There are four things to learn and then the whole range makes sense. Uro-Tec foam is colour coded by how hard it cuts, from coarse blue at the top down to black for final gloss. EdgeGuard is the same foam grades wrapped in a protective pocket that guards your backing plate. Uro-Fiber microfibre is read off the foam interface colour, not the fibres. And Uro-Wool is for the paint that foam will not shift. Learn the colours and you have basically learned the range.
Buff and Shine have been making pads in the USA since 1987, and they build them for people who polish for a living rather than for a shelf in a shop. The upside is that the pads are excellent. The downside is that the range is big and it is not obvious what does what. I get asked about it constantly, so this is me writing it all down properly, including the one thing that catches nearly everyone out with the microfibre pads.
The Buff and Shine Pad Families
Shop by Buff and Shine Pad Family
Know which family you need already? Jump straight to it.
Which Buff and Shine Pad Should I Buy?
If you just want the short version, here it is. Nobody needs the whole catalogue. You need the right pad for the job in front of you and that is about it.
| If you want to... | Reach for |
|---|---|
| Remove heavy defects | Uro-Wool Heavy Pile, blueberry interface |
| Correct hard clear coats quickly | Uro-Fiber blueberry cutting |
| Cut swirls in one pass | Uro-Tec Maroon |
| Run an all in one polish | Uro-Tec Blueberry (Blue AIO) |
| Refine after compounding | Uro-Tec Yellow |
| Maximise gloss before coating | Uro-Tec Black |
| Protect your backing plate on the tool all day | EdgeGuard, in the grade you need |
Uro-Tec Foam, By Colour
If you remember one thing from this page, make it this table. Most aggressive at the top, softest at the bottom.
| Colour | Grade | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Coarse Blue | Heavy cut | The most aggressive foam in the range. Deeper defects and hard clear coats. |
| Maroon | Medium cut | The workhorse. Enough cut for typical swirls without needing a heavy refine after. |
| Blueberry Our pick | Heavy polish and all in one | The heavy polish and all in one pad. Pairs with heavy polishes and one step compounds. |
| Yellow | Polishing | Light defects and refining after a cut. The most used pad for most people. |
| White | Polishing and finishing | Very light. Great for refining and for laying products down evenly. |
| Black | Final finishing | Final gloss. The sculpted contour edge follows curved panels better. |
If you buy three, make it Maroon, Blueberry and Yellow. Maroon cuts, Blueberry handles heavy polish and all in one work, and Yellow refines. That handles nearly everything you throw at a dual action, and you can add coarse blue or wool later when you meet paint that actually needs it. No point buying for a job you have not met yet.
Reading the part numbers. Uro-Tec part numbers end in CR. The first digit is the size, 6 for 6 inch, 5 for 5 inch, 3 for 3 inch, 2 for 2 inch and 1 for 1 inch. The middle two digits are the colour: 54 coarse blue, 72 maroon, 56 blueberry, 34 yellow, 92 white, 20 black. So a 654CR is a 6 inch coarse blue and a 534CR is a 5 inch yellow.
EdgeGuard, the Foam Pad That Protects Your Plate
EdgeGuard is the newest foam line and it solves a problem every detailer knows. A rugged backing plate chews the foam at the pad edge and shortens its life. EdgeGuard wraps the foam in a breathable sealed polymer pocket with a protective shield, so the plate edge is guarded, the pad centres itself on the plate, and it peels off cleanly at the end of the job instead of tearing. The foam grades are the same ones you already know, so nothing changes about how you choose the colour.
| Colour | Grade |
|---|---|
| Coarse Blue | Heavy cut |
| Maroon | Medium cut |
| Blueberry | Heavy polishing |
| Yellow | Polishing |
| White | Polishing and finishing |
| Black | Final finishing |
Uro-Fiber Microfibre
Right, this is the bit that trips everyone up. On the Uro-Fiber pads the fibres do not tell you the grade. The foam interface underneath does. Four of the pads use the same all white fibres, so if you are going off what the face looks like you will grab the wrong pad every single time.
| Interface | Fibres | Grade | Part (6 / 5 / 3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | Black and white | Cutting, most aggressive | 692 / 592 / 392MFP |
| Blueberry | All white | Cutting | 642 / 542 / 342MFP |
| Light Blue | All white | Cutting | 612 / 512 / 312MFP |
| Dark Yellow | All white | Polishing | 622 / 522 / 322MFP |
| White | All white | Final finishing | 632 / 532 / 332MFP |
| White | All black | Finishing | 692 / 592 / 392MFP-BK |
Reading the part numbers. First digit is the size, 6, 5 or 3 inch, plus 2 and 1 inch in the black and white cutting pad. The middle digits are the grade: 42 blueberry, 92 black and white, 12 light blue, 22 dark yellow, 32 white finishing. A BK on the end means all black fibres. So a 542MFP is a 5 inch blueberry cutting pad and a 322MFP is a 3 inch dark yellow polishing pad.
Two traps live here. First, four pads share all white fibres, so the interface foam colour is the only thing that tells them apart. Second, there are two pads with a white interface and they could not be further apart. Black and white fibres on white foam cuts. All black fibres on white foam is a finishing pad. Look before you put compound on a white one, because grabbing the wrong one halfway through a bonnet is a bad afternoon.
Rupes microfibre cross reference
Been running Rupes microfibre? Here is what swaps across.
| Rupes | Buff and Shine | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 9.MF80H / 130H / 160H | 342 / 542 / 642MFP, blueberry | Coarse, extreme cut |
| 9.MF80M / 130M / 160M | 322 / 522 / 622MFP, dark yellow | Fine, polishing |
| 9.MF80S / 130S / 160S | 332 / 532 / 632MFP, white | Ultra fine, finishing |
Uro-Wool
Wool is the one everybody forgets. It cuts harder than foam, runs cooler while it does it, and clears defects that foam has to grind away at. The 2025 knitted range is bigger than it used to be. The plain knitted wools with no foam cut the hardest, and the ones with a bevelled foam interface give you more control on a dual action and a cleaner finish.
| Pad | Grade | Part (6 / 5 / 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Natural 100% wool, blueberry interface, heavy pile | Heavy pile cutting | 6KFWH / 5KFWH / 3KFWH |
| Grey knitted wool blend | Cutting, high density | 6KWB / 5KWB / 3KWB |
| Natural 100% knitted wool | Cutting | 6KWC / 5KWC / 3KWC |
| Purple 100% knitted wool blend | Cutting | 6KWP / 5KWP / 3KWP |
| Blue and white 100% wool, blue interface | Cutting | 6KFWBW / 5KFWBW / 3KFWBW |
| Natural 100% wool, blue interface | Soft cut | 6KFWL / 5KFWL / 3KFWL |
| Yellow knitted wool, dark yellow interface | Polishing | 6KFWY / 5KFWY / 3KFWY |
Wool has a bad name and it comes from old pads and rotary work in the wrong hands. The modern knitted blends on a dual action finish far better than people expect, and on bad paint you will get there in half the passes. Follow it with a foam refine and you will wonder why you avoided it for so long.
Marine and Large Format
Boats, caravans and gelcoat need more pad than a car does, and the oxidation is usually a lot worse than anything you meet on paint. This is where the twisted wool grip pads and the big foam pads earn their keep.
| Pad | Use it for |
|---|---|
| 7.5 inch 100% natural wool, 4 ply twist grip | Heavy oxidation on gelcoat. The hardest cutting option. |
| 7.5 inch yellow wool blend, 4 ply twist | The middle stage after the twisted wool has done the heavy work. |
| 9 inch contour foam, cutting to finishing | Large flat panels where coverage matters. |
| 8 inch hex face foam with centre ring | Large panel polishing with precise centring. Uses the 658Y plate. |
Pad and Compound Pairings
This is the bit worth bookmarking. Find the compound you already own and it tells you what to put under it. Saves a lot of guessing. Switching from another pad brand, or want every equivalent in one place? Our Pad Cross Reference Chart lines them all up.
Menzerna
| Compound | Stage | Pad |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Gloss HC400 | Heavy cut | Uro-Wool grey blend, or Uro-Wool heavy pile blueberry |
| Medium Cut Polish 2400 | Medium cut | Uro-Tec Blueberry, or Uro-Fiber black finisher |
| Super Finish 3500 | Finish | Uro-Tec Yellow, or Uro-Tec Blueberry |
| One Step Polish 3 in 1 | All in one | Uro-Tec Yellow, or Uro-Tec Blueberry |
| Power Lock Polymer Sealant | Sealant | Uro-Tec White |
Sonax Profiline
| Compound | Stage | Pad |
|---|---|---|
| Cutmax | Heavy cut | Uro-Tec Blueberry, Uro-Fiber blueberry, or Uro-Wool heavy pile |
| Ultimate Cut 6+ | Heavy cut | Uro-Fiber cut polish finish, or Uro-Wool heavy pile blueberry |
| ExCut 05-05 | Cut and finish | Uro-Tec Blueberry |
| EX 04-06 One Step | Medium cut and finish | Uro-Tec Yellow, or Uro-Tec Blueberry |
| Perfect Finish One Step | Medium cut and finish | Uro-Tec Yellow, or Uro-Tec Blueberry |
| NP 03-06 Fine Polish | Finish | Uro-Tec Black contour edge, or Uro-Tec Yellow |
| All in One Glaze OS 02-06 | Polish and seal | Uro-Tec White |
Koch Chemie
| Compound | Stage | Pad |
|---|---|---|
| H9.01 and H9.02 | Heavy cut | Uro-Tec Blueberry, Uro-Fiber black finisher, or Uro-Wool heavy pile |
| F6.01 Fine Cut | Medium cut | Uro-Tec Black contour edge, Yellow, or Blueberry |
| M3.02 Micro Cut | Finish | Uro-Tec Black contour edge, Yellow, or Blueberry |
| P6.01 One Cut and Finish | Cut, finish and seal | Uro-Tec White |
| P1.01 Lack-Polish | Finish | Uro-Tec Black contour edge, or Yellow |
Labocosmetica
| Compound | Stage | Pad |
|---|---|---|
| AUDACE Supreme Cut | Heavy cut | Uro-Fiber cut polish finish, or Uro-Wool heavy pile blueberry |
| LEALE Medium Cut | Medium cut | Uro-Tec Blueberry |
| FIERO Super Finish and coating primer | Finish and prep | Uro-Tec Black contour edge, or Uro-Tec Yellow |
Koch Chemie Pad Cross Reference
Coming off Koch pads, or running Koch compounds and want the Buff and Shine equivalent? Here you go.
| Koch Chemie pad | Buff and Shine equivalent |
|---|---|
| Heavy Cut Pad | Uro-Fiber cut, polish and finish |
| Fine Cut Pad | Uro-Tec Yellow polishing and finishing |
| Micro Cut Pad | Uro-Tec Blueberry heavy polish |
| Polish and Sealing Pad 126mm / 150mm | Uro-Tec Maroon medium cut |
| Lambswool non pilling natural polishing pad | Uro-Tec White finishing |
Backing Plates and Sizing
Match the pad to the plate first, then think about the panel. The one that catches people out is the plate range. Uro-Tec, Uro-Fiber and Uro-Wool orbital pads run on the Y plates. EdgeGuard runs on the vented S plates. They are not the same, so buy the right plate for the family you are using.
Rotary plates come in 5/8 inch and 14mm threads, and Buff and Shine make adapters if you need to switch between them. If you are unsure which plate suits your machine, tell us the polisher and we will point you at the right one.
Pad Care
Pads are consumables. How you look after them decides whether that means months or one car.
Clean the pad more often than you feel like doing. Every couple of sections, brush or blow the spent compound out. A loaded pad stops cutting and starts smearing, and I have lost count of how many people have blamed a compound when the pad was the problem. For wool, the Buff and Shine cleaning spur clears the pile in seconds.
Wash them after every job with a dedicated pad cleaner, not household detergent, and let them air dry face up. Never in the dryer.
Retire them honestly. Once the foam tears, the fibres mat down or the backing starts letting go, it is done. A worn pad is slower and can mark paint.
Own more than you think you need. Two or three of each grade minimum for a whole car. Swapping to a fresh pad halfway through is the difference between a finish you are happy with and one you talk yourself into.
Questions I Get Asked
On the Uro-Tec and EdgeGuard foam pads the colour is the grade, running coarse blue for heavy cut, maroon for medium cut, blueberry for heavy polish, yellow for polishing, white for polishing and finishing, and black for final finishing. On the Uro-Fiber microfibre pads it is different, the interface foam colour tells you the grade rather than the fibres.
Same foam grades, same colour code. EdgeGuard adds a sealed polymer pocket and foam shield that guards your backing plate edge, centres the pad and peels off cleanly. EdgeGuard is orbital only and runs on the vented S backing plates, while Uro-Tec runs on the Y plates.
Because four of them share all white fibres and are told apart by the interface foam. Of the four all white pads, blueberry cuts hardest, light blue is a touch softer, dark yellow polishes and white finishes. The most aggressive Uro-Fiber of the lot is the separate black and white fibre pad, and there is an all black fibre pad that finishes. Check before you start.
The first digit is the size, then the middle digits are the grade, then a family suffix. CR is Uro-Tec, EG is EdgeGuard, MFP is Uro-Fiber and the K codes are Uro-Wool. Once someone points it out you can read the whole range off the box.
Yes, they use standard hook and loop backing, so they fit any dual action or rotary with a matching backing plate. Match the pad size to your plate, not to the panel, and match the plate to the pad family.
Microfibre cuts faster than foam for the same effort, which makes it excellent on hard clear coats and for getting through defects quickly on a dual action. Foam is more forgiving and finishes down easier. Plenty of people cut with microfibre and refine with foam, which is a good way to work.
When foam is not getting there fast enough. Wool cuts harder and runs cooler, so on genuinely damaged or oxidised paint it saves you a lot of passes. Always follow it with a foam refining stage.
Two or three per grade minimum. Pads load up with spent compound and stop cutting, so you want to swap to a fresh one partway through rather than push on. Running short is the most common reason a correction takes longer than it should.
Tell us what polisher and compound you are running and we will tell you exactly which pads to grab. We would rather sell you the right three than the wrong six.
Shop Buff and Shine Pad cross reference chart Get in touchRelated: all buffing pads, polishing compounds and backing plates.