Easier Way Apply Dressing To Large Area

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dsigmon

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I have a Chevy Avalanche. The truck bed cover is the 3 panel thick hard vinyl with the pebble surface.
It also has the black vinyl running boards which are also textured.
These are large areas to put dressing on and requires that you apply north - south and east - west rubbing to get into the textured surfaces.

I use Ultima Tire and Trim plus and it works well - lasts about 2 months sitting outside 24/7.
I've applied it with the included MF application pad that comes with the dressing and also tried a large tire sponge as well. It is time consuming and I'm lazy.
I'm looking for an easier and more effective way to apply the dressing.

Any suggestions ?

I was thinking about putting a MF applicator bonnet over a soft pad on my DA. Anyone tried this?
 
Why not just use the soft pad(black or red) if you plan on going that route...why add the microfiber bonnet
 
Instead of using the MF bonnet, why not just use a finishing foam pad with a DA? The foam pad along with a bonnet will absorb a lot of product. Get a throw away brush for the edges.
 
Rsurfer said:
Instead of using the MF bonnet, why not just use a finishing foam pad with a DA? The foam pad along with a bonnet will absorb a lot of product. Get a throw away brush for the edges.
Click to expand...

Word!
I really like those foam brushes with the chisel edge
 
I'm not sure if the finishing foam pad will get into all the textured hills and valleys.
Will a finishing pad build up heat on the textured surface?

I was thinking with the bonnet over a finishing pad the MF bonnet will be more flexible and get down into the hills and valleys better
 
Do you have an air compressor? You could use a cheap paint spray gun from Harbor Freight to get the dressing on and then wipe it down with a microfiber. Or AG sells (or used to) a dressing applicator that hooks up to an air compressor. Could also get a Preval sprayer from Lowes/HD. Handy little things to have..

Neil

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
 
dsigmon said:
I'm not sure if the finishing foam pad will get into all the textured hills and valleys.
Will a finishing pad build up heat on the textured surface?

I was thinking with the bonnet over a finishing pad the MF bonnet will be more flexible and get down into the hills and valleys better
Click to expand...


What heat?....you would be running on 2-3 at best.
soft pads are an inch thick do you have rock sized texture?
To do this in my eye would be extremely fast and you wouldn't have any issues with heat whatsoever...
 
Skip all of the foam & MF applicators and use a flag-tipped brush.


:)
 
PaulMys said:
Skip all of the foam & MF applicators and use a flag-tipped brush.


:)
Click to expand...

wJACEdY.gif
 
Seeing as how Ultima has been used many times, I think it would be a PITA to get all that area clean enough to restore with Solution Finish.
Also since you said you want something quick and fast, I’d suggest aerosol or an HVLP gun. But then you have overspray to worry about.
I would suggest getting a Mother’s wheel & tire brush (flag tipped) and some Poorboys Bold & Bright. Spray the brush and go to town. Won’t have much sling do to the shape of the brush and will cover a large area quickly. The Poorboys also lasts quite a while and has a mild cleaner in it so you don’t have to surgically clean the plastic prior.
 
At this point I don't want to change the product I'm using.
The Ultima is working great. Like I said It lasts a good 8 weeks and nothing else has come close to lasting that long. Working it into the textured surfaces is the issue.
I may try the mothers brush & I might try the pad brush as well.
 
Spraying is much more efficient and for more precise application.... try this.

airbrush.jpg


I originally got this for my daughter as she was into airbrushing at the time. Once her interest faded ... I start using it to apply dressing to both large and extremely small hard to reach areas. Low to no overspray that I experienced since you can control the airflow at the trigger.
 
Ultima is a thick cream not a liquid therefore will not spray
 
If wanting to use a cream i would just use a polishing pad with hand held applicator. I don’t see using a DA making it any faster.

Would also be more cumbersome and more of a chance to damage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Your situation is similar in some respects to the one I encounter when applying a dressing to my truck bed liner. I use Meguiar's Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer which also has a creamy consistency.

Truck Bed Detailed...

What works for me is to apply the product quite liberally with a towel as an applicator and then finish it by brushing with a medium stiff wheel/tire brush to work the product into the textured surface and even it out.
 
If you’re not interested in a trim coating I’d say keep doing what you’re doing. I rarely see any Avalanches anymore and the ones that I do have the typical grayed over miles of crappy looking plastic, must be doing something right
 
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