Paint Sealant question, as I do some Recon

Dave Medvic

Dave Medvic

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I've noticed on some local Detailers websites, that they offer two coats of sealant with their higher end packages. Isn't this an incorrect application of the sealants? My thought is this, a sealant needs about 12 hrs. to cure and fully bond to the clearcoat. Spreading a 2nd coat too soon will interfere with the 1st and be a waste of product as far as I know.
Received Renny Doyle's detailing book (and Mike's) for Christmas, I'm taking his advice to study the local detailing environment.
AG is shipping my first Flex 3401 VRG, I feel like a kid at Christmas!
 
I know some detailers that apply one coat of a wax or synthetic paint sealant and do a very good job when applying it and because they do a good job they stop after a single application.

I know some people apply two coats of a car wax or a synthetic paint sealant and they do this because by applying two coats they ensure,

  1. Uniform coverage
  2. Uniform appearance
You can do it either way, if you opt for only applying one application the key is to do a good job so no sections of paint are missed and all sections are thoroughly treated.


Then there's topping...

Topping - Definition - How to Top also called Topping



:)
 
And of course this is highly dependent upon the sealant product. Not all sealants form any meaningful bond to the clearcoat and many sealants do not actually 'cure'. In many instances the sealant needs little more than sufficient time for the carrier solvents to evaporate before they are ready to go. Of course at this point there is then the question of whether those same solvents, when applied as a second coat, will actually start to redissolve the initial layer (the carrier solvents can be basically equivalent to IPA and panel wipe).

So to re-iterate, it all comes down to the product. Some will be fine, others will not and others still will have additional concerns when attempting to layer.
 
Mr Megane said:
So to re-iterate, it all comes down to the product. Some will be fine, others will not and others still will have additional concerns when attempting to layer.
Click to expand...


Well you're right that it does come down to the product and the chemistry behind them. Sometimes the best thing you can do is pick a quality brand and then trust that the chemist behind the product did their homework in chemistry class.

If a person takes a much bigger view or what I call the "Big Picture Point of View" of the process, (after you make you choice for the actual products), when it comes to applying the last step product, usually a wax, sealant or coating, then do your best to apply it and remove it following the manufacturer's directions of course.

Then stand back and admire the results or maybe take the car for a cruise.


The big picture is if the person does good prep work and is using quality products the end results are going to look great and they'll look great without turning washing and waxing your car into rocket science.


Of course I'm a big fan of doing a test spot to a small section of paint on any detailing project to dial-in and prove your system, (products + pads + tools + technique), before tackling the entire vehicle.


On the topic of layering, I've written a little on this over the years,


Sacrificial Barrier Coating = The purpose of a wax or synthetic paint sealant



:)
 
The product I've been using as the Sealant layer is Meg's "Ultimate Wax" with their #26 Carnauba wax applied on top for the shine. Their tech line feels 12 hrs. is the norm for the chemical bond, so I'm still debating this.

Mike: I also decided to try what you recommended as a "one step", the "XMT 360"AIO, I have a test vehicle being volunteered soon. I messaged Pinnacle to see if the Polymers in the AIO would be ok to top coat it, they said I could go over it with Sealant or a wax. I just don't want to do unnec. work if the top coat is too be a sealant and it can't properly bond if the 360 is in the way.
thanks guys,
Dave
 
The 12 hours is a general recommendation. It's a window-of-time.

There's no way to know what's really taking place at the molecular level on the surface of your car's paint so to be on the safe side, a window of time of approximately 12 hours is recommended by most companies for a waiting period before touching the coating with any follow-up application of product or even wiping or washing.


The point is to not disrupt the protection ingredients, (whatever they are), as they do their magic.


:)
 
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