Burned Paint

We generally see three different kinds of burn damage to paint outside cars that have caught fire.

Friction burns are typically caused by rotary polishing machines, if this kind of damage is not too severe it can be flat-and-polished out.

Chemical burns are caused by extremely caustic soap that is sometimes used by cheap car washes. Car soap and shampoo is sold as a concentrate and can thus be mixed up extremely strong which saves time as it easily removed dirt, but can also damage the car. In some cases it can burn paintwork, especially if it's oxidized, however it's more likely to burn plastic and rubber.

Firework burns are caused when fireworks which are still burning land on cars because what goes up must come down. These empty cardboard or plastic tubes can still be on fire when they land. Typically, there will be some soot and carbon residue which can be cleaned off fairly easily, but sometimes it can be a challenge.

What it means

Burned paint is what you get when polishing, sanding or heat has gone too far. The clearcoat has been overheated or physically cut through so the surface turns dull, browns, goes grey or even exposes the basecoat, primer or bare metal underneath. It is most common on sharp edges, high points and body lines where the pad or abrasive concentrates its effort on a small area.

Why it matters

• Permanent loss of material: Once clearcoat or colour has been removed, it cannot be polished back - the only true cure for a full burn through is repainting the affected area.
• Weakens protection: Burned areas have little or no clearcoat left, so they offer less protection against UV, weathering and corrosion, especially where metal is exposed.
• Very visible in reflections: Dull patches, browned edges and strike-through lines stand out under sunlight and inspection lights, making even otherwise tidy paint look badly treated.

Where you’ll see it

You will see burned paint mentioned on correction estimates, inspection reports and bodyshop rectification notes, often described as burned edges, polish burn or struck-through clearcoat. It is typically found on door edges, bonnet ridges, swage lines, wheel arch lips, bumper edges and repainted panels that have been machine polished too aggressively.

Context

Burned paint sits in the same family as strike-through, over-thinning and clearcoat failure. It is usually the result of heavy machine polishing with a rotary or aggressive pad, careless wet sanding, or occasionally external heat sources such as flame and chemical stripping. Professional detailers manage the risk by measuring paint thickness, treating high points with extra caution and accepting that some deeper defects cannot be fully removed safely. Once paint has been burned through, the conversation generally moves from detailing into body repair and respraying rather than further polishing.

Common mistakes

• Trying to polish a burned area even more, which only enlarges the damaged patch and removes more of the remaining clearcoat.
• Working aggressively over edges and body lines with large pads and high speeds instead of easing off or masking these high risk areas.
• Assuming every scratch or defect can be completely removed, even when it runs across thin high points where there is not enough paint left to correct it safely.
• Blaming waxes, sealants or coatings for patchy gloss when the real problem is burned or over-thinned paint underneath that needs repair rather than more product.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 19/11/2025 16:23