The differences between the Green, Orange, White, and Black pads span across cutting power, foam density, and what stage of the paint correction process they are meant for:
1. Green Pad (Heavy Cut / Compounding)
- Purpose: Heavy-duty paint correction.
- Characteristics: Made with a coarse, open-structure foam designed to generate high cutting power.
- Pairing: Typically paired with Diamond Cut 3000.
- Best Used For: Removing deep sanding scratches, heavy oxidation, severe swirls, orange peel, and spray mist.
2. Orange Pad (Medium-Heavy Cut / Compounding)
- Purpose: Moderate scratch and defect removal.
- Characteristics: A firm, high-density foam that sits as a strong intermediate step. In newer Cartec lineups (like their universal Unipads), orange is frequently used as a heavy-to-medium compound option for tackling moderate flaws efficiently on dual-action/orbital machines.
- Pairing: Often paired with compounds like Rapid Cut 4000 or medium cutting pastes.
- Best Used For: Correcting moderate swirls, light scratches, and everyday paint defects without requiring the most aggressive green or wool setup.
3. White Pad (Medium Polish / Finishing)
- Purpose: Light polishing, gloss enhancement, and defect refinement.
- Characteristics: A medium-density foam with mild cutting properties designed to smooth out micro-marring.
- Pairing: Paired with Final Cut 9000.
- Best Used For: Removing lighter swirl marks, holograms left behind by heavier cutting pads, and restoring clarity and gloss to the paint surface.
4. Black Pad (Ultra-Fine Finishing / Protection)
- Purpose: Final high-gloss finishing and applying protection (waxes/sealants).
- Characteristics: A very soft foam with little to no cutting power. Its sole job is to maximize gloss and evenly spread finishes.
- Pairing: Paired with ultra-fine finishing polishes, glazes, or hybrid waxes. (Note: In some newer Cartec PRO or microfibre lines, ultra-fine finishing is also represented by dark grey/anthracite, but traditional soft finishing runs on the black/dark spectrum).
- Best Used For: Final jewel-polishing stages to achieve a completely hologram-free, mirror-like gloss, or for laying down thin coats of wax.
