pads made of wool, foam or microfibre? When to use which pad?

There are many different types of materials that can be used for cleaning. For example, wool, foam, microfibre, felt and denim. The first three are used the most. Time to highlight these three guys.

Polishing pads of wool

A woollen pad or polishing fleece has a corrective effect and is mainly used for coarser polishing work. This is because the hair has a very coarse structure. Woollen pads are usually made of real sheepskin. In addition to these real sheepskins, there are also wool pads that are partially or even 100% made of synthetic (artificial) hair. In general, wool pads made from real sheepskin perform best. With such a wool pad you can easily remove deep scratches.

Foam pads

Foam pads come in many different varieties and are probably the most common type of polishing pads. From very hard to very soft foam and from very coarse to very fine cell structure. The harder the foam and the coarser the structure, the deeper the abrasive power and the faster scratches can be removed. However, the risk of holograms increases enormously with a coarser structure. The softer the foam and the finer the cell structure, the higher the level of gloss and the fewer holograms.

When to choose foam polishing pads?

If the lacquer is soft or difficult to polish, we recommend the foam pads
If you are not an experienced polisher yet, the foam pads are a safe choice.
The pads are mainly suitable for perfecting and not necessarily for correcting (large) scratches
The price for the foam pads is often cheaper, so you can immediately buy more pads and thus alternate between the pads.
With foam, there is less chance of holograms.

Microfibre/ microfibre pads

Microfibre is a very fine material for polishing if the right quality is chosen. Just like the wool pad, it has many hairs that absorb the product well. This makes the microfibre pad very suitable for cutting and it has just a bit more power than foam pads. At the same time, the hair is much softer than wool. Therefore, in addition to the high cut, a high shine can also be achieved. The microfibre pad is mainly used for eccentric polishing of deep scratches and hard lacquer. Microfibre is also available in various types, namely with a short fibre or a somewhat longer fibre. With a hard interface layer or a softer intermediate layer.

When to choose microfibre pads?

Microfibre pads are especially recommended for hard lacquer
Often these pads are used by the more experienced polishers as you have to master the heat that comes with these pads.
When you want to polish correctively and get rid of deeper scratches.

Microwool pads

Finally, we have the combination of microfibre and wool, the microwool pads. The wool is there for the corrective effect and the microfibre for a good finish.

How do you ensure that you can work with the pads for a long time?

It is, of course, nice if you can use the pads for a long time. Therefore, it is important not to let the pads get too hot and to let them cool down regularly. You can do this by cleaning the pads under the tap or by using a padwasher. What's always important to remember is that the pad has to do the work, so you don't have to put pressure on it while polishing. If you do, the life of the pad will be shorter. If you notice that you have to put too much pressure, it's better to use a coarser pad and/or a coarser polish.