Refinish
Definition
Aftermarket repaint applied at a body shop, distinguishable from OEM (original equipment manufacturer) paint by layer count, binder chemistry, and application technique.
- Definition
- Aftermarket repaint applied at a body shop
- Distinguished from
- OEM paint, by layer count and binder chemistry
- Analytical clue
- Application technique differs from factory line application
Common questions
How does an examiner tell a refinish layer apart from the original factory paint in cross-section?+
Refinish coats sit on top of the original system and usually show a different, often less uniform, layer thickness and interface compared to the precisely controlled factory-applied layers beneath, along with a distinct binder chemistry detectable by infrared spectroscopy.
Why does identifying a refinish matter in a hit-and-run investigation?+
A refinish narrows the vehicle's history to a specific repair rather than its original factory configuration, which can be cross-referenced against body shop records or paint supplier databases to help identify the vehicle even when the factory colour code alone would not distinguish it.
Related terms
- Binder
- The polymer matrix that holds pigments in place and bonds the paint to the substrate. Identifies paint type (alkyd, acrylic, polyurethane, epoxy)...
- E-Coat
- Electrocoat primer, the first layer applied to a clean steel/aluminium substrate via cathodic electrodeposition. Usually black, epoxy-based, near-universal on modern automotive bodies.
- PDQ
- Paint Data Query database (RCMP-maintained). Cross-referenced from glass work when a vehicle is identified through paired glass and paint evidence.
- Pigment
- Insoluble particles that give colour and opacity. Titanium dioxide (white), iron oxides (red/brown), carbon black (black), organic colorants (blues, reds). SEM-EDX reports...
- Py-GC-MS
- Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Thermal decomposition of a paint sample, separation of fragments, mass spectral identification. Definitive identification of polymer binders.