Cutting Compounds
4.9from 584 reviews across this range
Cutting compounds are the heavy cut end of the polishing range, built to remove deep scratches, oxidation, sanding marks and years of swirls that an intermediate compound won't shift. Seeing defects doesn't always mean you need one though, the paint hardness and the pad you pair it with change the result as much as the compound does, and on softer paint a lighter compound on a firmer pad often gets there without the extra cut.
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FeaturedCARPRO UltraCut
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FeaturedKoch Chemie Heavy Cut H9.02
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Cutting Compounds
FAQ's: Cutting Compounds
Heavy cut, coarse, rapid cut, the names all point at the same shelf but the compounds behave very differently on hard and soft paint. These are the questions we get asked the most.
Still unsure? Ask us ›What cutting compound should I choose?
Start with your paint, not the product. Hard clear coats, most German cars and a lot of commercial paint, can take a strong cutting compound like CARPRO UltraCut or Koch Chemie Heavy Cut on a firm pad and come up clean. Soft paint, Japanese and some Korean cars and plenty of resprays, will haze and micro-marr under the same combination. On that paint you may not want a cutting compound at all, an intermediate or finishing compound on a firmer pad often does the job, or keep the cutting compound and change the pad.
The picks at the top of the page show what's selling best and what the pros reach for. If you don't know how hard your paint is, do a test section on a low panel before you commit to the bonnet. Ten minutes there saves a day of chasing haze later. Don't own a machine yet? Have a look at our car polishers and polisher kits.
The picks at the top of the page show what's selling best and what the pros reach for. If you don't know how hard your paint is, do a test section on a low panel before you commit to the bonnet. Ten minutes there saves a day of chasing haze later. Don't own a machine yet? Have a look at our car polishers and polisher kits.
I can see scratches and swirls. Does that mean I need a cutting compound?
Not always, and reaching for the heavy cut first is the most common mistake we see. Most swirls on a daily driver come out with an intermediate compound and a medium pad, with no cutting step at all. A cutting compound removes more clear coat per pass, and you only get so much of it before the paint is done.
The rule is start with the least aggressive combination and step up only when the test section tells you to. Finishing polish on a soft pad, then intermediate on a medium pad, then intermediate on a cutting pad, then cutting compound on a medium pad, then cutting compound on a cutting pad. Somewhere on that ladder the defects disappear, and that's your combination for the rest of the car. If you're unsure where you'll land, a compound kit gives you every rung in one box.
The rule is start with the least aggressive combination and step up only when the test section tells you to. Finishing polish on a soft pad, then intermediate on a medium pad, then intermediate on a cutting pad, then cutting compound on a medium pad, then cutting compound on a cutting pad. Somewhere on that ladder the defects disappear, and that's your combination for the rest of the car. If you're unsure where you'll land, a compound kit gives you every rung in one box.
How much difference does the pad make?
More than most people expect. Foam is where we'd point almost everyone. It's stable, easy to use and gives consistent results panel to panel, and the range runs from a firm foam cutting pad through intermediate to a soft finishing pad, so you can tune the cut without changing compound. Wool and microfibre are the specialty options. Wool cuts harder than foam and suits heavy correction, microfibre cuts fast and can be more aggressive than you're ready for, so both reward a bit of experience.
It works the other way too. On soft paint, an intermediate or even a finishing polish on a foam cutting pad can remove real defects without the haze a heavy compound would leave behind. If you've got a cutting compound that's too aggressive for the car in front of you, try a softer pad before you buy another tub.
It works the other way too. On soft paint, an intermediate or even a finishing polish on a foam cutting pad can remove real defects without the haze a heavy compound would leave behind. If you've got a cutting compound that's too aggressive for the car in front of you, try a softer pad before you buy another tub.
What do I do after the cutting compound?
Refine it if it needs it, then protect it. Every cutting compound leaves some haze or micro-marring behind, more on soft paint, less on hard, and under a bright light or the Australian sun you'll see it. Follow up with an intermediate compound on a medium pad or a finishing polish on a soft pad until the panel is clear and glossy, then wipe it down with a panel wipe or prep spray to remove the oils and check your work.
The cutting stage strips whatever protection was on the paint, so once you're happy with the finish it needs something on it before it goes back outside. A wax or sealant is the quick option, a ceramic coating is the one that makes all that correction work last, and our protection kits bundle the prep and the coating together.
The cutting stage strips whatever protection was on the paint, so once you're happy with the finish it needs something on it before it goes back outside. A wax or sealant is the quick option, a ceramic coating is the one that makes all that correction work last, and our protection kits bundle the prep and the coating together.