How to Wet Sand & Buff

Wet sand, wax and buff to get a new coat a paint shiny and smooth.

Wet sanding is done after paint is applied to a car or other automobile to completely smooth the surface of the paint. You must use wet sanding paper that is finer than dry sandpaper and used with water. The purpose of wet sanding is to just take off a thin layer of the paint to completely level and smooth out the paint. After the paint is wet sanded it will become dull, which is where the wax and buffing comes into play. After the wax is applied and buffed out the paint will become shiny again.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• Mild detergent
• Sponge
• 1000-grit wet sandpaper
• Towel
• Car wax
• Electric buffer

Instructions

1. Fill a bucket with water and a mild detergent. Wash the entire area you will be wet sanding using a sponge and rinse the area clean.

2. Begin lightly sanding the area in circular motions using 1000-grit wet sandpaper on a sanding block, wetting the surface continuously with a sponge and clean water as you go. Continue lightly sanding the surface until it is smooth to the touch.

3. Rinse the surface with clean water and dry it off with a towel. The entire surface will be dull and hazy.

4. Apply car wax to the surface using a clean rag. Let the wax dry until the entire surface is cloudy white.

5. Buff the surface using an electric buffer until the entire surface is shiny. Wipe the surface down with a clean rag to remove any left over dry wax.

References

• SprayKing: How to Wet Sand
• Mopar Muscle Magazine: Color Sanding 101