Best Rubbing Compound for Boats

Pick­ing the best rub­bing com­pound for boat can be like try­ing to find a par­tic­u­lar fish in the mid­dle of the ocean. Every brand claims to be the best, leav­ing you scratch­ing your head. So, let me help you nav­i­gate these murky waters. Today, we’re div­ing into the world of boat rub­bing com­pounds, break­ing down the best options on the mar­ket, and what makes them the cream of the crop.

Best Rubbing Compound for Boats

When it comes to the best liq­uid rub­bing com­pounds for boats, a few names tend to bob up to the sur­face. Here are our top choic­es:

1. 3M Marine Rubbing Compound

• Clings to paint sur­face
• Main­tains high rate of cut with con­stant pres­sure
• Free from sil­i­cone and wax
• Gives long-last­ing shiny fin­ish

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3M Marine Rub­bing Com­pound is a liq­uid rub­bing com­pound designed specif­i­cal­ly for fiber­glass boats. It is for­mu­lat­ed with fine abra­sives that quick­ly remove dirt, oxi­da­tion, and sur­face defects. This rub­bing com­pound is safe to use on all types of boat fin­ish­es, includ­ing clear coats.

When using 3M Marine Rub­bing Com­pound, a lit­tle goes a long way. It’s designed to elim­i­nate medi­um to heavy oxi­da­tion, chalk­ing, water spots, and scratch­es. Plus, it saves you time because you can use it on both light and dark-col­ored boats.

2. Meguiar’s M6732 Marine/RV One Step Compound

• Easy-to-use
• Excel­lent shiny fin­ish
• Earn the ben­e­fits of a com­pound and pol­ish in one bot­tle
• Removes heavy oxi­da­tion, scratch­es, stains and tough water spots

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Meguiar’s Marine One-Step Com­pound is per­fect if you’re all about con­ve­nience. Its dual pur­pose as a clean­er and a wax elim­i­nates the need for two sep­a­rate prod­ucts. Besides, its non-abra­sive for­mu­la ensures you won’t be dam­ag­ing your boat while try­ing to main­tain it. Meguiar’s Marine One-Step Com­pound is a big hit because it acts as both a clean­er and a wax. It’s a time-saver that doesn’t skimp on qual­i­ty.

3. STAR BRITE Liquid Rubbing Compound

• Removes stains, medi­um oxi­da­tion and scratch­es
• Works on dif­fer­ent sur­faces
• Easy appli­ca­tion
• Does not set up like most rub­bing com­pounds so removal is quick and easy

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Star Brite Liq­uid Rub­bing Com­pound is a liq­uid rub­bing com­pound designed for fiber­glass and paint­ed sur­faces. It is for­mu­lat­ed with mild abra­sives that quick­ly remove oxi­da­tion, scratch­es, and imper­fec­tions. This rub­bing com­pound is safe to use on all types of boat fin­ish­es, includ­ing clear coats.

4. No.7 Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound

• Easy to use for­mu­la
• Easy to apply
• remove scratch­es, blem­ish­es and stub­born stains
• Restores fad­ed fin­ish­es

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5. STAR BRITE Paste Rubbing Compound

• Easy to use
• For fiber­glass, met­al and paint­ed sur­faces
• Great for hand or buffer appli­ca­tion
• Removes stains, medi­um oxi­da­tion and scratch­es

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Types of Rubbing Compound

The two main types of rub­bing com­pound are liq­uid and paste. Liq­uid rub­bing com­pounds are applied using a soft cloth and are best for light oxi­da­tion and scratch­es.

1. Grit­ty Com­pounds: Have a grit­ty tex­ture, sim­i­lar to sand­pa­per. They’re usu­al­ly used for heav­i­ly oxi­dized or scratched sur­faces. They work by shav­ing off a tiny lay­er from the sur­face, which lev­els the sur­face and removes scratch­es.
2. Pol­ish­ing Com­pounds: Gen­tler and fin­er than the grit­ty com­pounds. They are typ­i­cal­ly used to remove light scratch­es and minor oxi­da­tion. They also help restore the gloss and shine to the boat sur­face.
3. Buff­ing Com­pounds: Buff­ing com­pounds are used as a final step in the restora­tion process. They’re designed to buff the sur­face to a high gloss fin­ish after the pol­ish­ing process.
4. One-Step Com­pounds: These com­pounds are a blend of clean­ing, pol­ish­ing, and wax­ing com­pounds. They are ide­al for those who want a quick and easy solu­tion for minor to mod­er­ate sur­face defects.
5. Pro­fes­sion­al Grade Com­pounds: Typ­i­cal­ly used by pro­fes­sion­al detail­ers and require a machine buffer for appli­ca­tion. They offer a high lev­el of shine and restora­tion but can be dam­ag­ing if not used cor­rect­ly.
6. Eco-Friend­ly Com­pounds: As the name sug­gests, these com­pounds are made with envi­ron­men­tal­ly friend­ly ingre­di­ents. They are usu­al­ly biodegrad­able and free from harm­ful chem­i­cals.

Paste rub­bing com­pounds are more abra­sive and should be used for more seri­ous dam­ages.

Liquid Rubbing Compounds

A liq­uid rub­bing com­pound is a liq­uid prod­uct used to restore the shine and lus­ter to dull or scratched sur­faces. It is typ­i­cal­ly applied to paint, plas­tic, and met­al sur­faces to remove oxi­da­tion, scratch­es, dirt, and oth­er imper­fec­tions. The liq­uid rub­bing com­pound is used in com­bi­na­tion with a pol­ish­ing cloth or buffer to achieve the desired results. It is espe­cial­ly use­ful for restor­ing the appear­ance of old­er cars and boats.

3M Marine Rubbing Compound

3M Marine Rub­bing Com­pound is a liq­uid rub­bing com­pound designed specif­i­cal­ly for fiber­glass boats. It is for­mu­lat­ed with fine abra­sives that quick­ly remove dirt, oxi­da­tion, and sur­face defects. This rub­bing com­pound is safe to use on all types of boat fin­ish­es, includ­ing clear coats.

Meguiar’s Marine/RV Heavy Duty Oxidation Remover

Meguiar’s Marine/RV Heavy Duty Oxi­da­tion Remover is a liq­uid rub­bing com­pound designed to remove light to medi­um oxi­da­tion from fiber­glass, gel coat, and paint­ed sur­faces. It is for­mu­lat­ed with mild abra­sives that quick­ly and safe­ly remove oxi­da­tion and restore the boat’s orig­i­nal lus­ter.

Star Brite Ultimate Rubbing Compound

Star Brite Ulti­mate Rub­bing Com­pound is a liq­uid rub­bing com­pound designed for fiber­glass and paint­ed sur­faces. It is for­mu­lat­ed with mild abra­sives that quick­ly remove oxi­da­tion, scratch­es, and imper­fec­tions. This rub­bing com­pound is safe to use on all types of boat fin­ish­es, includ­ing clear coats.

Paste Rubbing Compounds

Paste rub­bing com­pounds for boats are abra­sive prod­ucts used to remove paint, oxi­da­tion, and oth­er sur­face imper­fec­tions from car fin­ish­es. They use a com­bi­na­tion of grits and pol­ish­ing agents to safe­ly repair and restore the fin­ish of vehi­cles. These com­pounds are typ­i­cal­ly applied to an appli­ca­tor pad or cloth and worked into the sur­face in a cir­cu­lar motion to even­ly remove the desired mate­r­i­al. Paste rub­bing com­pounds are a great way to remove light scratch­es and restore a glossy fin­ish.

3M Marine Ultra Performance Paste Wax

3M Marine Ultra Per­for­mance Paste Wax is a paste rub­bing com­pound designed specif­i­cal­ly for fiber­glass boats. It is for­mu­lat­ed with fine abra­sives that quick­ly remove dirt, oxi­da­tion, and sur­face defects. This rub­bing com­pound is safe to use on all types of boat fin­ish­es, includ­ing clear coats.

Star Brite Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound

Star Brite Heavy Duty Rub­bing Com­pound is a paste rub­bing com­pound designed for fiber­glass and paint­ed sur­faces. It is for­mu­lat­ed with heavy-duty abra­sives that quick­ly remove oxi­da­tion, scratch­es, and imper­fec­tions. This rub­bing com­pound is safe to use on all types of boat fin­ish­es, includ­ing clear coats.

Meguiar’s Marine/RV Cleaner Wax

Meguiar’s Marine/RV Clean­er Wax is a paste rub­bing com­pound designed to remove light to medi­um oxi­da­tion from fiber­glass, gel coat, and paint­ed sur­faces. It is for­mu­lat­ed with mild abra­sives that quick­ly and safe­ly remove oxi­da­tion and restore the boat’s orig­i­nal lus­ter.

Application Tips

Before apply­ing a rub­bing com­pound, be sure to clean the sur­face of the boat with a mild deter­gent or boat soap. Allow the sur­face to dry com­plete­ly, then apply the rub­bing com­pound in small sec­tions. Start­ing with a light pres­sure, rub the com­pound in a cir­cu­lar motion until the desired lev­el of shine is achieved.

• Under­stand Your Boat’s Sur­face: Before you start apply­ing any prod­uct, it’s cru­cial to under­stand what kind of sur­face you’re deal­ing with. Fiber­glass, for instance, is more del­i­cate than met­al, and thus requires a less abra­sive com­pound.
• Use the Right Tools: For the best results, con­sid­er using a pol­ish­ing machine or buffer. These tools can pro­vide a more even and thor­ough appli­ca­tion than apply­ing by hand. If you’re doing it by hand, make sure you use a soft, non-abra­sive cloth.
• Test Before Full Appli­ca­tion: Always test the com­pound on a small, hid­den area first. This will allow you to see if the prod­uct is too abra­sive or if it’s pro­vid­ing the desired results.
• Fol­low the Instruc­tions: Each prod­uct comes with its own set of instruc­tions. Some may require you to apply the com­pound in a cir­cu­lar motion, while oth­ers may rec­om­mend a back-and-forth motion. Fol­low­ing these instruc­tions will ensure that the prod­uct works as intend­ed.
• Don’t Rush: When apply­ing a rub­bing com­pound, slow and steady wins the race. Rush­ing can lead to uneven appli­ca­tion and missed spots. Take your time and make sure you cov­er all areas.
• Clean the Sur­face First: Make sure your boat is clean before you apply any prod­uct. Dust, grime, and oth­er sur­face con­t­a­m­i­nants can scratch your boat when mixed with the rub­bing com­pound.
• Pro­tect Your­self: Always wear gloves and eye pro­tec­tion when apply­ing a rub­bing com­pound. Some of these prod­ucts con­tain harsh chem­i­cals that can be harm­ful if they come into con­tact with your skin or eyes.

For paste rub­bing com­pounds, use a clean, dry cloth and rub the com­pound in a cir­cu­lar motion. Use a light pres­sure for light oxi­da­tion and a slight­ly heav­ier pres­sure for deep­er oxi­da­tion.

Once the oxi­da­tion has been removed, rinse the sur­face with clean water. Final­ly, apply a wax or sealant to pro­tect the boat’s fin­ish.

Factors to Consider

Con­sid­er the mate­r­i­al of your boat’s sur­face. Dif­fer­ent boats are made from dif­fer­ent mate­ri­als, such as fiber­glass, met­al, or wood, each requir­ing a spe­cif­ic type of com­pound. Fiber­glass boats often need a less abra­sive com­pound com­pared to met­al boats.

The con­di­tion of your boat’s sur­face is anoth­er cru­cial fac­tor. If your boat only has minor scratch­es and oxi­da­tion, a mild rub­bing com­pound will be suf­fi­cient. For deep scratch­es, heavy oxi­da­tion, and severe dull­ness, you might need a more pow­er­ful, heavy-duty com­pound.

You should look at the ease of appli­ca­tion of the com­pound. Some com­pounds can be applied by hand, while oth­ers require a buffer or a machine. If you’re a begin­ner, you might want to opt for a com­pound that’s easy to apply by hand.

Price is anoth­er con­sid­er­a­tion. While it’s not always the case, gen­er­al­ly speak­ing, high­er-priced rub­bing com­pounds are often of bet­ter qual­i­ty. How­ev­er, it’s impor­tant to bal­ance cost with oth­er fac­tors, like the sever­i­ty of the dam­age you’re try­ing to repair.

Advantages of Using Rubbing Compounds

The main advan­tage of using a rub­bing com­pound is that it can quick­ly and effec­tive­ly remove dirt, oxi­da­tion, and scratch­es from the boat’s exte­ri­or. This can help restore the boat’s shine and pro­tect it from fur­ther dam­age.

• Restores Shine and Lus­ter: Rub­bing com­pounds effec­tive­ly remove sur­face oxi­da­tion, stains, and light scratch­es, bring­ing back the orig­i­nal shine and gloss of your boat.
• Pre­pares the Sur­face: They pre­pare the boat’s sur­face for wax­ing or pol­ish­ing by cre­at­ing a smooth and clean base, ensur­ing a flaw­less fin­ish.
• Cost-Effec­tive: Instead of invest­ing in pro­fes­sion­al detail­ing ser­vices, using a rub­bing com­pound can be a more eco­nom­i­cal choice for main­tain­ing your boat’s appear­ance.
• Ver­sa­til­i­ty: They can be used on var­i­ous types of sur­faces, includ­ing fiber­glass, gel coat, paint­ed sur­faces, and met­als.
• Improves Longevi­ty: Reg­u­lar use of rub­bing com­pounds can help pro­tect your boat’s sur­face from the effects of weath­er­ing, UV rays, and salt­wa­ter, there­by increas­ing its lifes­pan.
• Easy to Use: Most rub­bing com­pounds can be eas­i­ly applied by hand or with a machine, mak­ing them suit­able for both DIY enthu­si­asts and pro­fes­sion­als.
• Enhances Resale Val­ue: By main­tain­ing your boat’s aes­thet­ics and con­di­tion, rub­bing com­pounds indi­rect­ly help in main­tain­ing or enhanc­ing its resale val­ue.

Rub­bing com­pounds are also easy to use and can be applied with min­i­mal effort. They can also be used in con­junc­tion with oth­er boat care prod­ucts, such as wax­es and sealants, to fur­ther pro­tect and enhance the boat’s fin­ish.

When using a rub­bing com­pound, it is impor­tant to fol­low safe­ty guide­lines. Be sure to wear pro­tec­tive gear such as gloves, gog­gles, and a dust mask when using a rub­bing com­pound. Also, be sure to work in a well-ven­ti­lat­ed area and avoid using rub­bing com­pounds in direct sun­light.

How to Store Rubbing Compounds

Always keep the rub­bing com­pound in its orig­i­nal con­tain­er, as it’s designed to pro­tect the con­tents from air and light expo­sure, both of which can degrade the prod­uct. The con­tain­er also typ­i­cal­ly includes usage instruc­tions and oth­er impor­tant infor­ma­tion.

Make sure the lid or cap is tight­ly sealed after each use. Expo­sure to air can cause the rub­bing com­pound to dry out and become less effec­tive.

Store the rub­bing com­pound in a cool, dry place. Avoid stor­ing it in loca­tions that expe­ri­ence extreme tem­per­a­ture changes, such as a garage or the trunk of your car. High tem­per­a­tures can cause the com­pound to sep­a­rate or become less effec­tive.

If you’re using a cloth or appli­ca­tor to apply the com­pound, ensure it’s clean before dip­ping it into the con­tain­er. Dirt or oth­er par­ti­cles can con­t­a­m­i­nate the rub­bing com­pound and poten­tial­ly scratch the sur­faces you’re try­ing to clean and restore.

What compound should I use to buff a boat?

You should use a com­pound specif­i­cal­ly designed for buff­ing boats. It should be a non-abra­sive and wax-based com­pound that con­tains poly­mers and oth­er ingre­di­ents to help pro­tect the boat’s paint. Make sure to read the instruc­tions care­ful­ly and use the com­pound accord­ing to the manufacturer’s instruc­tions.

When choos­ing a buffer, make sure it is suit­able for the mate­r­i­al of the boat, such as fiber­glass or met­al. It is also impor­tant to use a buffer with a low speed set­ting to pre­vent dam­age to the boat’s paint. Wear appro­pri­ate safe­ty gear such as gloves, face and eye pro­tec­tion, and a dust mask. Be sure to keep the area well ven­ti­lat­ed while buff­ing.

Best rubbing compound for heavy oxidation

Formula

The first thing to con­sid­er is the for­mu­la of the teak oil. Make sure to choose a teak oil that is specif­i­cal­ly for­mu­lat­ed for boats. This will ensure that it is designed to pen­e­trate deeply into the wood and pro­vide the best pro­tec­tion and nour­ish­ment.

UV Protection

Anoth­er thing to con­sid­er is whether the teak oil has UV pro­tec­tion. This will help to pro­tect the wood from sun dam­age and fad­ing, which can be caused by expo­sure to the sun.

Application

Con­sid­er the appli­ca­tion of the teak oil. Some teak oils are designed to be applied with a brush, while oth­ers are designed to be applied with a sprayer. Choose a teak oil that is easy to apply and will pro­vide the best results for your boat.

Best Teak Oils for Boats in 2023

Now that you know what to look for when choos­ing the best teak oil for your boat, let’s take a look at some of the top teak oils on the mar­ket.

The best rub­bing com­pound for heavy oxi­da­tion is a com­pound con­tain­ing abra­sive mate­ri­als such as alu­minum oxide, sil­i­con car­bide, or oth­er grind­ing agents. This abra­sive com­pound should be applied with a soft cloth or sponge and worked into the oxi­da­tion in a cir­cu­lar motion. Be sure to fol­low the direc­tions on the rub­bing com­pound pack­age for best results.

For heavy oxi­da­tion, a rub­bing com­pound with a fin­er grit may be nec­es­sary. This will help to remove deep­er oxi­da­tion. Be sure to use a clean cloth and use light pres­sure when apply­ing the com­pound to avoid fur­ther dam­age to the paint. After the oxi­da­tion has been removed, a good wax or sealant should be applied to pro­tect the paint and help to pre­vent future oxi­da­tion.

Cost

The cost of rub­bing com­pounds can vary depend­ing on the type, brand, and size of the prod­uct. Rub­bing com­pounds are rel­a­tive­ly inex­pen­sive and can be pur­chased at marine sup­ply stores or online.

Which polishing compound to use on a boat

Choos­ing the right pol­ish­ing com­pound for a boat large­ly depends on the con­di­tion of the boat’s exte­ri­or, as well as the desired end result. The key is to under­stand what each type of com­pound does and choose accord­ing­ly.

You’ll want to start with a more aggres­sive, high-cut com­pound. These are designed to remove sig­nif­i­cant sur­face mate­r­i­al and are great for restor­ing fad­ed or heav­i­ly weath­ered sur­faces. A prod­uct like 3M’s Marine Restor­er & Wax is a good exam­ple of a high-cut com­pound suit­able for heav­i­ly oxi­dized boats.

If your boat’s exte­ri­or has minor oxi­da­tion or light scratch­es, a medi­um-cut com­pound would be more suit­able. These com­pounds are less aggres­sive and are excel­lent for smooth­ing out minor imper­fec­tions and restor­ing shine. An exam­ple of a medi­um-cut com­pound is Star brite’s Pre­mi­um Medi­um Pol­ish.

For reg­u­lar main­te­nance and light pol­ish­ing, a low-cut or fin­ish­ing com­pound would be ide­al. These prod­ucts are designed to remove minor blem­ish­es and enhance the boat’s shine with­out remov­ing a sig­nif­i­cant amount of sur­face mate­r­i­al. Meguiar’s Marine/RV Pure Wax is an exam­ple of a low-cut pol­ish­ing com­pound that’s great for reg­u­lar use.