Beginner's Guide to Polishing Car Paint - Complete Tutorial

In this beginner-friendly tutorial, I walk you through exactly how to polish your car’s paint the right way — even if you’ve never touched a machine polisher before. Building on my previous video about the anatomy of automotive paint and what’s actually happening when you polish, this video puts that knowledge into action. Using my 1998 Chevy K1500 as the test vehicle, I cover essential prep steps like the baggie test and clay barring, then move into polishing with a Porter Cable dual-action polisher so you can see how safe, effective correction really works in real life.

The goal of this video isn’t just to show shiny results — it’s to give you the confidence to do this yourself without fear of ruining your paint. I break everything down in a simple, no-fluff way so you understand what matters, what doesn’t, and how to get beautiful results with beginner-friendly tools and products. If you’ve ever wanted to step up your detailing game but felt intimidated by polishing, this video is your green light.

WATCH: Part one of this series, where I introduce the polisher and give a breakdown of automotive paint.
   • Don't Polish Your Car Until You Understand...  

Products Used:

Porter Cable Polisher
https://www.detailedimage.com/wax.php...

5" Backing Plate
https://www.detailedimage.com/wax.php...

Orange Polishing Pad
https://www.detailedimage.com/wax.php...

3D Speed Polish
https://www.detailedimage.com/wax.php...

Towels
https://www.detailedimage.com/wax.php...

Clay Bar:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mothers-Po...