It’s a common misconception among car owners: “Don’t worry, that scratch can be polished off.” While that might be true in some cases, not all scratches are created equal—and some may have already penetrated beyond the clear coat, permanently damaging your car’s paint.
In this article, we break down the types of scratches, how to tell which ones are removable through polishing, and when it’s time to consider professional repair or repainting.
1. Types of Scratches on Car Paint
Car paint is made up of three layers:
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Clear Coat – the outermost protective layer
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Base Coat (Color Layer) – your car’s actual paint color
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Primer – the layer between the paint and metal body
Scratches can occur on any of these levels:
✅ Surface-Level Scratches (Clear Coat Only)
These are the most common and easiest to remove with polishing or light buffing. They look like swirl marks or faint lines visible under sunlight.
✅ Polishable
⚠️ Medium Scratches (Into the Base Coat)
If the scratch has gone beyond the clear coat and into the paint layer, it becomes harder to remove. Some may improve with polishing, but won’t disappear completely.
⚠️ Partially polishable – may need touch-up
❌ Deep Scratches (Into Primer or Metal)
These are the most serious types. You can usually feel them with your fingernail, and they may appear white or expose bare metal. These cannot be fixed with polish and will require repainting or professional bodywork.
2. Why Customers Often Get Confused
To the untrained eye, many scratches look the same. Customers may think:
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“It’s just a line—it’ll buff out.”
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“The car is new, so the scratch shouldn’t be deep.”
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“I saw a TikTok showing DIY polish—it should work.”
However, without understanding paint depth, you risk disappointment—or worse, making the scratch more visible.
That’s why at Shield Smith, we conduct a detailed visual and feel inspection before recommending any polishing or coating service.
3. How Shield Smith Handles Paint Scratches
Our trained technicians use:
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Professional-grade lighting to detect depth
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Paint thickness gauges to measure how deep the damage goes
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Compound polishing machines for safe surface-level correction
If a scratch is too deep, we’ll give you honest advice:
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Consider touch-up paint for minor base coat scratches
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Repaint the panel if metal is exposed
We believe in managing expectations clearly before any detailing or coating service.
4. Can Coating “Hide” Scratches?
Many customers ask if ceramic or titanium coating can hide existing scratches.
👉 The answer: No. Coating protects your paint but does not fix it.
In fact, coating will enhance gloss and clarity, which can sometimes make hidden scratches even more obvious. That’s why paint correction is often recommended before applying any coating.
Conclusion
Not all scratches can be polished away.
Some may look minor but have already damaged your paint. At Shield Smith, we ensure you get the right solution—not just a quick fix.
🚗 Bring your car in for a free inspection and let us advise whether polishing, touch-up, or repainting is best for your vehicle.
