Protection

Overview

Carnauba waxes are a great way to protect your vehicle against the elements. Carnauba waxes often offer stronger protection than sealants do, but will not last as long. Waxes typically last 3 to 8 weeks, where a sealant can last up to 6 months. Carnauba waxes often bead water better than sealants, which makes your vehicle easier to maintain. Carnauba waxes are what you want to use when you want the absolute wettest finish possible.

Layering and Cure Times

Applying multiple coats or layers of wax can add more protection, gloss and shine to the surface. When you want to apply more than one coat, you have to let the previous coat fully cure. Assuming you apply the wax nice and thin, the cure times will range from 1 - 24 hours. The exact time will vary depending on the specific wax, how it was applied, temperature, humidity, etc.

Frequency

In general, carnauba waxes will last anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks. There are many factors that go into determining how long a wax will last. Some of the major factors are if your car is stored in a garage or outside, how many miles are driven, the type of weather conditions your vehicle is exposed to, how well your paint was prepped prior to applying the wax, the frequency of washing your vehicle, and type of shampoo. The key is to re-apply your coat of protection before the previous coat runs out. As you maintain your vehicle, keep an eye out for how well the water beads and sheets off your paint. If water begins to pool and look flat on your paint, then chances are there is little to no protection remaining and it's advised to apply another coat of wax. A good rule of thumb is to re-apply a carnauba once a month (12 times a year).

How-To Apply a Paste Wax

Step 1: Using a clean foam applicator pad, gently wipe it across the top of the paste wax (for a harder paste wax you may need to exert more pressure in a circular motion)

Step 2: Make sure you only have a very thin amount on your applicator pad

Step 3: You can apply the wax with light pressure in a circular, back and forth and/or up and down motion, remember to stretch the wax nice and thin

Step 4: Wait 10 - 20 minutes before you buff off the excess wax with a clean microfiber towel

Step 5: Repeat steps 1 through 4 until your entire vehicle has been waxed

Overview

The primary purpose of a sealant is to properly protect your vehicle from the elements. Sealants are designed to bond to your paint and provide roughly 3 to 6 months of protection. This is significantly longer protection than what a carnauba wax offers, which is typically 3 to 8 weeks. The barrier of protection that sealants provide help minimize contamination from embedding in to your paint and makes maintaining your vehicle significantly easier. Another benefit of a sealant is that it will enhance the look of your paint by giving you sharper reflections and more depth and gloss.

Layering and Cure Times

Applying multiple coats will increase the strength of the protection and durability of the protection. The most important thing to note is that when you want to apply more than one coat, you have to let the previous coat cure. Each sealant's cure time will vary and environmental conditions (i.e. temperature, humidity, etc.) can impact cure times. Most sealants will cure within 1 - 24 hours and the vast majority of any sealant will be cured within the first hour. If you have the time waiting 24 hours is ideal to be absolutely certain but if you are in a rush waiting a minimum of one hour should still work very well for most sealants.

Frequency

In general, sealants typically last between 3 to 6 months. There are many factors that go into determining how long a sealant will last. Some of the major factors are if your car is stored in a garage or outside, how many miles are driven, the type of weather conditions your vehicle is exposed to, how well your paint was prepped prior to applying the sealant, the frequency of washing your vehicle, and type of shampoo. The key is to reapply your coat of protection before the previous coat runs out. As you maintain your vehicle, keep an eye out for how well the water beads and sheets off your paint. If water begins to pool on your paint, then chances are there is little to no protection remaining and it's advised to apply another coat of sealant. A good rule of thumb is to reapply a coat of sealant once a season (4 times a year).

How-To Apply a Sealant

The key when applying a sealant is to stretch the product as thin and far as possible. The saying "less is more" definitely applies to any quality sealant. We do not recommend applying a sealant with a rotary buffer, but it is fine to use a random orbital or dual action buffer using a soft foam polishing pad. Hand applications also work very well and help you get in to tight spaces more effectively.

Step 1: Center your blue pad on the backing plate

Step 2: Apply 2 pea sized drops of your sealant on the pad (fresh pads may require a few extra drops)

Step 3: Visualize your working area, since you're spreading the product as far as possible, it can be as large as a panel

Step 4: Trace your working area with the sealant on your pad with the buffer off

Step 5: Turn the buffer on a low speed setting (1 - 3) and spread the sealant evenly through the entire working area

Step 6: Turn the speed dial of the buffer up to approximately 3 and start in a corner of your working area

Step 7: Working from one corner to the next, move the buffer at controlled pace (approximately 3" - 5" per second) using no additional pressure

Step 8: Once you reach the opposite corner, follow the same path back to where you started, but overlap your first pass by approximately 50%

Step 9: Continue this pattern until you have applied the sealant to your entire working area

Step 10: Repeat this process, but this time use the opposite direction (if you were working top to bottom then bottom to top the first time around, change it to left to right and right to left overlapping movements)

Step 11: Once the sealant is spread thinly and evenly over the paint, shut the buffer off

Step 12: Using a clean microfiber towel, remove the sealant from the paint

Step 13: Repeat steps 2 through 12 until the entire vehicle has the sealant applied