- Thread starter
- #21
What coating do you have?
What actually happens when you top a ceramic coating with a wax or sealant?
- Thread starter fightnews
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What coating do you have?
- Thread starter
- #22
I believe you I bet it looks unbelievable, what's gloss coat is that optimium?
Klasse Act
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- Feb 21, 2012
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BudgetPlan1
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I dunno...when I first starting mucking about with coatings I was topping them with all sorts of things (Kenotech Showroom Shine, Dodo Basics of Bling, Dodo Purple Haze, Wolfgang Fuzion, Pinnacle Souveran...all sorts of stuff). Immediately after topping I thought "Oh, yeah...that certainly looks much better..." but for me, the reality was that of course it looks better...it was just freshly waxed, detailed, cleaned, etc. Problem was, it got dirtier much quicker so while it 'immediately' looked better after topping, it didn't last and look good nearly as long as bare coating did. Dust, pollen, water spots after a rain and then sitting in sun...these were all things that persisted on the vehicle topped with wax, sealant, QD, etc. When I was running with just a coating or a coating topped with a coating-friendly booster, the dust, pollen,water spots after a rain were greatly diminished.
If you're topping a coating with a wax or whatever to alter the look of your coating ("I prefer a deeper, warmer wax-like glow to the coatings 'hard candy gloss'") then you can seek out a coating with those particular characteristics...they're out there.
Or, if you just like spending time detailing your car, go with whatever makes you happy...topping a coating with a wax, QD or other such "Don't top a coating with that..." product.
At the end of the day, 'right' or 'wrong' is only what makes you smile when you look at your car...
If you're topping a coating with a wax or whatever to alter the look of your coating ("I prefer a deeper, warmer wax-like glow to the coatings 'hard candy gloss'") then you can seek out a coating with those particular characteristics...they're out there.
Or, if you just like spending time detailing your car, go with whatever makes you happy...topping a coating with a wax, QD or other such "Don't top a coating with that..." product.
At the end of the day, 'right' or 'wrong' is only what makes you smile when you look at your car...
BadgerRivFan
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Klasse Act
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Kenotek was mentioned, this stuff is amazing!!
BudgetPlan1
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Only thing I ever got out of a Mystery Box sale that I actually used for a bit. It certainly is great stuff. Nice nozzle on the (big) bottle too.
For some reason I can't quite recall, I have a bottle on my desk at work; I'll check to see how full it is and if enough left, I'll send it to you gratis if you want...it might be near full.
Klasse Act
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I appreciate the offer but you not like it for some reason?
Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk
spazzz
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I wanted to Like this but no like button was available.
I wish I would never have used Essence Plus over my Gloss Coat.
I bought in but I should have done the easy thing and wiped down with Optimum Paint Prep and recoated.
kevincwelch
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- May 12, 2013
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Kenotek is great stuff...but I don't use it much anymore.
I've really narrowed down my inventory of things that top our coated cars, and that's basically using shampoos, waterless washes and topping agents that were designed for coated cars.
Regular soap: CarPro Reset or Mystic Bubble
SiO2 soap: Gyeon Bathe+, McKees SiO2 wash and Mystic Water Repellant
Waterless: CarPro ECH2O and Aqua Waterless
Toppers: Gyeon Wet Coat, CarPro HydrO2, McKee's Hydro Blue, Quartz Max
That's pretty much it nowadays. Easy.
I've really narrowed down my inventory of things that top our coated cars, and that's basically using shampoos, waterless washes and topping agents that were designed for coated cars.
Regular soap: CarPro Reset or Mystic Bubble
SiO2 soap: Gyeon Bathe+, McKees SiO2 wash and Mystic Water Repellant
Waterless: CarPro ECH2O and Aqua Waterless
Toppers: Gyeon Wet Coat, CarPro HydrO2, McKee's Hydro Blue, Quartz Max
That's pretty much it nowadays. Easy.
BudgetPlan1
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Much like Kevinwelch, I've knocked down my maint. products to Gyeon Foam, Gyeon Bathe and the SiO2 sacrificial layer product from my coatings mfg. I do keep some Poorboys Spray & Wipe and Bird S*$t Remover around but that's about it as far as paint maintenance goes.
Have even stopped using Bathe+ and Wetcoat, no more SiO2 'stacking. Coating and maint spray gonna have to make it thru on its own merits...guess I'm in a 'minimalist' phase.
BudgetPlan1
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Alas, it appears that the bottle is actually near empty...wonder who's been using it around here? Sorry...
Klasse Act
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No problem, it should be used up! That product is really something special
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HUMP DIESEL
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- Dec 2, 2013
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I don't think it is a bad thing perse', but as others have stated, the wax will gum up the molecular structure of the coating, so you will see a change in behavior until the wax is removed. I would rather stick with the coating manufacturer's designed protocol to get the best life out of the coating.
If I want a car to wax on, I would not coat it.
HUMP
If I want a car to wax on, I would not coat it.
HUMP
- Thread starter
- #35
Well with the PBL diamond paint coating the manufacturer says that it can be topped. I'm going to try it to see if it gives me the look I want. I'm using hybrid waxes now and topping them it's working good
PouncingPanzer
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- May 11, 2017
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I agree, I miss taking care of my car as much as I used too. Damn this coating! Did exactly what it said it would lol.
RippyD
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- Jan 24, 2016
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You're saying coating life is shortened? I don't get this. I can see how it would be masked, but only until the wax layer wears off. If coatings are impervious to chemical paint cleaners I don't see how wax/sealants could hurt them.
lawrenceSA
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- Feb 7, 2012
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Maybe I have completely misunderstood how coatings work, but if it is indeed pretty much like the lotus effect on some plants (picture tiny little spikes with gaps in between), then surely adding a wax or a sealant on top of a coating will kill off the self-cleaning ability of the coating, by essentially clogging up the spaces between the little peaks of the coating.
Is it not this clogging up that is the problem with iron contamination, hence the requirement to regularly decontaminate your coating with an iron remover to restore its self-cleaning ability. Same idea with using 'typical' shampoos (non-coating specific ones I mean) that will clog up these gaps with their gloss enhancers.
I completely get why people would want to add a wax or sealant to change the look of the paint, but is the primary role of a wax, sealant or coating not to PROTECT the paint. If so, and if the primary benefit of a coating is its self-cleaning ability, then I personally think it is silly to spend so much money for the self-cleaning benefit of a coating, only to negate that benefit for a touch more 'shine'.
Is it not this clogging up that is the problem with iron contamination, hence the requirement to regularly decontaminate your coating with an iron remover to restore its self-cleaning ability. Same idea with using 'typical' shampoos (non-coating specific ones I mean) that will clog up these gaps with their gloss enhancers.
I completely get why people would want to add a wax or sealant to change the look of the paint, but is the primary role of a wax, sealant or coating not to PROTECT the paint. If so, and if the primary benefit of a coating is its self-cleaning ability, then I personally think it is silly to spend so much money for the self-cleaning benefit of a coating, only to negate that benefit for a touch more 'shine'.
RippyD
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- Jan 24, 2016
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Agree with your comments about lotus effect and clogging. But wax isn't semi-permanent. If it were we'd only have to use it every few years. It come off the coating. I believe (have no evidence) that most toppings won't stick to a coating as well as paint anyway, so they shouldn't be there too long. Probably something could test but haven't.
Not disagreeing with you at all about topping a coating. This also makes me skeptical about coatings that strong recommend a regular application of a sealant over them (looking at you, Polish Angel).
I'm going to come out with the best coating ever made - guaranteed to bead water for 5 years. You prep the paint, apply the coating, and then just put my super-special coating enhancer over it every 3 months. It's essential to keep the coating working well. You should occasionally decontaminate as well. Even better, you can use a light polish or paint cleaners on my coating with no negative effects. Just remove polishing residue, apply my coating enhancer, and enjoy the hydrophibicity.
Not disagreeing with you at all about topping a coating. This also makes me skeptical about coatings that strong recommend a regular application of a sealant over them (looking at you, Polish Angel).
I'm going to come out with the best coating ever made - guaranteed to bead water for 5 years. You prep the paint, apply the coating, and then just put my super-special coating enhancer over it every 3 months. It's essential to keep the coating working well. You should occasionally decontaminate as well. Even better, you can use a light polish or paint cleaners on my coating with no negative effects. Just remove polishing residue, apply my coating enhancer, and enjoy the hydrophibicity.
- Thread starter
- #40
That's great but it has to actually look good