Why Body Shops Need Silicone-Free Compound

Every body shop has seen it: perfect prep, perfect spray, and then round craters appear in the clear coat where the paint pulls away – fish eyes. Very often the cause isn't the paint but silicone from a polish used inside the shop.

What Happens?

Silicone has very low surface tension. When traces of it sit on the surface or in the air during spraying, wet paint won't wet the surface at that spot and pulls away, forming a round crater. The fix means sanding and respraying – materials, time and an unhappy customer.

How Silicone Gets There

• Polishes, waxes and dressings containing silicone used in the same space.
• Polishing machine spatter that settles on nearby cars and benches.
• Hands, towels and pads moving from the polishing area to prep.
• Tire or dashboard dressing sprayed on a car inside the shop.

The Solution: A Silicone-, Wax- and Filler-Free Compound Line

SOLVAR's body shop line is designed to leave nothing behind that can ruin the next paint job:

• UltraCut 900 – the strongest cut in the range (10/10); removes P1500–P2000 sanding marks, deep scratches and oxidation, in a low-dust water-based emulsion with a long open time.
• Perfect 350 – medium cut that breaks down to a hologram-free polish; also safe on scratch-resistant (ceramic) clear coats.
• Super Finish 100 – final finishing polish with the highest gloss in the range (10/10), removes holograms.

All three are free from silicone, wax and fillers and fully repaint-compatible.

"No Fillers" = Honest Results

Some polishes contain fillers that hide scratches temporarily; after a couple of washes the defect returns – and so does the customer. A filler-free compound shows you the true condition of the clear coat while you work, so what you deliver is what lasts.

Organise the Shop to Prevent Contamination

1. Separate the polishing/delivery area from prep and the paint booth.
2. Keep an approved product list for the paint area: silicone-free compounds only.
3. Products containing silicone or wax – such as Hybrid 500, Polish Paste, spray waxes and tire dressings – belong only in a separate delivery or detailing area, away from any car about to be painted.
4. Colour-code pads and towels per area and never swap them.
5. Use a silicone remover / panel wipe before any spraying, per your paint supplier's instructions.
6. Wash hands and change gloves when moving from polishing to prep.

Suggested Shop Sequence

• Heavy defects and sanding marks: UltraCut 900 → Super Finish 100.
• Moderate defects, tight schedule: Perfect 350 alone, or Perfect 350 → Super Finish 100 for maximum gloss.
• Final delivery step (outside the paint area): protect with Hydro Shield Pro or Carnauba Wax if the customer wants it.

See also our 4-step polishing program.

FAQ

Do all compounds contain silicone? No, but many one-step products and polishes with built-in protection contain silicone or wax. Check the TDS before letting any product into the paint area.

We already have fish eyes – what now? The panel needs sanding and respraying after thorough decontamination; more importantly, find the silicone source in the shop so it doesn't recur.

Is silicone-free compound less glossy? No – Super Finish 100 rates 10/10 for gloss in our internal tests; the gloss comes from refining the clear coat itself, not from a layer on top.