Differences between premium and regular compounds

Premium compounds and regular compounds are products used in detailing and surface restoration. They have differences in terms of their formulation, effectiveness, and intended use but both achieve the “similar” result, a shiny surface.

What makes the premium one charge more? We will talk about it from the formula perspective and how it affects the ways to give a shiny surface.

Formula Difference

Premium compounds are usually silicone and filler free.

Regular compounds usually contain silicone and filler.

Swirl mark is actually a minor scratch. Regular compounds get rid of it by filling the scratch with silicone and filler to give a flat surface.

Premium compounds grind down the whole surface until it is level with the scratch.

Differences:

Premium: Completely get rid of scratches but sand down more paint / coating

Regular: The filler might quickly be removed during daily cleaning and swirl marks will reappear but it sands down less paint / coating. Filling up the scratches is way quicker than grinding down coating. Regular compound speeds up the polishing work progress.

When considering which compounds to be used, it is simply about weighing the advantages. If you are hiring contractors to polish your yacht, make sure you specify the result you are expecting. Otherwise it will be a waste of time and money. Some detailers might use a regular one to try to make the work look “done” quickly and get away with it.

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