All About the Claying Process

[Junkman2008]

What is the clay bar process, you ask?

Clay Bar is used to remove paint contamination, overspray and industrial fallout.

What is paint contamination?

Paint contamination consists of tiny metal shavings from rail dust, brake dust and industrial fallout. This contamination affects all paint finishes and can cause serious damage when left untreated. Paint contamination can be felt as a "rough or gritty" texture on the paint's surface and can lead to tiny rust spots. This contamination can not be removed by washing, waxing and/or polishing. Check out the three stages of paint contamination.

Stage 1:

Metal shavings land on the paint's surface.

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Stage 2:

Shavings start to oxidize.

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Stage 3:

Rust spots forms in the paint.

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Where does it come from?

There are three major causes of paint contamination:

1. Rail dust - produced from the friction of train wheels against railroad tracks. Over 70% of new vehicles are shipped by rail. Rail dust can contaminate a new car's finish before it even reaches the dealership. Anytime a vehicle is parked or travels near a railroad it is subject to rail dust contamination.

2. Brake dust - particles produced from the friction of brake pads rubbing against the rotor. This metal on metal friction disperses tiny particles of bare metal into the air and on the highway where it collects on passing vehicles.

3. Industrial fallout - another word for pollution, industrial fallout is a byproduct of our modern industrial age.


Testing for paint contamination:

After washing and drying your vehicle, put your hand inside a plastic sandwich bag and lightly run your fingertips over the paint's surface. It should be as smooth as glass. If your car's surface has a rough, gritty or pebble-like texture, it indicates the presence of paint contamination. This should be removed with a clay bar before applying a polish or wax.


Removing Paint Contamination:

There is no wax, natural or synthetic, or any chemical treatment that can prevent or protect against this contamination. Compounding with an abrasive polish may remove paint contamination but it can only be performed a few times before removing too much of the top, clear coat finish. This is why the process of claying is required. Claying removes these impurities without removing your clear coat. It is the safest, most effective way to do so.

Claying is a simple process, although you may have to exert a little energy. The secret to proper claying is to keep the area that you are working on wet at all times. Not doing so makes the claying process difficult and it also causes marring of the paint. The amount of pressure that you apply is directly proportional to how bad the paint is contaminated. A 10 year old car that has lived in a driveway all of its life is going to require a little more scrubbing than your new car that you have just driven off the car lot.

The object of claying is to get the paint as smooth as glass. Work in small sections (1 foot square areas). Once you get a section smooth as glass, you move on to the next section. Work in small areas so that you don't miss anything. Here's a short video of me claying an area of a bumper in which a deep scratch resides.


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0_pFgsjlJk[/media]



The claying process itself does absolutely nothing to remove swirls or scratches. It simply removes the impurities from the paint as stated before. Claying is a very important process when necessary, and contributes effectively to obtaining that deep, glossy shine.


When should I clay?

Only when your finish fails the baggie test described above. Some folks clay their finish too often. It is not a set in stone step with paint maintenance, it is only required if your paint needs it. A car that stays garaged, covered and not driven often is not going to get clayed as often as a car that sits in a driveway night and day, in a dusty or dirty environment. I have personally clayed my car once, a year and a half ago. It of course is the first car in the scenario above.

Now that you realize when and why to clay your finish, all you have to do is inspect your paint. If your paint is a candidate for clay, pick yourself up some detailing clay and get on it.

Performing the claying process in the shade or indoors helps keep your lubricant from drying too quickly. Try and do so if possible.

The Junkman

 

[BlknBlu]

Great information Junkman, I was not aware of all the facts listed above but i know clay does wonders for paint.

Bruce

 

[Junkman2008]

A lot of folks have heard of claying but do not know the why, how of the benefits of claying. You had plenty of company, but know you know.

 

[fqberful]

I would like to add that people will tell you that you can use soapy water or detailing spray for the "lubricant". That is true. HOWEVER, using soapy water will remove a number of other things like the silicones and other lubricants in the paint. Always use detail spray, and don't be stingy with it as Junkman stated.

When you do this right and then apply a nice paint sealer and top coat like the ones from Jorgens Garage, you won't believe the result. I love his stuff, it does exactly what he says it will, and bonus it's not all that expensive either. I believe he's a forum sponsor as well.

FWIW
--FQB

 

[1HOTV10]

Junkman. Under garaged conditions. How many times or complete cars is a clay bar good for?

 

[Junkman2008]

Junkman. Under garaged conditions. How many times or complete cars is a clay bar good for?

If the car is clean before you start claying in those conditions, you should be able to get a lot of passes out of one jar of clay but this totally depends on the amount of impurities in the paint. There really is no defined number that you can give in order to answer your question. To many variables to consider.

 

[thompsonracing]

There's no way to put a number on clay. I used 3 full bars on the decklid and hood of an original '65 Nova with original paint. The nova had 30k miles on it and was kept in a garage.

My girlfriend lives in the city and I used two full bars on her car and my white PC pad was completely black after one pass. I clearly did not remove all the impurities, but didn't put too much care into the car to continue with clay.

Do the bag test, and call it that. The "recommended" clay cycle I've heard for a DD is with every oil change.

Pics are not so good, but hopefully you'll get the point:

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Roof untouched:

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Decklid clayed and polished with white pad, Adam's FMP and Flex. It looks 10 times better in person, but the paint is smooth now. I was very cautious with 45 year old paint.

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[1HOTV10]

If the car is clean before you start claying in those conditions, you should be able to get a lot of passes out of one jar of clay but this totally depends on the amount of impurities in the paint. There really is no defined number that you can give in order to answer your question. To many variables to consider.

I have been using the purple clay bar you mentioned in your
video for a few years. (No not the same bar) My concern is the dirt build up in the clay.

 

[Junkman2008]

I have been using the purple clay bar you mentioned in your
video for a few years. (No not the same bar) My concern is the dirt build up in the clay.

The rule of thumb is that you continue to flip the clay as you use it until you can no longer find a clean spot in the clay. At that point, it's time for more clay.

 

[thompsonracing]

Also remember, if it hits the ground, it's junk! I break my bars up into thirds, that way if I drop one, or its too contaminated, I have two more pieces left.

 

[1HOTV10]

The rule of thumb is that you continue to flip the clay as you use it until you can no longer find a clean spot in the clay. At that point, it's time for more clay.

Thanks

 

[1TONY1]

Some years ago my wife got a 2001 911 .... black in color. I clay barred the whole car and it ended up scratching the whole car. I'm still not sure what went wrong but I ended up having to power buff (real buffer, not orbital) the car with compound to make it right again. I have been scared since then to use clay bar again. All I'm saying is beware...maybe do a test spot first.

 

[FLATOUT]

Tony I have seen that happen, and i had it happen on one of my older cars, and I have been detailing and machine polishing for years. Some clay manufacturers use a stiffer clay that is too hard, and can scratch even with tons of lubricant. The Adams purple clay above is a much softer clay and I still use it quite a bit, it's been better than any other clay I have used.

For those of you that don't use it learn to. Great for keeping the front fascia, side sills, and other troubled areas clean.

 

[BlknBlu]

Not all clay is the same either some can be less and more abrassive. Any new product I use, I test on my ****** car first.

Bruce

 

[Junkman2008]

Not all clay is the same either some can be less and more abrassive. Any new product I use, I test on my ****** car first.

Bruce

This is true, but here's the deal. Clay is available in different "grits". With that said, 99% of the clay that you are going to buy at a big box store, auto parts store like Pep Boys or Auto Zone, and online with distributors such as Meguiar's, Adam's and Zaino is going to be what I call "consumer clay". This is the softest clay available and you will be hard pressed to damage your paint with it unless you drop it on the floor and continue to use it or you don't use a good lubricant while claying. Not using a good lubricant will allow you to create marring damage, but that damage can be easily removed with a light polish and a orbital buffer.

To get the more aggressive clay, you have to shop at a place that supplies professional automotive paint shops. This clay is more aggressive and is not for consumer use.

Another thing to note. All clay in America is made by one manufacturer. Auto Wax Company, Inc., (AWC) owns the patent to all clay made in America at the time of this post. That means that no matter who's clay you buy, it's all made by the same manufacturer in America (abroad is another story). Thus, there is no one clay brand that is better than another, but there is a difference in how much clay you get for whatever price you pay. There is also a difference with the condition of the clay depending on how it is stored and how long it has been stored. That's why I like to buy clay from a small company as they do not have the resources to bulk stock the clay and thus their stock is always fresh.

Just some key things for you to consider.