Taping. Why?

[aim4squirrels]

For me, it depends on the project.

For my car, I baby it and will tape off areas I don't want polish sling or dust.

For my wife's car that gets treated like a rolling trash can, I put a thick layer of Mother's Back to Black on all the trim. This keeps polish from sticking to the trim or staining it. I like it because it's readily available at any parts store and is worthless as a trim restoration product, so I don't feel bad for wiping it off when I'm done. You might just call it liquid tape.

 

[stilltipping3]

Taping is a preventative measure.

Taping ridges in paint prevents you from taking off too much paint on thinner areas.

Taping trim and emblems prior to polishing prevents the areas from being discolored and requiring extra cleanup from build-up.

Taping does require a few extra minutes, but is well worth the effort. I still have some trim on my car that has residue that could have been prevented If only I'd taped.

Do u think if u dressed the trim first that it would repel compounds and residues from wax?

 

[Flash Gordon]

Do u think if u dressed the trim first that it would repel compounds and residues from wax?

No! That will only create a bigger mess

 

[aim4squirrels]

I respectfully disagree with flash, but what you use on the trim is what will ultimately make it or break it.

If you put the buffer straight on the trim with dressing on it, no. It'll still be a problem. If you dress the trim and you get a little too close with the buffer and some wax or polish crosses over to the trim, it can save you some clean up problems later.

Just don't use anything on the trim that will be hard to remove or that you are expecting to be the last step on the trim. That's why I like the mother's stuff, it's worthless for what they sell it as, but it's great for an oops while polishing or machine waxing.

 

[Woob]

If you use liquid polish like Optimum Hyper Polish do you still need to tape the trims? Should you also tape off chrome trims or only plastic trims? What are other areas you tape off?

Would tape off porous/anything black. Chrome/Plastic with Hyper Polish from what I've seen wipes off easily. It really depends on the severity of what you're working on/going for.