DetailerGildeTreatment
Paint correction. What it is, what it costs and who does it
Paint correction is levelling the paint itself. Orange peel, dust inclusions and runs left by respray work are sanded flat, after which the paint is polished back up in stages until the gloss returns. It is a different job from machine polishing, and it costs more.
- From
- € 650
- Up to
- € 1.800
- Time without your car
- 1 to 2 days
- All prices
- excl. VAT
How it works
Paint correction: what happens step by step
- 01
Wash, decontaminate, clay
Every particle left behind gets dragged through the paint by the first pass. Fallout is dissolved chemically rather than rubbed away.
- 02
Measure the paint
At several points per panel. Clear coat is usually around fifty microns and every correction takes a few of those. This decides how hard anyone may work.
- 03
Assess under light
With an inspection lamp, in the dark. Fine circles are wash swirls. Straight grooves came from somewhere else and need a different approach.
- 04
Correct
Machine polishing in one or more stages, wiping down and reassessing in between. Working on without checking is how people go through the paint.
- 05
Refine and protect
A finer stage removes the marks left by the correction itself, otherwise you have traded scratches for haze. Then a protective layer.
What it costs
Paint correction prices: what it costs at each level
Every level includes the one before it. The difference in price is not margin, it is the number of steps. All amounts exclude VAT.
- Levelling panelsfrom€ 650to € 950
For a few panels with orange peel or dust in the paint, usually after respray work.
Takes 1 day - Full carfrom€ 1.200to € 1.800
For a car that has been fully resprayed, or where the paint has to go back as far as the thickness allows.
Takes 2 days
Frequently asked
What does paint correction cost in the Netherlands?
Levelling a few panels starts at €650 excluding VAT and runs to €950. A full car is €1,200 to €1,800. If all your paint needs is the swirls taken out, you want machine polishing instead, which starts at €295.
How often can a car be corrected?
Clear coat is usually around fifty microns and each correction removes a few. Three to five times in a car's life is realistic. That is why a specialist measures first and sometimes says no.
Will all scratches come out?
No. If your fingernail catches in the scratch it has gone through the clear coat, and polishing will not remove it. At that point working on is harmful rather than useful, and we say so.
Does polishing protect the paint?
No, and this is the most common misunderstanding. Polishing removes. Without a coating or sealant afterwards the first swirls are back within a few washes.