If you are going to use a compound, is clay still necessary??

Yes, because if you have heavy contamination not only will it be harder to compound the surface like you want but it may marr the surface very badly depending on how bad the contamination is. I would recommend to always clay the surface before any compounding and/or polishing. You will get better, quicker results and you will reduce the risk of damaging the paint any further.



Read this: Autopia Perfect Finish
 
oh allright. Because i thought that compounding is actually removing a small about of the clearcoat and reveal a new one. Therefore any contamination above it would be removed already.
 
Nah, I would not clay if I was going to compound, waste of time and work, just compound and polish would do.
 
Keep this in mind, if you don't clay the surface before compounding how do you know what actual paint defects you need to repair? You may think you are looking at a scratch or chip when all it was tree sap or fallout you are looking at. Also, let's say you don't clay the surface and there is some embedded sand or other very hard fragments stuck to the paint and you come along with your PC and start grinding that into your paint......ouch. Claying doesn't take long at all to do, so why not do it and be safe, JMHO.
 
X-Trail said:
oh allright. Because i thought that compounding is actually removing a small about of the clearcoat and reveal a new one. Therefore any contamination above it would be removed already.
Click to expand...



You are correct, the contamination will be removed but where do you think it goes?? It stays in the pad, grinding in your paint all the time. :nono
 
Frankly, the contamination MAY not be completely removed.

Claying tends to draw the embedded stuff out completely, while buffing tends to 'chop it off', leaving the embedded portion in the paint. If it is a ferrous metal (IFO< rail dust, etc) it will eventually oxidize/rust.



IMO, clay first, buff later.



Y'all know what you get when you take shortcuts...



Jim
 
Yep, claying accomplishes different things than compounding. You want to pull contamination (especially ferrous contamination) out of the paint as best you can before you start rubbing on it with compounds/polishes/etc. Same principle behind why (good) paint shops get a panel spotlessly clean before they *sand the paint* for a repaint.
 
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