By Robert Romero Jr.
Published
What it removes
Industrial fallout, leftover bug film, and rail dust make a panel feel like sandpaper after the loose dirt is gone. Exterior detailing clays that grit when the panel needs it. The lubricant keeps the bar from dragging dry. Dry clay adds the marks you were trying to avoid.
Clay is a step before paint correction and before ceramic coating. The process page lists it in that order. The longer prep note is decontamination before coating.
What it does not do
It does not fill swirls. It does not etch water spots out of the clear coat. It does not replace a wash. If the panel is smooth and clean, claying it for the ritual is wasted time. We clay when the panel asks for it.
After clay, the paint is bare of that grit and needs a seal or a coating if you want protection. A bare panel in this sun picks film back up.
Where it happens
In the studio at 11692 Bricken Circle, not in a parking lot. Converse dust and highway film are common reasons the paint feels rough. Call (210) 201-4847.
When clay belongs, and when it does not
Clay, or a clay alternative, lifts bonded grit after the loose dirt is gone. Industrial fallout, leftover bug film, and rail dust can make a washed panel feel like sandpaper. Clay is the step for that roughness. It is not a polish, and it is not a shortcut on a filthy panel. Dry clay adds the marks you were trying to avoid.
After the grit is gone, the paint is bare of that film and needs a seal or a later coating if you want protection. A bare panel in this sun picks film back up. We will not clay every week. We will tell you when the paint actually needs it.
The work is in the studio at 11692 Bricken Circle, not in a parking lot. Call (210) 201-4847. Tuesday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Monday is closed. Twenty percent of the quoted total holds the slot. If the paint feels smooth after a careful wash, clay is not the next upsell. Smooth paint does not get clay just to add a step to the visit. Clay is for grit you can feel, after the loose dirt is already gone. We say when the panel does not need it.