Remove Orange From Ceramic Paint

« Back to BlogPosted: 27 Sep 2017 

Orange Peel Removal on a VW Tiguan R Line

The brand new VW Tiguan R Line had the rear door resprayed due to the accidental chip in the first week of buying the Tiguan R Line.

The repairs were great, but the owner being extra fussy noticed that the repaired door now has more orange peel than the factory finish. Although the factory finish was already quite “peely” the repaired door was noticeable even more “peely” than the factory finish. What is, orange peel? Orange peel is a term used in the automotive industry to describe a paint finish when it is uneven or lumpy. It that looks just like the skin of an orange. Orange peel is considered to be very unsightly, mainly because it distorts the reflection. In order to have a mirror finish you need to remove the orange peel.

In order to remove orange you need wet and dry sand paper, usually a silicon carbide material.  Preferably one that has the ability to self fracture. Start with either 1000 grit or 1500 grit. Finish with 2000 or 2500 grit. It is best to use a firm sanding block or pad to. Sanding in 2 directions (criss cross) is best.

Remove sanding marks with an aggressive compound with a wool or a microfiber pad. One small to medium panel can take up to 3 hours. Once the sanding scratches are taken care of, what will be left are buff marks like DA haze or pigtails or rotary swirls and holograms.

The next stage is to polish the panel for at least one or 2 more stages at a much finer combination like a softer pad and superfine polishes like OPTIX Final Polish.

I was asked to remove the orange peel from the rear door and then apply OPTIX Hybrid glass coating once the paint correction is complete.

The problem is the Tiguan now has one perfect panel….

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  A mirror finish