1 · What is happening at this step
Old topcoat, primer and e-coat are removed down to bare metal or to a sound substrate, so that bodywork can start on a surface you can trust. In practice this covers three different jobs on one panel: stripping a whole panel, opening up a damaged area, and feathering the edge where new work meets intact paint.
[TO CONFIRM: image — process photograph of paint removal on a panel, own material or authorised only, registered in ../assets/_manifest.md]
2 · What usually goes wrong
The disc loads and stops cutting. Under friction, old paint softens and packs into the gaps between the abrasive grains. A loaded disc rubs instead of cuts, which makes more heat, which softens more paint. It usually starts when the grit chosen is too fine for the coating thickness, or when pressure is applied that the machine should be providing. Effective dust extraction slows this down considerably; without it, loading starts within the first few panels.
The panel heats up and moves. Thin-gauge steel, roof skins and panel edges do not dissipate heat well. Sustained pressure in one place can distort the metal, and on plastic and GRP it softens the substrate. If the panel is too hot to keep a hand near, the coating is already smearing rather than coming off.
Edges dig in and the panel loses flatness. Coarse grain on a firm backing pad cuts fastest where the tool tilts — at panel edges, along crown lines and at the border of a repair area. Material removed there cannot be put back. The flatness lost at this step is paid for twice later: once in filler, once in sanding time.
The featheredge is too short. Where stripped metal meets intact paint, the transition has to be a long, gradual ramp. A short ramp leaves a ridge that shows through every subsequent coat, most obviously across a large flat panel in direct light. This is the defect customers complain about long after the car has left the shop.
Stripped metal is left standing. Bare steel begins to oxidise within hours in damp conditions, and any silicone, wax or dust left on the surface returns later as fisheyes in the new coating. The interval between stripping, cleaning and priming matters more than the abrasive used.
3 · What this step uses
POLIRITE P-Series — coated abrasives for paint and coating removal
[TO CONFIRM: series designation pending finalization]
Intended for machine sanding of topcoat, primer and e-coat on steel, aluminium and plastic substrates, and for hand work at panel edges and featheredges.
- Formats supplied: [TO CONFIRM: which of disc / sheet / roll / belt / stripping disc are actually available]
- Abrasive grain: [TO CONFIRM: aluminium oxide / zirconia alumina / ceramic, and which are offered]
- Grit range: [TO CONFIRM: available grit range, and whether it is P-grade or CAMI]
- Backing: [TO CONFIRM: paper weight, film or cloth backing options]
- Anti-loading treatment: [TO CONFIRM: whether a stearate / anti-loading coating is applied]
- Disc diameters: [TO CONFIRM: available diameters in mm]
- Hole patterns: [TO CONFIRM: dust extraction hole patterns and hole count]
- Attachment: [TO CONFIRM: hook-and-loop or pressure-sensitive adhesive]
Accessories used at this step
- Backing pads and interface pads: [TO CONFIRM: whether supplied, and available hardness]
- Hand sanding blocks: [TO CONFIRM: whether supplied, and available sizes]
Supply terms for products on this page
– MOQ: [TO CONFIRM: MOQ per format]
– Lead time: [TO CONFIRM: lead time in days after receipt of deposit]
– Packaging: [TO CONFIRM: pieces per box, boxes per carton, carton dimensions and weight]
– Customisation: [TO CONFIRM: private label, custom sizes and custom hole patterns]
– Samples: [TO CONFIRM: sample policy for this range]
[TO CONFIRM: image — product close-up, in-use photograph and packaging photograph for each series above, own material or authorised only, registered in ../assets/_manifest.md]
4 · Request a quote
Tell us the machine you run, the substrate and the grit you are using today, and we will come back with a format and a starting point.
Button: Request a quote → /contact/
Form prefill hint: Machine type (DA / rotary / pneumatic / hand) · Substrate (steel / aluminium / plastic / GRP) · Coating being removed · Current grit · Monthly usage