Polishing Pads

The pad decides how hard a machine cuts as much as the compound does. The range covers foam, microfibre, wool and one-step pads from Lake Country, Chemical Guys HEX-Logic, ShineMate Black Diamond, Rupes, Menzerna and Autobead.

How to choose

• Foam by cut: Heavy Cut Foam Pads with a compound for deeper swirls, Medium Cut Foam Pads for light defects or refining, Finishing Foam Pads for the final polish and glazes.
• Microfibre Pads and Wool Pads cut faster than foam, microfibre mainly on a dual action, wool on a rotary; both usually need a foam finishing step.
• One-Step Pads pair with One Step Polishes to correct and finish in one pass.
• Size: a pad slightly larger than the backing plate (5.5 inch on a 5 inch plate) keeps the plate edge off the paint.

Good to know

• Colours are not standard: orange means polishing in Lake Country HDO-CCS, light cutting in ShineMate Black Diamond and cutting in Chemical Guys HEX-Logic, so go by the cut in the title.
• A clogged pad loses cut and runs hot: brush it out between sections and wash it after use (see Pad Cleaning).

Which pad is best for polishing a car?

It depends on the job. A cutting pad with a compound takes out deeper swirls, a medium pad refines light defects and a soft finishing pad brings up the final gloss. For light swirls in one pass, use a one-step pad with a one-step polish. Choose by the cut named in the title rather than the colour, because pad colours mean different things from brand to brand.

Related: Paint Correction, Compounds & Polishes, Polishing Machines & Kits, Pad Storage. Popular brands here: Lake Country, Chemical Guys, ShineMate, Rupes.