Wax Application Recommended Products In the interest of full disclosure, I am in no way affiliated with, employed by, have any vested interest, or in any way receive compensation from the sale or distribution of the product lines reviewed or the company that manufactures or markets it. Results Obtained These articles are not intended to warrant or guarantee any results with any of the products mentioned. No endorsement of companies or their products mentioned is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar companies or their products not mentioned. The author does not provide, nor guarantee and is not responsible or liable for any third-party products or services. Brand, product and company names used throughout these articles are trademarks of their respective companies and are used for product identification purposes only. Proper Technique A sound understanding of the proper technique and the correct process will produce excellent results even with a mediocre product. A quality product used without the proper surface preparation or application technique will never obtain a satisfactory result. Using the proper methodology (surface preparation, using a quality product, along with the correct application technique) will ensure an excellent result. Skill Level / Experience Some methods described may be beyond the capabilities of the average detailer or enthusiast; in this case we strongly encourage the reader to consult a professional detailer or body shop concerning the matters discussed herein. Liability The writer assumes no responsibility, expressed or implied, due to misuse or misinterpretation of the information or methods used, or for any vehicle damage or injury that may occur due to the suggestions and information offered. Product Quality and Technique Proceed with this in mind; the products you use constitute a very small factor in the equation. Methodology and technique constitute 95%; the reasoning behind the choice of quality products is to eliminate any limiting factors, thus enabling you to place emphasis on technique used. There is no `one correct way' to apply a product; the way detailing products are customized are what each individual finds give them their desired results Aesthetics The aesthetics- of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, the only best wax or sealant that really matters is what looks 'best' to you. In the final analysis it all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application methodology and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder Wax As a wax ‘sets-up’, it goes through a number of stages. 1. The first stage is the application of the liquid product; friction will cleanse the dirt, oxidization, old waxes etc. In effect you are lifting the dirt away from the paintwork and into the liquid wax and then into the applicator. 2. The next stage is that you leave the wax to haze. This is where the solvents and oils out gas (evaporate) and leave the resin and fillers behind to dry and set-up on the paint. 3. The best way to determine if it is ready to be removed is to do the swipe test. Run your bare finger across the paint and if the product doesn't smear it is dry enough to be removed. 4. Next you remove the excess. Anything that is has not adhered to the paint will be wiped away with the buffing towel and as you wipe away you will end up giving the resin a slight buff to bring out its gloss 5. A good technique is to buff the wax with a 100% cotton micro fibre cloth and then spritz the paintwork with cold distilled water and wipe down, this helps to set the wax and will add that little extra gloss. Allow the solvents to vaporize (outgas) in the suns heat (2 – 4 hours dependent upon climatic conditions) and then buff to a gloss. Carnauba wax provides better protection from bird / insect excrement than a polymer. Wax Application – like most car care products Carnauba wax is designed to provide maximum results with minimum product application, most Carnauba waxes work well using the WOWO (wipe on wipe off) method while still slightly damp but not completely dry, generally apply a very thin layer, preferably with a distilled water primed foam applicator; allowing it to haze, then wiping off. I would suggest you do a swipe-test (swipe the surface with your finger, if the wax is still liquid wait for a while and repeat) Apply wax to vertical surfaces roof to floor and then left to right, on horizontal surfaces bumper to trunk and then left to right, over-lapping panels to ensure complete coverage. Then apply in direction of airflow, horizontal surfaces hood to trunk, vertical surfaces front to back. This application technique affects the paints optical properties by optimising light refraction and the reflectivity of the bodylines and contours of the vehicle. Allowing a Carnauba wax or Glaze to set-up for 45-60 minutes (see manufacturers instructions on specific products) is usually more than sufficient, as wax doesn’t form a molecular bond like a polymer does this will allow the solvents to outgas, which will be dependant upon ambient temperature / humidity Detailers Tip: Park the newly waxed vehicle in the sun (or heated garage) and wait three to four hours, to ensure all the solvents have outgased (evaporated) and then lightly buff the paint again to perfect the shine, you’ll notice both the chroma (intensity level or richness of a colour) and a deepening of the shine, then lightly buff the paint again to perfect the gloss. Be aware that the both the product and the foam pad may be non-abrasive, but application pressure if not kept to an absolute minimum and using use a very light and even pressure, may re-introduce surface marring and/or removal of the previously applied product by friction. (See also Spit Shining, Wax (Hand applied) Always check the manufacturer's instructions; here are some guidelines- •A thin application will allow the product to cure pro set-up and won’t waste product as you will remove all but the lowest layer •Two applications (see also Layering) will ensure an even coverage of the paint surface •Allow sufficient time between wax applications (usually 30 minutes) to allow wax to set-up and adhere to paint surface. •Do a ‘swipe-test’ to ensure wax is ready for buffing •Application –use the softest foam pad applicators as they provide an even coverage •Hand application – some waxes suit hand-application due to their formulation, thinner layers are technically more advisable Humidity affects the application - because Carnauba is inherently hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) if you notice dark streaks during the application of Carnauba waxes, it tells you that the humidity is high. This will also retard the set-up time, usually, if the car is left in the sun for a few minutes after the wax has been applied the streaks will disappear. Windy conditions affect the curing of the wax because winds move more oxygen across the waxed surface, curing it faster. If you must wax your car on a windy humid day, wax smaller sections at a time (one foot by one foot, 1ft = 12"). Surface Temperature - (Actual surface temperature of the vehicle) between 50° F (10° C) and 80° F (26° C) products will work well within a much broader temperature range, i.e. 45° to 90° F (4.5-32° C) but at 45 degrees it will take much longer to dry, perhaps as much as two to three hours) but the best results will be achieved in the 60° to 70° F (15-21° C) range surrounding air temp (ambient or room) Layering: I prefer the word ‘film’ as opposed to ‘layer’, a film more accurately describes a thinly applied sealant or wax, were as a layer tends to describe a thicker covering. Some specialty paint protection systems can have subsequent film added to increase protection and paint appearance, systems must cure or cross-link prior to application of subsequent coats. Depending on the product type, cure times vary from a few hours to days. By applying another low-solvent product (Victoria Concours Wax on top of one that has already cross-linked you can increase its density (up to a point) two to four cross-linked (cured) applications are usually considered optimum One thing that will negate the applied product density is lack of clarity, the base coat (that contains the vehicle’s colour) is covered / protected by a clear coat of urethane paint, which as well as providing protection is clear to enable the paint colour to show through and provide the colour with depth. Any product applied on top of the clear coat needs to be optically clear (transparent) otherwise both the paint colour and its depth of shine will be muted. One of the problems with ‘layering’ some polymers is that they tend to occlude (become less opaque) as the thickness increases The viscosity of the previous layer requires more solvent to significantly melt away than the next applied wax layer can contain The carrier system allows the product to fill and level the paint film surface to produce a flat surface (this flat level surface is more pronounced with polymers due to their molecular alignment characteristics). This level surface optimises the paint film surface's desired optical properties (i.e. surface reflectance, clarity, gloss, and depth of shine) You could also try this ‘layering’ technique- apply a liquid Carnauba wax (liquid wax usually contains polymer and solvents) and allow to set-up (usually 1-2 hours, do a smear test to endure that its dry and then a apply to a paste Carnauba wax; allow the solvents to evaporate for 2-4 hours, and finally buff surface with a 100% cotton towel Wax- two coats to ensure even coverage (maximum is four) a wax cures (hardens when the solvents have evaporated ) usually 25-45 minuets then you can apply the second coat (ensure that there are no solvents left by doing a smear test otherwise the solvents in the second coat will remove the first) (See also Spit Shine) Paste wax – use a low-solvent wax (Victoria Concours Wax, Souverän or P21S) is just a thicker form of liquid wax, just a different consistency, not necessarily more or less solvents. Some wax products use an emulsion to keep more liquid without adding solvents which, in high concentrations could remove the underlying wax too rapidly to allow the "melting" together of the wax" strata. Polymers- some contain a mineral or silicone oil, or solvent based carrier system (these may also be in the form of an oil / water emulsion) and by the nature of this product they need to vaporise / dissipate and then its needs to cross-link (this is time dependant (unless a catalyst is added) and is quite separate from the drying process To my knowledge, all polymer sealants are based on an emulsion system containing petroleum distillates. As a result, even the mildest petroleum distillates remove polymer sealants. Zaino Show Car Polish (this is not a true polish by definition, as it contains no abrasives) is the only polymer sealant that I'm aware of that is not based on the element silicone and can therefore be successfully layered (a new application of Zaino Show Car Polish does not remove previous applications). Solvents / oils - provide a lubricant and aid the adherence process by working their way into the microscopic gaps and valleys of the previous `layer' softening it, providing each subsequent applications carrying agent (solvent, oils silicones or emulsion) are not so concentrated that they degrade or remove (as in the case of a cleaner wax) what has been previously applied. Information resource Automotive Detailing Inside & Out; a Knowledge Base for the Perfectionist– by Jon Miller © TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all rights reserved Detailing Articles This is one of is one of a series of unbiased and informative, knowledge based, subject specific articles, which are dedicated to the automotive detailing enthusiast or professional detailer in search of development and further education Copyright Protection and intellectual property rights-© This work is registered with the UK Copyright Service that supports international copyright protection by securing independent evidence that will help prove originality and ownership in any future claims or disputes. All original material is copyright, unless otherwise state (1) it may be copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes only provided that you retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the original material, (2) the information is copied in full with no changes unless prior written agreement is obtained from TOGWT, and a reference to © TOGWT ™ is included, any unauthorized use of these materials may violate copyrights and/or trademarks
