Restore your vehicle’s paint to showroom perfection. Professional machine polishing removes swirl marks, scratches, oxidation, water spots, and other defects that dull your finish. 1-step, 2-step, and multi-stage correction available.
Paint correction is the art and science of removing surface imperfections from your vehicle’s clear coat using professional machine polishing techniques. Over time, every vehicle accumulates swirl marks from washing, light scratches from daily use, water spots from rain and sprinklers, oxidation from UV exposure, and etching from bird droppings and tree sap.
These defects are visible as a hazy, dull, or scratched appearance — especially under direct sunlight or bright lighting. Paint correction physically removes these imperfections from the clear coat, revealing the deep, glossy, mirror-like finish beneath. The result is paint that looks better than new.
Unlike wax or glaze products that temporarily fill and mask imperfections, paint correction permanently removes them. The defects are gone — not hidden. This is why paint correction is the essential first step before ceramic coating or paint protection film (PPF) installation.
We offer three levels of paint correction to match your vehicle’s condition and your goals. Each level includes thorough washing, clay bar decontamination, and IPA wipe before polishing begins.
A single-stage polish that removes light swirl marks and enhances gloss. Best for well-maintained vehicles with minor imperfections or new vehicles with light dealer-installed defects.
A two-stage process using a cutting compound followed by a finishing polish. Removes moderate scratches, deeper swirl marks, water spots, and oxidation for a near-flawless finish.
The ultimate restoration. Multiple cutting, polishing, and finishing stages to achieve the highest possible level of clarity and gloss. For severely neglected or heavily scratched paint.
The most common paint defect. Circular micro-scratches caused by improper washing techniques, automatic car washes, and dirty towels. Visible as a spiderweb pattern under direct light.
Surface-level scratches from fingernails, keys brushing past panels, tree branches, and minor contact. If your fingernail doesn’t catch in the scratch, paint correction can remove it.
Mineral deposits left by hard water, rain, and sprinklers that etch into the clear coat. Common in the Pacific Northwest due to frequent rain and mineral-rich water.
UV damage that causes paint to look faded, chalky, or hazy. Especially common on red, black, and dark-colored vehicles. Paint correction restores the original color depth and vibrancy.
Acidic bird droppings eat into the clear coat, leaving permanent etched marks. If caught early, paint correction can remove or significantly reduce these marks.
Marks left by improper machine polishing from inexperienced detailers. We correct these by using proper technique, compounds, and pad combinations.
Paint correction and ceramic coating are the perfect combination. Correction removes existing defects, and ceramic coating locks in that flawless finish for 1-5+ years. Without coating, your corrected paint is exposed to new swirl marks and environmental damage immediately.
All of our ceramic coating packages include paint correction as a standard step. But standalone paint correction is also available if you prefer to maintain your paint with traditional methods or plan to apply PPF.
Learn more: Ceramic Coating packages | Paint Protection Film (PPF) | Auto Detailing services
Paint correction is the process of removing surface imperfections from your vehicle’s clear coat using professional machine polishing. This includes swirl marks, scratches, oxidation, water spots, and bird dropping etching. The result is paint that looks like new or better.
1-step uses a single polish to remove light defects (60-70% correction). 2-step uses a cutting compound followed by a finishing polish for deeper correction (85-90%). Multi-stage uses 3+ stages for maximum results (95%+). We recommend the appropriate level based on your paint’s condition.
The correction itself is permanent — removed defects don’t come back. However, new defects will form from daily use. Pairing correction with ceramic coating extends your flawless finish for 1-5+ years by protecting against new swirl marks and environmental damage.
Yes, absolutely. Ceramic coating seals paint in its current condition. Any existing swirl marks or scratches will be permanently visible under the coating. Paint correction ensures you’re coating a flawless surface for the best result. All our coating packages include correction.
Pricing depends on your vehicle size, paint condition, and correction level needed. Contact us for a free paint inspection and accurate quote. We’ll assess your paint under professional lighting and recommend the right approach. Call (425) 988-9877.
Paint correction removes clear coat defects. If a scratch has penetrated through the clear coat into the base coat or primer, it cannot be fully removed by polishing alone. However, many scratches that look deep are actually surface-level and can be significantly improved or eliminated. We’ll assess each scratch during inspection.