How to Wax and Seal Your Car The EASY Way:
12-08-13, 07:20 PM
#1
How to Wax and Seal Your Car The EASY Way:
How to Wax and Seal Your Car The EASY Way:
You have invested a good amount of money into your vehicle and perform regular maintenance to its mechanical parts. But oftentimes regular maintenance of the paint surface is overlooked. This is due to a couple of reasons, “waxing your car is hard” or “It takes too much time” or “it was waxed last year” are some very common statements I have heard over the years.
I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be a chore! Waxing or sealing your vehicle doesn’t have to be a weekend long endeavor with the right products and the right techniques.
In this article I am going to go over some of the methods and products I use and explain their differences, advantages and disadvantages to hopefully help you better take care of your vehicles paint surface.
First lets briefly examine the different types of protection:
1) Wax
2) Sealant
3) Paint Coating
Wax: It has been around for decades and is often the “go-to” choice of protection due to its popularity. Wax looks great after its applied and is a fairly easy product to use. But waxes are not very durable and oftentimes barely last a full month meaning monthly waxing is required to adequately protect your vehicle. Waxes are great for show cars, but for daily driven vehicles they aren’t the best choice.
Polymer Sealants: The next level of protection available now, polymer sealants look great and have the potential to last 4-6 Months! The difference between a wax and a sealant is in the science. Since technology has advanced in car care products Polymers have been produced that bond to the clear coat on a molecular level increasing the level of durability they have.
Paint Coatings: This is the best level of protection available at the moment. Products such as Opti Coat ,CQuartz or CQuartz Finest have completely changed how you protect your vehicle. With durability last anywhere from 2-5 years the days of monthly or yearly application are a thing of the past. These products are similar to polymer sealants but are often made from Nano Silica (aka Glass) or ultra strong nano polymers that cure to form a protective barrier over your clear coat.
There are several products I recommend that are easy to apply and will add significant protection and gloss to your vehicle. I have personally used each one of these products and can attest to their great results.
I will be highlighting three different products on a scale from hardest to apply to easiest.
First up is a liquid polymer sealant:
1) Polymer Sealant: Blackfire Wet Diamond or Menzerna Powerlock. These are both great products that add tons of gloss and shine and will protect your vehicle for 4-6 months. (Total application time: 1-2hours)
-Application is very easy! Always work on a cool panel out of direct sunlight.
-Shake well before using. Apply a dime_size amount of product to a foam applicator and work into paint using a circular motion. Let product dry to a haze and buff off residue with a clean, soft microfiber towel.
Next up is a silica based spray sealant thats as easy as spray on, wipe off!
2)CarPro Reload falls in between the Polymer Sealant and Paint Coating level. Its very easy to use, looks great and has a durability of 4-6 months! I use reload on my personal vehicle every few months to help boost the CQuartz Finest coating I have on there. (Total application time: 45min-1hour)
-Do not apply in direct sun
-Apply to clean surface as follows.
-Apply to 1 section at a time*(1 Spray per approximately*3 sq. ft.)
-Use an*mf towel to*wipe, spread, then buff off immediately. *
-Use second towel or dry side of first towel and wipe and check before moving to next section
More Info:
http://www.carpro-us.com/reload-inor...sealant-400ml/
And finally, the EASIEST protection currently available! CarPro Hydr02. Its a touch less sealant and is almost too good to be true!
3) CarPro Hyrd02 is a silica based concentrated touch less sealant. Its as easy as washing your car! After you have cleaned the vehicle and have rinsed any soap or dirt off, you dilute your Hyrd02 1:3 water, spray on surface and rinse off!
CarPro HydrO2 is formulated with Hydrophilic glass fibers, silicon polymers, and fluoropolymers and can be applied to all vehicle surfaces!* Paint, glass, plastic, convertible tops, wheels, calipers, and wheel wells are all easily within reach with HydrO2.* HydrO2 was specifically formulated to save time and therefore money for all the Car Pros and enthusiasts alike!* This new innovative coat forms an ultra-water-repellent coating and is applied by simply spraying and then rinsing off with only water! **(Total application time: 5-10min)
-Do NOT apply HydrO2 in the sun or to a hot surface! Applying in this manner will cause streaks that do not wipe off easily.
-In shaded location or shop wash your vehicle and remove any dirt from the surfaces.
-Surface must be well cleaned from soap residue and left wet wth water.
-Dilute 1 part*HydrO2*to 3 parts water (measure cap supplied 30ml). *We recommend a spray bottle for fast and easy application.
-Spray fine mist of diluted HydrO2 on no more than 1/4 of vehicle before rinsing. *Very little is needed and no overlap is needed.
-From time you start spraying a section to rinsing off should be*NO more than one minute max in optimum conditions. *
-Immediately*rinse*well with*strong water pressure to produce physical shock and create a well formed coating. *
-Repeat steps 5-7 on the next section of the vehicle rinsing well before moving to next section.
-Finish by "flood rinsing" the vehicle without a spray nozzle to push all the water off from top down.
-Dry any remaining water by blowing off or with a clean*microfiber waffle weave towel.
More Info:
http://www.carpro-us.com/hydro2-touc...entrate-100ml/
If you have any other questions please feel free to let me know!
Thanks for reading!
-Tim
You have invested a good amount of money into your vehicle and perform regular maintenance to its mechanical parts. But oftentimes regular maintenance of the paint surface is overlooked. This is due to a couple of reasons, “waxing your car is hard” or “It takes too much time” or “it was waxed last year” are some very common statements I have heard over the years.
I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be a chore! Waxing or sealing your vehicle doesn’t have to be a weekend long endeavor with the right products and the right techniques.
In this article I am going to go over some of the methods and products I use and explain their differences, advantages and disadvantages to hopefully help you better take care of your vehicles paint surface.
First lets briefly examine the different types of protection:
1) Wax
2) Sealant
3) Paint Coating
Wax: It has been around for decades and is often the “go-to” choice of protection due to its popularity. Wax looks great after its applied and is a fairly easy product to use. But waxes are not very durable and oftentimes barely last a full month meaning monthly waxing is required to adequately protect your vehicle. Waxes are great for show cars, but for daily driven vehicles they aren’t the best choice.
Polymer Sealants: The next level of protection available now, polymer sealants look great and have the potential to last 4-6 Months! The difference between a wax and a sealant is in the science. Since technology has advanced in car care products Polymers have been produced that bond to the clear coat on a molecular level increasing the level of durability they have.
Paint Coatings: This is the best level of protection available at the moment. Products such as Opti Coat ,CQuartz or CQuartz Finest have completely changed how you protect your vehicle. With durability last anywhere from 2-5 years the days of monthly or yearly application are a thing of the past. These products are similar to polymer sealants but are often made from Nano Silica (aka Glass) or ultra strong nano polymers that cure to form a protective barrier over your clear coat.
There are several products I recommend that are easy to apply and will add significant protection and gloss to your vehicle. I have personally used each one of these products and can attest to their great results.
I will be highlighting three different products on a scale from hardest to apply to easiest.
First up is a liquid polymer sealant:
1) Polymer Sealant: Blackfire Wet Diamond or Menzerna Powerlock. These are both great products that add tons of gloss and shine and will protect your vehicle for 4-6 months. (Total application time: 1-2hours)
-Application is very easy! Always work on a cool panel out of direct sunlight.
-Shake well before using. Apply a dime_size amount of product to a foam applicator and work into paint using a circular motion. Let product dry to a haze and buff off residue with a clean, soft microfiber towel.
Next up is a silica based spray sealant thats as easy as spray on, wipe off!
2)CarPro Reload falls in between the Polymer Sealant and Paint Coating level. Its very easy to use, looks great and has a durability of 4-6 months! I use reload on my personal vehicle every few months to help boost the CQuartz Finest coating I have on there. (Total application time: 45min-1hour)
-Do not apply in direct sun
-Apply to clean surface as follows.
-Apply to 1 section at a time*(1 Spray per approximately*3 sq. ft.)
-Use an*mf towel to*wipe, spread, then buff off immediately. *
-Use second towel or dry side of first towel and wipe and check before moving to next section
More Info:
http://www.carpro-us.com/reload-inor...sealant-400ml/
And finally, the EASIEST protection currently available! CarPro Hydr02. Its a touch less sealant and is almost too good to be true!
3) CarPro Hyrd02 is a silica based concentrated touch less sealant. Its as easy as washing your car! After you have cleaned the vehicle and have rinsed any soap or dirt off, you dilute your Hyrd02 1:3 water, spray on surface and rinse off!
CarPro HydrO2 is formulated with Hydrophilic glass fibers, silicon polymers, and fluoropolymers and can be applied to all vehicle surfaces!* Paint, glass, plastic, convertible tops, wheels, calipers, and wheel wells are all easily within reach with HydrO2.* HydrO2 was specifically formulated to save time and therefore money for all the Car Pros and enthusiasts alike!* This new innovative coat forms an ultra-water-repellent coating and is applied by simply spraying and then rinsing off with only water! **(Total application time: 5-10min)
-Do NOT apply HydrO2 in the sun or to a hot surface! Applying in this manner will cause streaks that do not wipe off easily.
-In shaded location or shop wash your vehicle and remove any dirt from the surfaces.
-Surface must be well cleaned from soap residue and left wet wth water.
-Dilute 1 part*HydrO2*to 3 parts water (measure cap supplied 30ml). *We recommend a spray bottle for fast and easy application.
-Spray fine mist of diluted HydrO2 on no more than 1/4 of vehicle before rinsing. *Very little is needed and no overlap is needed.
-From time you start spraying a section to rinsing off should be*NO more than one minute max in optimum conditions. *
-Immediately*rinse*well with*strong water pressure to produce physical shock and create a well formed coating. *
-Repeat steps 5-7 on the next section of the vehicle rinsing well before moving to next section.
-Finish by "flood rinsing" the vehicle without a spray nozzle to push all the water off from top down.
-Dry any remaining water by blowing off or with a clean*microfiber waffle weave towel.
More Info:
http://www.carpro-us.com/hydro2-touc...entrate-100ml/
If you have any other questions please feel free to let me know!
Thanks for reading!
-Tim
12-08-13, 08:24 PM
#2
Good stuff! Thank you.
I've had a few new vehicles coated with some polymer that did a great job protecting the paint from things like pine tree sap and bird crap. They definitely worked but were pretty expensive. How much do these products run?
thanks for your posting.
Kev
I've had a few new vehicles coated with some polymer that did a great job protecting the paint from things like pine tree sap and bird crap. They definitely worked but were pretty expensive. How much do these products run?
thanks for your posting.
Kev
12-09-13, 05:44 AM
#4
Thanks for the write up, Tim!
CarPro ReLoad and Hydro2 are fantastic products!
Like you, I also use ReLoad as an easy way to boost my CQuartz Finest coating. It is very quick and easy to use.
HydrO2 is another great product... I find it very useful on all surfaces, but I tend to use it a lot on wheels and other hard to reach places.
-Zach
CarPro ReLoad and Hydro2 are fantastic products!
Like you, I also use ReLoad as an easy way to boost my CQuartz Finest coating. It is very quick and easy to use.
HydrO2 is another great product... I find it very useful on all surfaces, but I tend to use it a lot on wheels and other hard to reach places.
-Zach
12-09-13, 06:55 AM
#5
damnit, something else i have to experiment with... never heard of Hydro2, guess i'll put it on my christmas list. think i'm only going to use it on my wheels and wheel wells.
12-09-13, 07:25 AM
#6
^ A good example of HydrO2
Since it is in another language, here is what's going on.
1 - He sprays the car to demonstrate there is no wax present. You can tell there is no protection on the surface because the water does not bead at all. The water spreads out and clings to the surface, it does not easily slide off, or 'sheet'.
2 - With the vehicle still wet, he applies HydrO2 to the hood (note, he is also not applying in direct sunlight!).
3 - Immediately after applying to the hood, he sprays the surface with a strong stream of water to activate the HydrO2. Notice how the water is now being repelled from the surface indicating HydrO2 is working. The water beads up as it hits the surface and rolls down the hood.
4 - He floods the surface with water for a quick demonstration of the sheeting abilities. Notice how the majority (~90%) of the water easily slid from the surface of the car. This makes drying MUCH quicker and easier!
Overall, HydrO2 is a very quick and easy way to protect your paint. Highly recommended.
-Zach
Last edited by zmcgovern4; 12-09-13 at 07:32 AM.
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12-16-13, 03:37 PM
#9
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I went to the Miami International Carshow and thy had some pretty cool sealant in a demo booth. When I got home and googled their name, it seems like they bankrupted, they were called TFP, Total Finish Protection. Has anyone ever heard of such company? I was intrigued by their product.
I wash my car quite frequently and don't mind waxing it at least one a month. I work in construction and I typically has to park my car in harsh environments. I used Meguiar's 2.0 regularly and for the money, its a pretty good bang for the buck. I do notice that in cooler weather the wax last longer, and that even if there are heavy rains, it does a very decent job at repelling water.
I wash my car quite frequently and don't mind waxing it at least one a month. I work in construction and I typically has to park my car in harsh environments. I used Meguiar's 2.0 regularly and for the money, its a pretty good bang for the buck. I do notice that in cooler weather the wax last longer, and that even if there are heavy rains, it does a very decent job at repelling water.
01-11-14, 07:22 PM
#12
Some mistakes that people make when using it that cause them to talk bad about it are 1) working on too large of an area at a time and 2) not rinsing it well enough.... and using it in the sun - work in shade only when the panels are cool to the touch.
If you work on one panel at a time and rinse thoroughly, it is foolproof.
01-11-14, 08:11 PM
#13
Insanely easy! It is GREAT for wheels and other misc. areas too!
Some mistakes that people make when using it that cause them to talk bad about it are 1) working on too large of an area at a time and 2) not rinsing it well enough.... and using it in the sun - work in shade only when the panels are cool to the touch.
If you work on one panel at a time and rinse thoroughly, it is foolproof.
Some mistakes that people make when using it that cause them to talk bad about it are 1) working on too large of an area at a time and 2) not rinsing it well enough.... and using it in the sun - work in shade only when the panels are cool to the touch.
If you work on one panel at a time and rinse thoroughly, it is foolproof.
04-30-15, 05:52 PM
#15
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These all sound great, but how well do they hold up against Love Bugs? Any suggestions for which product provides the best protection from their acidic bodily fluids?