#&$#@& high spots in coating

Texchappy

Texchappy

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It’s been a week since I applied CQUARTZ Lite to the driver side of my wife’s SUV. When I put it on, I went over it with a light. I took care of the one high spot I saw. I’ve looked it over inside again and when it’s been in direct sun. Didn’t see a darned thing. Today, when it was out in the sun, I noticed three rainbow sections. They’re not huge but large enough I would have seen them ove the last seven days sometime. Is it normal for them to show up sometime later?


My plan is to go over them with a light ccs hand pad and Mezerna SF4000 gently to lowering the appearance of them? If that doesn’t work then I’ll probably leave them. If I have to polish the whole panels again that might be it for me and coatings. I just don’t have the energy.


I will make sure, if I do this again, that I’ll make sure I can pull in my shop where the lights are much brighter. I made the most of every work light, hand light, and overhead light I could but there we’re definitely shadows.
 
The funny thing is that all three areas are in the area of the car I took the photo of to show what I’d done...
View attachment 73349
 
You’re experiencing why I gave up coatings, I always had at least one spot or two spots but I couldn’t correct and/or I didn’t wanna bother with. That, and water spots.I’m back to ceramic sprays and very happy.
 
Yep, this is one of the main reasons why I don't do coatings at all.
 
I’d suggest using something like Essence by hand to remove it or lighten the high spots. Residue easily transfers to random area if not wiped methodically and your towels aren’t changed out enough.
I’m not sure what your leveling process was but here’s how I level coatings. First wipe is with a low knap towel followed by a plush towel. I flip towels frequently as well. When one side is done, I use another fresh towel to back over the entire side before I proceed.
 
Texchappy said:
It’s been a week since I applied CQUARTZ Lite to the driver side of my wife’s SUV. When I put it on, I went over it with a light. I took care of the one high spot I saw. I’ve looked it over inside again and when it’s been in direct sun. Didn’t see a darned thing. Today, when it was out in the sun, I noticed three rainbow sections. They’re not huge but large enough I would have seen them ove the last seven days sometime. Is it normal for them to show up sometime later?


My plan is to go over them with a light ccs hand pad and Mezerna SF4000 gently to lowering the appearance of them? If that doesn’t work then I’ll probably leave them. If I have to polish the whole panels again that might be it for me and coatings. I just don’t have the energy.


I will make sure, if I do this again, that I’ll make sure I can pull in my shop where the lights are much brighter. I made the most of every work light, hand light, and overhead light I could but there we’re definitely shadows.
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When it comes to ceramic coatings, it is all about checking for high spots in the right type of lighting. The wrong lighting can wash it out. So it’s not the high spots that decided to show up at a later time. It’s just a matter of making sure to have the proper process and scenario to install coatings.

It happens to the best of us. Unfortunately, my recommendation is to polish the entire panel to redo it—should you decide to go down that route. Otherwise, it will leave an uneven look if you spot buff it.
 
fly07sti said:
I’d suggest using something like Essence by hand to remove it or lighten the high spots. Residue easily transfers to random area if not wiped methodically and your towels aren’t changed out enough.
I’m not sure what your leveling process was but here’s how I level coatings. First wipe is with a low knap towel followed by a plush towel. I flip towels frequently as well. When one side is done, I use another fresh towel to back over the entire side before I proceed.
Click to expand...

That’s similar to what I did. Used the towel that came in the kit to go over it once, turning it over after going over the whole section I’d just done and going back over it. Then a higher nap towel to go over every two sections done. After doing this side I went to using one towel but smaller sections done at a time.
 
Dan Tran said:
When it comes to ceramic coatings, it is all about checking for high spots in the right type of lighting. The wrong lighting can wash it out. So it’s not the high spots that decided to show up at a later time. It’s just a matter of making sure to have the proper process and scenario to install coatings.

It happens to the best of us. Unfortunately, my recommendation is to polish the entire panel to redo it—should you decide to go down that route. Otherwise, it will leave an uneven look if you spot buff it.
Click to expand...
Guess the rest of the product is going on the trash.
 
With your second application you said in your initial coating review post that you just used one towel for removal. The idea behind using multiple towels on taking off the coating is that your initial wipe actually spreads the product and this is usually where high spots occur, if you “push” the coating onto a panel you’ve done already it likely to go unnoticed. When using just one towel it doesn’t take long to get clogged up with the coating and then at that point you’re just smearing the product around.

Sorry you’re having issues
 
vobro said:
With your second application you said in your initial coating review post that you just used one towel for removal. The idea behind using multiple towels on taking off the coating is that your initial wipe actually spreads the product and this is usually where high spots occur, if you “push” the coating onto a panel you’ve done already it likely to go unnoticed. When using just one towel it doesn’t take long to get clogged up with the coating and then at that point you’re just smearing the product around.

Sorry you’re having issues
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But the sections in question were done with two towels and three passes - short nap from kit, the the same towel turned over, then a longer nap towel.
 
I've done probably about 15 coatings to date.

In each and every coating I've done, always have at least one high spot! Always!

Drive me nuts!

Tom
 
Texchappy said:
I will make sure, if I do this again, that I’ll make sure I can pull in my shop where the lights are much brighter. I made the most of every work light, hand light, and overhead light I could but there we’re definitely shadows.
Click to expand...

I normally apply coating indoor vs outdoor. I use low nap towels as well but with a twist. I have them in different colors. Blue for initial removal, green for second wipe, and I follow up with a plush towel for final wipe. Just like pads... I switch to new towels every panel or two. To inspect for high spots, I find fluorescent light source to be better at detecting them. As you go over the area with a light source... you really have to look at it from many different angles by moving your head every which way.

The best way for me is to get some young eyes to help. Young eyes for some reason often can spot things I dont see. LOL Seriously... having a partner who was not involved in the process to go over the vehicle really helps.
 
I will continue to do coatings on my cars that are light colored so you can’t see my 1 or 2 highspots. But the F150 truck was a royal pain to coat, massive panels. Back to a couple coats of Colinite next time, less headaches
 
Folks need to relax. A high spot is not the end of the world. They are to be expected especially when first applying. They are easy to fix. A medium cut polish is more than enough and simply recoat the area. The reason it is recommended to do the whole panel is that spot correction has the potential to appear darker in that area.

Again an easy fix that is blown out of proportion.

Lighting is key, preferably diffused lighting. Multiple towels are also important.
 
I do like the way ceramic coatings protect from bird bombs, non of my non ceramic coatings even come close for bird bomb protection.i do all my coatings indoor with controlled lighting.
 
Don’t give up, it happens. You’ll get better with more applications. It takes focus and good lighting to see them. Takes methodical wiping because it’s the towel pushing product around that causes the high spots.

Worst case scenario you polish the affected panel and coat again. Don’t just leave the high spot there or you will always look at it and hate the job. The first time you wash the car you’ll smile and love coatings again.
 
Had good luck with the CCS orange hand pad and Mezerna SF4000. The door I did I couple of days ago with the halogen work light pointed at it from the side was the worst by far. I was exhausted by the time I got to it. I had done the hand buffing in spots, polished the rear fender with the G9, and applied a layer of the Lite to that panel. I ended up going over that door with G9 on 1 with an orange LC flat pad and SF4000. I’m torn whether I want to try to put more lite on those areas or just leave it and see when it fails relative to the other panels. The best panel for high spots was the hood. It was under the fluorescent fixture when I did it. The high spots were all at the edges of panels, especially at the bottom where it turns under the trim.

here’s the before pic, I’ll get the after in a bit...
View attachment 73362
 
Wow, this reminds me of five years ago with my C7 Corvette. I had the exact same situation with CQUK and Reload and spent the better part of a day straightening out my mistakes until I got it right. I just don’t want to ever do that again. I agree with everybody above that it takes a certain type of procedure and a certain type of acumen to get it done, in my old age I just don’t have that type of patience anymore. Particularly when I can get great gloss with easier products (occasionally have to doing it more often) than a coating but still… It’s easier on my old tired body to wipe on , buff and walk away. With no semi permanent mistakes in view.
 
Glen, after the front and back I’ll have a year to think about if I want to do it again. I could see high spots a lot better in the sun - I think :/
 
Texchappy said:
Glen, after the front and back I’ll have a year to think about if I want to do it again. I could see high spots a lot better in the sun - I think :/
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Cloudy days are when you’ll see them the easiest. Very sunny days actually hide the high spots at bit, at least on metallic paint which is pretty much all I’ve coated so far.
 
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