How to polish glass on the phone at home. DIY polishing: cons and pros.

No matter how carefully you and I drove, the roads of our country are full of surprises, including flying from under the wheels of an oncoming and ahead car in the glass of gravel, sand, clods of dirt and much more.

Therefore, polishing a car’s glass from scratches is one of those methods of caring for our equipment that we need to do regularly, at least once a year. After the operation of the car windshield wiper blades, a lot of smudges remain and do not deep scratch.

Turning to polishing glasses, you can eliminate traces of defects by almost 100%.
  An additional plus from these actions is to improve the visibility of the driver, especially during adverse weather and in the dark.

In addition, if you polish the windshields of a car using modern means, you can extend the life of the glass. But it is worth considering that these actions are effective only with small and shallow scratches.

   If you do not resort to polishing the slightest scratches, these marks threaten to become wide matte stripes, which can significantly complicate the view of the road when driving.

Over time, any parts and elements in the car tend to wear out, and glass is no exception. First of all, particles of sand, dust and small stones lead to wear, in one way or another, leaving traces on the glass surface.

Due to the wind erosion of the vehicle’s glazing, visibility on the road is significantly deteriorating, this is most noticeable in the oncoming light of the bright rays of the sun and car headlights.

To eliminate the manifestations of erosion, polishing the glasses is ineffective, and grinding and polishing can only violate the surface condition - when viewed from the passenger compartment, the driver and passengers have to observe distortions in optical visibility.

The way out of this situation is only in the replacement of auto glass. To assess the cost of processing glass by polishing, specialists first conduct tests to help determine the optimal solution.

Self polishing car windows

The main task when removing flaws from automobile glass is its processing by chemical polishing. It is known that specialized products exist, for example, polishing paste, which almost completely removes defects and gives the glass an almost original appearance.

To do the polishing of the glass of the car with your own hands, some absolutely unprofessional tools must be present in the garage with which you can achieve the maximum effect to eliminate micro-scratches, scuffs and everything that causes a decrease in visibility, refracts and distorts the view during bad weather and at night.

After carrying out repairs using the same tools and tools, you can remove traces of polymer glue. To do this, we must have at hand:

• Car glass polish paste or special powder;
• A polishing machine - of course, it is unlikely to be found in every garage: it will be replaced by an electric drill. For these purposes, experts do not recommend the use of a “grinder” - its high speed will cause overheating of the glass, and this is undesirable. Optimum performance for polishing is in the range of 1200-1700 rpm;
• Polishing wheel, it is preferable to choose from felt. And since an electric drill is used in the work, you will need a device in the form of a nozzle equipped with a “Velcro” for felt fasteners;
• Plastic film to protect the body. Be sure to take care of the walls in the garage, as during operation a large amount of spray appears;
• Fix adhesive tape with polyethylene, napkins, spray gun, marker, glass cleaner;
• The work execution order consists of three stages: diagnostics, preparation for polishing, and the work itself. Of course, do not forget about the final cleaning.

1. Troubleshooting. At this stage, we determine the level of damage, the area of \u200b\u200bthe defect on the glass. If deep chips and scratches are found on the surface, we repair.

Glass repair is also necessary because during the polishing process the glass heats up, chips appear, from which cracks often go.

   All flaws are marked with a marker on the inside of the glass from the inside of the cabin. So, during processing, they will not be lost sight of.

2. Preparation for polishing. We cover the car with a film, fix it with tape, leave only the glass to be processed open.

Using glass washing liquid, surface preparation is carried out. During polishing, it is important that under the working area of \u200b\u200bthe wheel do not get any tiny particles that can harm the work surface.

In accordance with the instructions, we prepare the paste. A polishing wheel must be installed on the power tool. A container of water and a spray gun should be nearby.

3. Polishing your car glass from scratches with your own hands. Apply a paste to the felt of the circle. We carry out its grinding on an area of \u200b\u200b30x30 cm, with the help of translational movements we begin polishing.

Using a spray, from time to time it is necessary to spray the treatment place - this prevents the paste from drying out, in parallel with this, the glass cools.

During operation, do not make efforts by pressing on the glass. The grinder should be at an angle of about 5 degrees. Starting to deal with the next section, you need to capture about 5 centimeters of already processed, so there will be no gaps. It will take 3-4 hours for the whole process.

At the end of the processing, we wipe the glass with a napkin, inspect for the absence of untreated areas of a matte color, and, if necessary, refine it.

Another polishing agent is goy paste

The basis of GOI paste consists of chromium oxide. There is a coarse, medium and thin paste.

• The rough paste is used to remove the smallest scratches remaining after grinding.
• The surface is polished with medium paste.
• Thin paste makes the surface mirrored.

In appearance, the GOI paste is far from the usual idea of \u200b\u200bpasta.

Its application is carried out by the method of applying the bar while rotating the polishing wheel to felt, or the polishing cloth is rubbed manually with a paste.

Do-it-yourself polishing - video tutorial

In fact, polishing is a rather time-consuming process. If for any reason there is uncertainty in one's own strengths, it is better to resort to the services of a professional master. Its main advantages are its extensive experience in carrying out such work, the availability of professional technical means, and it will take less time.

But this is only if there is great doubt that you will not be able to cope with the work yourself.

Used with 100-avto.ru

A frequently asked question - is it possible to polish the windshield with your own hands has a specific answer. Not only possible, but also extremely necessary. During operation, the windshield, under the influence of sand flying from the road (small pebbles) or low-quality wiper blades, is covered with a network of small scratches. They can be invisible at first sight, but in the headlights of oncoming cars, they are clearly visible. Highlights caused by scratches not only damage the driver’s eyesight. They can cause accidents. But it should be noted that polishing the glass will not help you get rid of cracks and chips. And also to remove serious scratches, the glass must be sanded. In this case, polishing is done only at the end of all work ...

Required Inventory

Ideally, you need a special polishing machine. However, if one is not available, then a simple electric drill can do just fine with this task. Just purchase a special nozzle for a felt (and preferably felt) polishing wheel. Stock up on clean wipes and a soft cloth. You also need a sprinkler. In addition, pre-purchase fine-grained paste designed for polishing automotive windows.

What to consider

Observe the force with which you press the polishing wheel during operation. Strength should always be the same. Otherwise, the glass may crack from sudden overheating, which is why, in principle, the glass is poured with water.

When pressure is released, vibration occurs, which can lead to defects. Never grind the side windows of the car. This will lead to their complete destruction. Maximum light polishing. When grinding the windshield, it is forbidden to remove a layer of more than 20 microns. Otherwise, the glass will be covered with waves during operation. A trip by car with such glass is likely to end in an accident.

Polishing process

To begin with, wash the glass thoroughly. Remember that even the presence of a small amount of sand on the glass will lead to the appearance of new scratches. Then a small amount of special paste is applied to the polishing wheel. Both the circle and the paste must be wet.

Glass is polished in a small area, followed by further transition. During the transition, a small part of the already treated surface is captured. This way you will avoid omissions. Do not press very hard. The ideal angle of inclination of the disk in relation to the glass is not more than 5 degrees. If the movement of the circle becomes heavier, spray water on the glass. So you will avoid overheating of its surface. In addition, the drying paste will begin to scratch the glass.

But do not overdo it with water. Its excessive amount of work abrasive substance minimizes. When polishing, you need to stop periodically. Remains of paste are removed from the treated area. Then a visual inspection is carried out from several sides. So you will know if you still need to polish this area. Do not use equipment with too high revs. The best option is up to 1700 rpm. A small video.

The whole process will require certain skills from you and on average will take about 4 hours of your time.

What else can be polished

Some drivers prefer polishing the glass in the old fashion with sandpaper. The main thing to consider here is that the more serious the scratch, the larger the grain should be. The whole process is carried out manually with periodic wetting of the glass. Then you need to polish the glass with paste. In this case, it is best to use diamond paste.

However, it is worth noting that often many owners simply scratch the glass of the car with "sandpaper" and it can no longer be fixed! So if you are planning this method, you need to be extremely careful! Perhaps first practice on a small area of \u200b\u200bthe windshield.

If you were unable to purchase a special polish, then you can use the usual GOI paste. Add sunflower oil (or machine oil) to it and, stirring, heat.

You can also use pastes of the Polarit type (with cerium oxide) or Crocus (with iron oxide) known from Soviet times.

Conclusion

After all work, the glass is washed thoroughly. Do not expect miracles from polishing. It helps to get rid of only small scratches, since in the process a layer of glass is removed no more than 1 micron.

If there are serious defects, then polishing the windshield with your own hands will not help. You will have to contact a special service.

But with the characteristic arched scratches from the wipers polishing perfectly copes. The main thing is to stock up on a good tool and patience.

I end here, read our AUTOBlog.

The windshield of the car is a barrier between the driver and the traffic situation. It is designed to protect the interior of the car from headwinds and other atmospheric influences. But the main task of the windshield is to provide a normal view for the driver. This factor is directly related to the transparency of the window and the degree of damage from scratches. In order to ensure sufficient visibility for yourself, every motorist should know how to polish his windshield with his own hands. This procedure was previously rarely applicable to glasses. Firstly, there were no corresponding tools and accessories with which you could get rid of scratches with your own hands. Secondly, in the old days, the appearance and convenience of the car was not given much attention. Today, the windshield of a car and its condition are important factors that many car owners think about.

Damage to the windshield can be divided into several types:

• loss of transparency or dullness;
• minor scratches, or the so-called "web";
• deep scratches;
• chips and cracks.

As for chips and cracks, certain methods and tools also exist to eliminate these defects. Most often, such damage is trusted to professionals, since it is very difficult to repair them with your own hands at home. In most cases, the same applies to deep scratches, which were the result of exposure to automotive glass with metallic sharp objects.

If there is slight dullness or superficial scratches, then these defects in most cases can be easily fixed by yourself in the garage. But here there are many pitfalls that are often not taken into account. Neglect of the basic at home often becomes the cause of a complete damage to the part, which leads to the need to replace it.

What is affected by the dullness and the appearance of small scratches on this element of the car? There are two important factors. Firstly, scratched glass limits the view, distorts everything that happens on the road, blinds during oncoming traffic at night, which means it interferes with normal comfortable driving. Often such driving a car is not only uncomfortable and tiring, but also dangerous. Secondly, damaged glass spoils the overall appearance of the car.

To avoid all these troubles, dullness and scratches can be polished with your own hands. But before embarking on this process, it is necessary to understand in more detail the options for such a repair.

The simplest thing that can be done in this case is to replace the windshield on the car. This is not cheap, but it will solve all the problems at once. The second option is to send your car to professionals. Specialists themselves will figure out what is easier to do - polish scratches or apply other types of repair.

If you made a firm decision to do the scratch removal yourself, then you should understand the varieties of glass restoration. The difference between the words should be clearly understood and polished, since the two procedures are completely different. The second is used to remove deep scratches, and the first - to remove small and shallow defects.

How to determine if a deep scratch or not? To do this, it is enough to hold the nail over the defect, and if the nail noticeably clings to the recess, then the scratch is deep. As for polishing, this procedure is much simpler, and therefore more often applicable at home. It is worth talking about in more detail.

Before proceeding directly to polishing, you need to prepare the following tools and supplies:

• polishing machine;
• polishing wheels;
• paste GOI";
• polyethylene film;
• masking tape;
• black easily washable marker;
• household sprayer;
• glass cleaner;
• personal protection items.

It should be treated with particular care. An ordinary high-speed grinder will not work here, since due to high revolutions there is a risk of glass overheating. This will lead either to its deformation or to complete destruction.

There are special polishing and grinding machines on the market designed for this job. In extreme cases, you can use a grinder with adjustable speed or a conventional drill with an adapter for the polishing wheel. The most optimal rpm for polishing glass is up to 1500 per minute.

As for the polishing agent, such work with Goi paste will give quite decent results. In addition to polishing with Goi paste, other means can be used, and the most important thing is a careful study of the composition. Abrasive and too aggressive products are not intended for polishing, but for grinding. Their use in this case will lead to the formation of noticeable notches on the glass.

Particular attention should be paid to protecting the remaining parts of the car body and personal safety during work. It is necessary to polish glass with safety glasses, since glass dust can seriously damage your eyesight. The car’s paintwork should also not be stained with Goi paste, since washing it off can contribute to the appearance of cobwebs on the surface of the body.

Do not neglect the basic requirements for a room for polishing glass, in which the main thing is the absence of dust and good lighting. If you polish glass on the street, then the dust will definitely fall under the polishing wheel, and this will lead to the formation of new, even more serious scratches.

Good lighting is needed in order to evaluate the results in the process. Also under normal lighting it will be easier to see single scratches and polish them without resorting to processing all the glass.

First of all, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the windshield with detergents, after which it must be properly dried. Polishing dirty glass will result in the grinding of small grains of sand on the surface and the formation of new scratches.

After this, you should find and mark with a marker scratches on the glass. For this, it is advisable to use an additional light source and a view of the glass at different angles. It is necessary to mark on the reverse side, that is, from the passenger compartment. This is to facilitate the search for damage after applying the Goy paste. If all glass is polished, then it is not worth marking scratches.

Next, protect the car paintwork from splashes that will fly out from under the machine with Goi paste. For this, the hood, windshield and roof of the car are covered with a new plastic wrap. The film is fixed at the edges with masking tape. When working with film, do not make sudden movements, as you can raise dust from the floor.

After that, it is necessary to cut out “windows” in polyethylene according to the markings made in advance, which will be polished. In this case, the edges of the cut out holes are fixed with masking tape. If you need to polish all the glass, then the corresponding part is cut out in the film, and is also fixed to the surface of the body with tape.

Without forgetting that the work is carried out in safety glasses, you can proceed directly to polishing. Polishing should be carried out in small areas of approximately 30 square meters. see, or locally for each marked scratch. First, Goy paste is applied to the surface. This should be done manually using the same polishing wheel that will be used for work. The glass treated with Goi paste is slightly wetted with water from a spray bottle and polished.

Periodically, during the polishing process, the applied composition should be moistened, not allowing it to dry. Polishing must be carried out at low speeds of the grinding machine, constantly moving it on the glass. After polishing one area, you should remove the remains of the Goi paste and carefully examine the treated area using an additional light source. If the result is satisfactory, then you can move on to the next section.

If after the first stage it was not possible to polish the scratch or a dull glass appeared, then the procedure should be repeated in the same way as described above. So polishing is carried out until the scratch and dullness disappear. The result should be clean and clear glass without damage.

The result of their efforts can also be estimated more accurately from the passenger compartment. To do this, you need to extinguish all the general light, and direct an additional bright light source to the windshield, imitating the headlights of an oncoming car. Looking inside the windshield from different angles, it will be quite simple to identify defects that could not be polished. Such a check will greatly improve the final result.

Polishing the windshield today is advertised by many sinks, as a special service, due to which the glass will shine, like new. However, many questions arise, of which the main one is the safety of glass.

Lens effect - what is the risk of polishing?

They say that beauty will save the world, but in the case of polishing the windshield, it can even become! The fact is that initially the service itself was intended for household glass, for example, for shop windows. However, it was taken into service and services, specializing in servicing automobiles, keeping silent from customers the fact that without special expensive equipment it is impossible to grind glass without loss of optical properties.

And even having such equipment, only perfectly smooth surfaces will be polished, to which the windshield does not apply.High-quality polishing is impossible without preliminary grinding, and grinding involves the removal of a certain layer of material. On the windshield, without consequences, you can remove the layer with a thickness of only 10 microns. And while it is important to remove the layer of the same thickness! Rough intervention, which will inevitably occur when working without special equipment, will turn your glass into a lens.

Imagine that you put on someone else’s glasses and drove out onto the road - you will get the same effect from driving behind polished glass, not to mention possible image distortions that can even cause accidents. But what to do in this case? Is it possible to somehow help the glass, which eventually began to play in the sun with hundreds of scratches, especially in the area of \u200b\u200bthe wipers?

Ambulance for the windshield - what can be done in the garage?

The easiest way out is to buy a new windshield. True, after some time he will face the same fate as his predecessor. Usually the windshield is enough for six months, after which a treacherous network of scratches begins to appear on the surface. Yes, and it is unlikely that there is a driver in his right mind who will spend a lot of money on the purchase of new glass with the whole old.

The procedure is a much more acceptable option, but you already know its disadvantages, to which you can add a rather large cost. Again, the effect will be temporary - good polishing lasts a maximum of a year. Liquid glass polishing is a relatively new type of service, in which a special polish is applied to the glass and the surface, which, after solidification, forms a polycarbonate film that repels dust, dirt and water. The cost of the polish itself and the services of the craftsmen will cost a decent amount, although at the same time you will not damage the glass itself, and the effect will last long enough.

Do-it-yourself polishing is the way out!

Doing it yourself is really a way to save money, and by learning to perform such an operation once, you can always ensure the cleanliness of the “lobovuhi”. For polishing you will need special pastes, for example, the well-known pasta GOI. You will also need a tool with a not very large number of revolutions.

A grinder is not suitable for these purposes - firstly, you can accidentally remove too large a layer of glass, which will make it wavy, and secondly, angle grinder can overheat glass.

An electric drill or other device with revolutions in the range from 1000 to 2000 per minute is best suited. In the tool store you can pick up an adapter that will allow you to attach a circle for polishing. Try to cover all the places in the garage with a film that you would not want to stain with polishing pastes - there will be a lot of spray! It is best to cover with a film and the car body, so that later you do not have to wash it. The glass should be perfectly clean, because the smallest speck of dust can cause a new crack to appear.

Windshield polishing - get down to business!

First, inspect your glass - if there are no deep scratches, then you can start polishing from any convenient side. If there are deep defects, then it is from them that one should begin. In any case, do not try to get rid of them - as already noted, you can remove only a very thin layer of glass. In order not to miss anything, mark such areas on the inside and start work. If the paste needs to be diluted with water, first do a small “batch”.

We put the paste on the polishing wheel (without fanaticism - just a little!) And rub it on an area of \u200b\u200b30x30 cm. Your movements should be strictly monotonous, even try to count how many times you circled the glass to repeat the same number of movements in the adjacent section. If you feel that the circle began to slow down, sprinkle the place of polishing with water - so the paste will not dry out before time and will not scratch the surface. Keep in mind that quality work should take you at least 3 hours, or even all 5! If you want to get a good result - do not rush. Just don’t tell anyone that you yourself have made such beauty - there will be no end to customers!

The external surfaces of the car are difficult to prevent from the formation of minor damage, scratches and scuffs. Whether it is the operation of a machine in a city or outside it, mechanical stress is inevitable. Minor defects on the surface of the body can spoil the look, but they do not promise serious problems. The situation is different with the windshield, any abrasion on which reduces the quality of the review. Of course, it is not worth changing it due to a scratch, but it is necessary to eliminate the defects. For this, glass polishing is carried out, which can be done without the help of professionals. Subject to the rules, glass can be given the appearance of a new product without signs of use.

What tools and materials will be required?

It is not difficult to find devices and materials for polishing for an ordinary motorist. This list includes the following.

• Ideally, a polishing machine is required, but if it is not, then you can do with a conventional electric drill.
• Abrasive mixture in the form of a paste or powder. She will have to buy in a specialized store.
• Polishing wheel. It is advisable to use felt as a material.
• Film or other material that can easily cover the car during operation.
• Scotch.
• Marker.
• Special glass cleaner.
• Rags, napkins or rags.
• Overalls in which the procedure will be performed.

Glass Troubleshooting

This is the first stage in the work on glass, which is a study of the surface. It is necessary to conduct an audit to determine the nature of the damage. In the future, this will allow you to choose a suitable abrasive paste for polishing. There are several degrees of severity of damage that are classified according to depth. For example, self-polishing allows you to cope with small scratches and chips on the surface of the glass, the depth of which does not exceed 300 microns. It’s impossible to determine this parameter by eye, so the best option is to softly polish the car glass from scratches with your own hands, which is almost impossible to harm by holding it. The result of troubleshooting should be the marking of areas with damage caused by a marker on the inside of the glass.

The choice of abrasive mixture

Powders with varying degrees of granularity are available on the market. The larger the fraction of the components, the stronger the effect of polishing. Granularity is usually selected depending on the depth of the scratches, while you should not think that a glass polishing agent with a high abrasive function will be useful for self-repair of defects. It is advisable to pay attention to formulations with a small fraction, since they are the safest. If we are talking about scratches with a depth of more than 300 microns, then a potent powder should be acquired only if you have experience of its use in conjunction with special machines.

It is also worth noting that some polishing powders can save surfaces from acid stains and various deposits that cannot be removed with ordinary detergents. In the presence of such contaminants, it is worth choosing such a composition, but having previously determined the degree of granularity. In this case, polishing the glass will provide an effective cleaning function.

Polishing preparation

The polishing operation should only be carried out with a clean car. It should be washed and dried well. The windshield must be given special attention, since the smallest speck on its surface during processing can fulfill the function of the ill-fated abrasive and provide new scratches. After that, the machine is covered with a film, but so that the working surface of the glass remains open. The places of transition from the open to the closed part must be hermetically fixed with tape. Since polishing the glass of a car with one's own hands is accompanied by the use of a diluted paste that impedes the visibility of the surface, the previously made markings from the inside should be bright. At this stage, it is worth checking it and, if necessary, correcting it.

Abrasive Paste Preparation

Typically, such pastes are diluted with water in certain proportions until a creamy mass is obtained. Some formulations are initially an aqueous suspension. For example, one of the most effective abrasives for auto glass is a powder that contains cerium and chromium oxide. Thanks to these components, the mixture takes on a brownish tint and is easily recognized by experienced craftsmen. Regardless of the selected composition, polishing the glass of the car from scratches should be carried out without delay in dosed mass preparation. That is, you should initially prepare the entire mixture, which will be consumed in the process. Its quantity depends on how extensive the area of \u200b\u200bdamage on the glass is. Mass should be sufficient to cover all existing defects. In addition, you should calculate the amount of paste for the possible processing of the rear and side windows, if they also have scratches.

Polishing Technique

Usually polishing a car glass from scratches with your own hands is carried out with a drill with a felt circle. The latter is smeared with paste, after which you should wait until the mass is absorbed. Also, a small amount of the mixture must be applied to the surface of the glass. It is necessary to lay the mixture pointwise on problem areas - a flat and smooth surface without the need to better not expose to such procedures. Work with a drill should be at speeds in the range of 1300-1600 per minute. When the tool reaches this mode, you can start polishing.

During processing, a 5-degree angle between glass and felt should be maintained. The most effective glass polishing is performed in the form of rectilinear movements from side to side. As you achieve certain results, remove excess paste from the glass and check the quality of the work done.

After the operation, the glass is rinsed with cleaning fluid. At the final stage, the polished surface is carefully wiped with prepared napkins and rags. In the future, polishing glass from scratches can be carried out no earlier than a year later. Frequent execution of such procedures is undesirable, since in addition to restoring damaged areas, a clean surface suffers. It is important to remember that any abrasives in one way or another destroy glass and other materials, so resorting to such means is as rare as possible.

Polishing Tricks

When performing polishing, you can enhance the effect by resorting to some of the subtleties of this process. For ordinary motorists, such nuances are little known, but professional polishing of a car glass from scratches is not complete without them.

• Periodically, it is necessary to spray water on the treated areas. This is necessary to eliminate the possibility of overheating and to maintain the liquid state of the abrasive mass.
• The increase in pressure when processing the problem area can only give a negative result. Usually soft and delicate polishing can provide the maximum that is achievable in principle.
• Regarding the direction of the scratches, the polishing of the glass should be perpendicular.

It should also be noted the so-called lens effect. It occurs when the existing wear is excessively polished, as a result of which a site with distorted visibility is formed in this place.

Scratch Prevention

It is not possible to perform a polishing operation with the formation of each new scratch. It is best to prevent their occurrence. Many damage to the glass surface can be avoided if the vehicle is properly operated. In this case, polishing the glass from scratches with your own hands will not be required at all. To do this, you must first pay more attention to the work of janitors, who are almost the main sources of mechanical damage. They must correspond to the model and size of the glass, and also have functional functional elements. Autoglass often suffers in the winter during the cleaning of its surface from snow and ice. Wipers should not scratch glass that is not plaque. In addition, the brushes themselves should be designed for the current time of the year, otherwise their incorrect mode of operation will result in the same scratches and chips.

Conclusion

Restoring the original look of automotive glass is a delicate task that requires careful execution. If polishing glass with your own hands is performed for the first time, then it is better to practice other glass on this subject. You can worry about the final result only in one case - if you use an abrasive mixture with a large fraction under intense pressure on damaged areas. With such work, you can aggravate the situation, after which the glass will have to be thrown away altogether. If a fine-grained mass is used, then in the worst case, an insufficient restoration of the smoothness of the glass can be obtained. But a certain effect will undoubtedly be.