Auto & body
Wet sanding clear coat scratches
Three grits between you and a flawless panel.
Removing a deeper scratch from clear coat is a three-step wet sand followed by compound and polish. Get the climb right and the panel comes back like the scratch was never there.
The climb
The exact sequence, in order.
- 1 1500
Level the scratch into the surrounding clear
Wet sand with a soft block, soap-and-water lubricant. Keep the panel flooded.
Reach for
3M Wetordry Assorted Pack — 600 to 1500 Grit
- 2 2000
Erase the 1500 scratches
Same block, more lubrication. The slurry should be milky white, not gritty.
Reach for
3M Wetordry — 2000 Grit
- 3 3000
Refine before compound
Block by hand or 3" Trizact disc on a polisher. Edges last.
Reach for
3M Wetordry — 3000 Grit
- 4 compound
Restore gloss
Cutting compound, foam pad, slow polisher. Then finish polish to bring it back to mirror.
Reach for
Meguiar's Ultimate Compound
Watch out for
The things that quietly ruin the job.
- ·Measure the clear coat with a paint depth gauge if you have one — most factory clear is 50-80 microns and you can sand through it.
- ·Keep the surface wet. Dry sanding clear coat at 1500 means deep scratches you can't polish out.
- ·Use a block. Fingers create high spots that polish unevenly.
Questions people ask
The practical part.
Can I start at 2000 if the scratch is shallow?
Yes — if you can't feel the scratch with a fingernail, start at 2000 or even 3000. Less material removed is always better.
Hand or machine?
Wet sand by hand on a block; polish by machine. Hand-polishing clear coat back to gloss is technically possible but takes hours.
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