The pad you choose largely determines the outcome of your polishing work. Foam, wool, and microfiber each have their own cutting behaviour: wool and open-cell foam cut more aggressively, while closed-cell foam and microfiber finish softer. Colour coding varies by brand, but the principle is universal: the harder and coarser the pad, the more material you remove.

Always match the pad to the right compound or polish. A heavy cutting pad paired with a fine finishing polish won't deliver, just as a soft finishing pad does little with a coarse compound. Align your pad, product, and machine speed for a predictable result every time.