My Guide on How to Apply Opti-Coat

With the release and subsequent excitement over the consumer release of Opti-Coat I thought I would share the observations/tips/thoughts I have on application of the product.

Paint Prep:

• Polish the paint to your preference/criteria. Much like adding a clear bra, the swirls present in your paint will be “locked in” and Opti-Coat will have to be removed (by abrasion) to remedy the swirls.
• Thoroughly cleanse all areas that are to have the product applied of all wax/polish/sealant etc. To do so (at the recommendation of Chris at Optimum) I used Optimum Power Clean (3:1 dilution)

At this point your vehicles paint will be polished to perfection (or to your acceptance criteria) and all areas you wish to apply the product will be stripped clean and ready for Opti-Coat application


Using the Syringe:

• The product comes in a syringe with a black cap on it. The black cap is a twist off cap.
• The product also comes with a blue tip that can be put on the syringe after you remove the black cap. NOTE: I did not use this blue tip.
• Instead of using the supplied blue tip, I simply screwed off the black cap and VERY gently depressed the plunger of the syringe to allow drops of product to dispense.
• I have found that to do an average sized sedans paint and wheels I use approximately 12cc’s

Application Tools:

• Syringe
• Yellow foam pad
• Proper lighting (this is key to successful results as the product is so clear)

Application:

• Do one panel at a time – I do not know if this still hold true with the consumer version as you now have 30 minutes before the product cures BUT with the pro version setting so quickly I only do 1 panel at a time. I suppose when using the consumer version you should remain cognizant of the time and how long the product has been on the panel to ensure you do not exhaust your 30 minutes before you get back to the panel to remove the “high spots”
• When applying go in a up and down motion to cover the section and then an side to side motion over the same section area to ensure thorough coverage.
• You do not need to be heavy handed with the product. If you barely see it going on you are using enough product - You will see the small streaks (for lack of a better word) showing you that the product is there
• The “streaks” will disappear as the product flashes off and it will become clear, you will not see the product on the paint as it will become optically clear in areas that were not over applied.
• After the allotted time (2-5 minutes for pro version / 30 minutes for consumer version) if you still see streaks or damp spots that is what people are calling “high spots”. Gently go over these areas with either your applicator or a soft micro fiber towel. I would call this a light “swipe” and not a “wipe off” motion. The intent is to remove just enough product to allow it to the flash off on its own.

Note: This is where proper lighting comes into play. Without good lighting you will not be able to properly see the “high spots”. I cannot stress enough how important good lighting is for this.

• Let product cure
• Enjoy the shine!

Closing comments: I, like many of you asked a TON of questions before using the product. My standard operating procedure is to ask all questions before starting a process so that when I am doing the job I am armed with all information to tackle any potential issues.

After actually using the product I was (and still am) amazed at how easy the product is to use. It is essentially identical to Opti-Seal. It is by far one of the easiest products I have ever used - while my pre-application questions did help to give me a sense of confidence I realized that with the ease of application most of my apprehension was in vain.

I have all confidence that if you follow the above guidelines with patience, meaning do not rush through the process you will have a very successful Opti-Coat application.

This is what has worked for me and I hope this helps with questions people may be having regarding the product.

 

do you find it more difficult at all with metallics?

 

Only in terms of seeing the product on the paint - much like other products on metallics especially light colored metallics.

 

Thank you for sharing your procedure with the forum. I can tell it is a culmination of our conversations and I'm glad you went into your first application with a sense of confidence.

Everyone, this is exactly how Opti Guard/Opti Coat 2.0 are both applied properly...and yes it really is that easy. The hard part is bringing the paint to near perfect condition before applying the coating.

 

Great Write-Up, I appreciate your explanation of your process and experience, have you used it on a single stage paint or know if it works on a single stage? Can you layer a nuba over this for looks or will it not work over opti guard/coat 2.0

 

Great write up Jason and that's exactly how I use it. You will find, or at least I did, that the more you use the product the less you use during an application. You tend to use more the first few times as during application the general thought is "I'm not using enough". After you get the hang of it and realize it flashes off so quickly so there is no product to actually see you will be able to use less. I can do a normal sized sedan and do paint, trim, glass, and wheels with about 6-8 cc now. I've gone through 3 syringes doing cars though so I've had a lot of practice.

As a side note I just washed a Tahoe that I coated with Opti Coat about 10 months ago. The client just wanted it washed as it has only been washed once since the Opti Coat was applied and even then it was done at a coin op with just the spray nozzle. I was able to wash the Tahoe in the same amount of time that I can wash my own vehicles that are washed weekly. Even though it had been so long since being washed it didn't look that dirty and the wheels only needed soap and water to clean. Water beaded the exact same as it had 10 months ago. Oh and this is a daily driver too. Opti Coat is simply an amazing product. Here is a pic of the beading after a simple wash and 10 months after application:

 

JL..as they say, the proof is in the pudding. That's some tasty pudding there buddy!!

 

Thank you for taking the time and do a great write up. Off topic how and to who do you guys promote Opti Coat to? How much extra do you charge? What if the customer needs a detail in say a year or so and you have to polish do you charge to reapply OC?