How long should a paint sealant sit before buffing it off?

randyh

randyh

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I've read somewhere that a sealant should sit somewhere between 30 & 45 minutes. This seems like a long time to sit before buffing off! Is this true?
 
It depends on the sealant but thats generally correct. With most sealants longer is better.

A good sealant applied correctly comes off very easily after 45 minutes. By the time your finished with the entire car you can usually start back at the beginning buffing it off.
 
Agreed with the above. Any specific sealant you are talking about here?
 
DrOldz, it's WolfGang paint sealant 3.0
 
That's one step I failed to do on my truck. I buffed it off as u would do a wax. Now I know!

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30-50 minutes. I will usually apply the sealant, clean the windows, dress the tires then wipe off the sealant instead of standing there and waiting for it.
 
I just re-polished my hood today. Reapplied WGDGPS since that's what was on before. Let it stay on for 45 minutes and then took off. Looks fabulous on black. Deep wet look.

What it DOESN'T say on the bottle, but AG's product page does, is that you need to make sure you don't get moisture on it for the next 12 hours so it can cure and protect the best. It's water sensitive, so don't leave it outside and let it get dew on it.
 
rider9195 said:
30-50 minutes. I will usually apply the sealant, clean the windows, dress the tires then wipe off the sealant instead of standing there and waiting for it.
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That is somewhat the general idea of what i do as well. I apply the sealant then do one final vacuum, dress the panels, dash, wheels and one final look around inside the car. I then remove the sealant and do the windows last.
 
What is the reason for the sealant not getting moisture on it? Not to sound stupid for asking that, but saying for instance, someone doesn't have a shelter to leave it under. Will that have an adverse effect on the sealant?
 
The first time I used BFWDPS I buffed it off almost immediately and had almost no protection, then I applied it and let it sit for around 30-45 minutes and boom I saw the magic. Letting it sit is the big key with sealants.

To answer the question above, I believe the reason you have to keep it out of contact with moisture is because it can hurt the bonding process to the paint.
 
randyh said:
What is the reason for the sealant not getting moisture on it? Not to sound stupid for asking that, but saying for instance, someone doesn't have a shelter to leave it under. Will that have an adverse effect on the sealant?
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A copy and paste from the WG DGPS product page:
Tech Note: Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 is a water-based, oxygen activated paint sealant. After buffing off the sealant, the remaining coating needs to cure for 12 hours in dry conditions to fully bond to the paint. Exposure to moisture during this time will drown the polymers. For the best results, allow 12 hours of curing time.
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Dr Oldz said:
Cee Dogs suggestion is spot on then! Applying very thinly(AKA as JTWO as I call it) will make removal a sure breeze!
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rider9195 said:
30-50 minutes. I will usually apply the sealant, clean the windows, dress the tires then wipe off the sealant instead of standing there and waiting for it.
Click to expand...

What does your acronym mean Dr. O? JTWO

Rider/everyone else, great info in this thread! I'll wait about 45 minutes from now on with sealants, although, I remember a thread earlier last week about "The 11 minute sealant," so that has me confused. These confounded sealants, haha, just last week as well I had someone tell me confidently that sealants ONLY go directly on freshly stripped paint so they can properly bond directly to the cleat coat, and then a couple days ago in another thread someone told me to apply sealants over a glaze, to "lock in the glaze" and extend it's life on the paint - so what gives?

Also, I'd assume on any good product, the manufacturer would have their directions for wait-time to buff and then cure, on the bottle? Most sealants require 12 hours to cure or what is called "Flashing" I believe, before a second coat of sealant, or a top coat of carnauba can be applied.

Lastly, I'm also confused about spray sealants, of which there are now plenty... I was told spay sealants, like Chemical Guy's V7 Optical Spray Sealant, is more of a 'spray detailer,' than a sealant. So, does that mean the only 'true' sealants are in paste form, and I can apply something like Wolfgang Spritz Sealant or Chemical Guys V7 etc, etc, at any time, on top of OR below, wax or glazes, without allowing it to cure?
 
rider9195 said:
30-50 minutes. I will usually apply the sealant, clean the windows, dress the tires then wipe off the sealant instead of standing there and waiting for it.
Click to expand...

LOL since I've usually been buffing for hours non-stop for polishing then applying the sealant, I usually go take a 30 minute break at that point. Come back and start wiping off where I started applying so by the time I get to the end the last panels have had an extra 10-15 minutes of cure time.
 
Dynamic_Detailing said:
What does your acronym mean Dr. O? JTWO

Rider/everyone else, great info in this thread! I'll wait about 45 minutes from now on with sealants, although, I remember a thread earlier last week about "The 11 minute sealant," so that has me confused. These confounded sealants, haha, just last week as well I had someone tell me confidently that sealants ONLY go directly on freshly stripped paint so they can properly bond directly to the cleat coat, and then a couple days ago in another thread someone told me to apply sealants over a glaze, to "lock in the glaze" and extend it's life on the paint - so what gives?


Lastly, I'm also confused about spray sealants, of which there are now plenty... I was told spay sealants, like Chemical Guy's V7 Optical Spray Sealant, is more of a 'spray detailer,' than a sealant. So, does that mean the only 'true' sealants are in paste form, and I can apply something like Wolfgang Spritz Sealant or Chemical Guys V7 etc, etc, at any time, on top of OR below, wax or glazes, without allowing it to cure?
Click to expand...

I think it's a case of you just have to follow the directions for the individual product. I find the write-up on AG's product page tends to have a lot more of that critical info (like the 12 hour cure time on DGPS) than the bottle itself. I have heard that there are sealants that require much less cure time, I think they all need the 30ish minutes of time after application before wiping off though.

I'm not sure about other spray sealers, but the Wolfgang Spritz is supposed to be a sprayable version of the DGPS. I use it on my Jeep's hardtop and for spots I can't get to with a buffer. The nice thing is unlike the liquid version, it does NOT need to sit for 30 minutes. It DOES have a 12 hour cure time though.
 
flyinion said:
LOL since I've usually been buffing for hours non-stop for polishing then applying the sealant, I usually go take a 30 minute break at that point. Come back and start wiping off where I started applying so by the time I get to the end the last panels have had an extra 10-15 minutes of cure time.
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Not a bad idea. All personal preference of course.:xyxthumbs:
 
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