Holograms

Holograms is one of several names for microscopic scratches which can show up on highly polished surfaces as imperfections in the finish.

Often these can only be seen under very harsh light which is why a detailer who is polishing a car should use inspection lights and view the car from all angles.

Cars are usually machine polished indoors to prevent contamination from dust and grit causing additional scratches, but indoor lighting is seldom sufficient to reveal microscopic scratches.

Even the finest of sponge pad and finishing polish is leaving microscopic scratches, and if a rotary polisher is used which doesn't use a random pattern, then hundreds of thousands of these scratches line up together when can then be seen under certain light to form a smudge or hologram effect.

Polishes themselves contain oils as lubricants, which can act as fillers to hide these scratches, meaning they can be completely invisible even under harsh lighting, until some time later when those oils evaporate revealing the marred finish. This is why it is important to clean down the paintwork with alcohol before final inspection.

See Micro-Marring and Buffer Trails.

 

What it means

Holograms are the characteristic trails left in paint by poor machine polishing, most often from a rotary polisher used with the wrong pad, product or technique. Instead of leaving a clear, even finish, the pad cuts fine, directional scratches into the clearcoat that follow the path of the machine. Under sun or an inspection lamp these show as shimmering lines or ghosted shapes that move as you walk around the car – hence the name “holograms”.

Why it matters

• Ruins the finish after polishing: A car can look shiny at a glance, but holograms spoil the clarity of the reflections and give the surface a smeared, streaky look in good light.
• Signals poor workmanship: Heavy hologramming is a giveaway that someone has used aggressive pads and compounds without properly finishing down, or has rushed the job.
• Can be worse than wash swirls: On dark colours, strong buffer trails can look more obvious and artificial than everyday wash marks.
• Must be removed before protection: Waxes, sealants and ceramic coatings will simply lock holograms in, so the finish needs refining first.

Where you’ll see it

You will see holograms mentioned on detailing inspections, correction quotes and quality control reports. Common phrases include rotary holograms, buffer trails or heavy machine marks. They are most obvious on dark paint under petrol station lights, showroom spots or strong sunlight – especially on bonnets, doors and rear quarters that have been machine polished.

Context

Holograms sit in the same family as swirl marks, wash marring and hazing, but are more directional and clearly linked to machine movement. They are usually created by rotary polishers with wool or aggressive foam pads, used at high speed or with poor control. Modern practice is to follow any heavy cutting with one or more refining stages, typically using a dual action polisher and finer pads and polishes, to remove holograms and restore a crisp, even finish.

Common mistakes

• Using a rotary polisher with an aggressive pad and compound and then skipping the refining stages needed to clear holograms.
• Polishing too fast or with too much pressure, tilting the pad on edges and curves so the machine cuts hard and leaves visible trails.
• Working with dirty or clogged pads that scour the surface instead of refining it, adding fresh holograms as you go.
• Applying wax, sealant or ceramic coating over hologrammed paint and then blaming the protection product for streaks or uneven reflections.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 21/11/2025 14:51