R
Rob
Guest
let's do a poll to see.
I don't got the stamina to keep going I guess. (Plus the comments from the neighbors.)
Ahhh, who am I kidding. I like to wax too much, so I keep putting something else on every so often anyway. No point in boosting the protection via multiple coats!
Ahhh, who am I kidding. I like to wax too much, so I keep putting something else on every so often anyway. No point in boosting the protection via multiple coats!
R
Rob
Guest
Marj!
Long time no see!
Wow, a whole week? How did you come up with that? Trial and error?
Long time no see!
Wow, a whole week? How did you come up with that? Trial and error?
awd330
Advanced Helper
Hi to you too Rob!Rob said:
My waiting a whole week is directly a result of trial and error. I've had problems in the past when topping a sealant with a paste wax. If I waited less than several days, I sometimes got hazing issues that couldn't be wiped away without going all the way back to the polishing step. I've also noticed with some sealants that the appearance changes after 4-6 days. This leads me to believe that the sealant is not fully cured until then. That being said, there do seem to be instances where waiting does not seem to be necessary.
M
Mike T
Guest
Might I ask why the long wait?awd330 said:
M
Mike T
Guest
lol I don't know how I missed that.
R
Rob
Guest
Hey Marj,
Tried 3-4 days between coats and (sheepishly) I have to say it's definately worth the wait!
Puzzled by this I went back to the chemistry books and did some research. The lightbulb went on and DUH it makes perfect sense. Solvent evaporation (water, hydrocarbons, alcohol, etc.) evaporate at a rate proportional to it's concentration.... in English it's like taking a fraction of a fraction and the last bit of solvent takes forever to fully evaporate. In layman's terms this is "curing". As the solvent goes away the molecules arrange themselves in an orderly fashion (like growing salt crystals in grade school) and the light will reflect in a more organized fashion (unorganized reflection appears as "haze"). Thus the sealant should look more "clear", be more stable and resist the solvent of the second coat better if you wait longer. More so with waxes on top! If the sealant were not fully cured, the wax would get between and disrupt the orderliness of the sealant molecules and voila, haze. Dry, warm climates should yield shorter cure times while humid, cool climates longer wait times. Whew! Sorry I'm so long winded.
Tried 3-4 days between coats and (sheepishly) I have to say it's definately worth the wait!
Puzzled by this I went back to the chemistry books and did some research. The lightbulb went on and DUH it makes perfect sense. Solvent evaporation (water, hydrocarbons, alcohol, etc.) evaporate at a rate proportional to it's concentration.... in English it's like taking a fraction of a fraction and the last bit of solvent takes forever to fully evaporate. In layman's terms this is "curing". As the solvent goes away the molecules arrange themselves in an orderly fashion (like growing salt crystals in grade school) and the light will reflect in a more organized fashion (unorganized reflection appears as "haze"). Thus the sealant should look more "clear", be more stable and resist the solvent of the second coat better if you wait longer. More so with waxes on top! If the sealant were not fully cured, the wax would get between and disrupt the orderliness of the sealant molecules and voila, haze. Dry, warm climates should yield shorter cure times while humid, cool climates longer wait times. Whew! Sorry I'm so long winded.
R
Rob
Guest
My next question, how long are you guys waiting between coats of wheel sealant?
M
msbeardmore
Guest
Tbh i didnt think you need to wait between coats of sealant, i personally only wait after using sealant,before waxing i left the car 24hours when doing this, i am however still relativley new to this detailing malarkey so any tips on gettin the best from my poorboys products is always appreciated! :idea:
msbeardmore said:
two coats initially to ensure complete coverage ... if applied correctly it is very thin and hard to see, so the second coat is needed ... after applying, I would give it anywhere between 24-72 to full cure before applying a wax over it.
There are other trains of thought that can be examined here ... would you wait and do these steps on a clients car? probably not .. for your own car, yes, for family members, maybe ...but if you enjoy maintaining your vehicle then the waiting is not needed as you will probably strip it and start all over long before necessary :smt002
M
msbeardmore
Guest
experimentation sounds like the way forward then!
msbeardmore said:
yes, this is not a science and what works for one person may not always work for someone else. What works on one vehicle brand may not work the same on another... there are so many variable that most advice and directions should be considered an outline not a cut and dry application 8)