Buffing vs Polishing: What’s the Difference?

Two often utilized finishing techniques in the production sector are buffing and polishing. They both entail smoothing the surface of a workpiece to improve its appearance as well as its physical characteristics. Unbeknownst to many people, however, buffing and polishing aren’t the same. Each finishing technique has its own unique qualities. So, what’s the difference between buffing Vs polishing exactly?

Buffing

Buffing is defined as a finishing procedure that involves the use of a loose abrasive on a wheel. A manufacturing company might employ an abrasive disc covered wheel to hone a workpiece. The loose abrasive on the disc basically removes surface flaws and superficial material, so soothes the surface.

Polishing

Polishing, on the other hand, is a finishing technique that requires the use of an abrasive that’s fixed — generally with glue or other adhesives — to the wheel. Polishing is thus thought of as a more aggressive finishing technique than buffing. It allows a brighter and more polished finish by removing more surface-level material from a workpiece.

Buffing and Polishing Abrasives

One uses an abrasive both in polishing and buffing. Low-grit, medium-grit, high-grit abrasives exist. While medium-grit abrasives might range from 100 to 200, low-grit abrasives might only run 60 to 80. The grit of an abrasive reflects its smoothness. Low-grit abrasives are extremely rough because they contain fewer grit particles than medium- and high-grit abrasives. Therefore, buffing and polishing procedures frequently begin with the use of a low-grit abrasive, following which higher-grit abrasives are utilized.

It’s crucial for manufacturing organizations to utilize the proper sort of abrasive when performing buffing and polishing. If the wrong abrasive is employed — an abrasive with either too little or too much grit — the workpiece could experience harm.

The Differences Between Buffing VS Polishing

The major difference between buffing Vs polishing is that the former requires the use of a loose abrasive on the wheel, whereas the latter involves the use of an abrasive that’s attached to the wheel. In other words, the grit-based abrasive used in polishing isn’t solidly ‘glued’ onto the wheel. It’s lightly adhered, allowing for quick and easy removal and replacement.

Aside from this slight detail, another difference between buffing Vs polishing resides in the aggressiveness of the abrasive. Although there are exceptions, buffing is normally conducted with a lesser aggressive abrasive, and polishing is performed with a higher-grit, lighter aggressiveness abrasive.