Review & How-To: Black Label Diamond Paint Coating

[Nick McKees37]

Yesterday afternoon was arguably one of my greatest days at Autogeek. It wasn't because Max let me take his AMG for a cruise on 95 to make sure the governor was still functioning properly, or because I had a coupon for a free Frosty at Wendy's, it's because Black Label - the latest evolution of Pinnacle - was released. Finally.

Max, the owner of Palm Beach Motoring Group, summed it up best when he said...

The road to creating Black Label was a long and enduring challenge. My team and I spent a great amount of time analyzing and testing different formulas and seeking out raw ingredients that we had never utilized in the past. Like the carnauba waxes and detail sprays that form the backbone of Pinnacle Natural Brilliance line, cost was not a consideration with Black Label. That eliminated one obstacle. The next – and arguably the most difficult – hurdle to overcome was ease of application. I made it clear to my team that, in order for this new breed of products to bear the Pinnacle name, they had to be the best of the best in each category, both in ease of application and overall performance. The products also had to be extremely concentrated, so only a few drops would be required to clean, coat, or protect any given part of your vehicle.

With that being said, here's a review and how-to of Black Label Diamond Paint Coating - a ceramic coating that creates a glassy, impenetrable layer of protection on your vehicle’s paint that lasts up to 3 years.




Black Label Diamond Paint Coating with its nano-glass formula is resistant to alkaline cleaners, degreasers, and harsh detergents. Compared to your clear coat, Diamond Paint Coating is more resistant to scratches and marring. The nano-glass formula forms such a hard shell of protection that virtually nothing can penetrate or stick to it, making your vehicle retain that just-detailed shine for years!

Another advantage to Black Label Diamond Paint Coating is the self-cleaning effect that it provides. The nano-glass formula fills in the microscopic pits, pores, and valleys of your vehicle’s paint, creating a perfectly smooth, flat surface. Dirt and road grime will be removed with virtually no effort, making your vehicle easier to clean and maintain.


CREATING A SMOOTH FOUNDATION WITH A CLAY BAR



Gloss comes from smoothness, so the first step is creating a perfectly smooth foundation that’s free of above surface contaminants.

Above surface contaminants include:

Rail Dust – highly corrosive dust created by rail road wheels grinding against the tracks

Brake Dust – highly corrosive dust generated by every vehicle on the road every time the driver applies the brakes

Industrial Fallout – air-polluting byproduct of industrial plants, often contains metals

Tree sap mist – a light spray of sap that sticks to anything in its path

Tar – road tar from construction is often hot when it hits the vehicle and it contains chemicals that are detrimental to auto paint

Bugs – bug remains contain acidic fluids that eat into auto paint

Paint Overspray – Whether the neighbor next door was painting his go-cart with an aerosol-based spray paint, or if your vehicle has spent any time at a body shop, it more than likely has paint overspray on it.




Removing above-surface contaminants is easy. You’ll want to use a clay bar, like Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay. Here’s a brief explanation of how a clay bar works: The friction of rubbing the bar across the surface combined with the abrasives in the clay essentially sands off the contaminants. The tackiness of the bar holds these contaminants so they don’t get re-introduced into the finish.


SURFACE CLEANSING POLISH – THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP



When your vehicle was painted at the factory, great care was taken to prepare the surface to ensure that the delicate paint system would remain intact for the life of the vehicle. The same care needs to be taken when preparing the surface for a Diamond coating.

The most important step in prepping the surface for application of a Diamond coating is to use Black Label Surface Cleansing Polish. If you do not use Surface Cleansing Polish before applying one of the Diamond coatings, the result will be complete failure of the coating.

Black Label Surface Cleansing Polish is a non-abrasive, water-based polish that gently removes embedded dirt and grime, restoring a natural brilliance to your vehicle’s paintwork. Use this thick cream to prep your vehicle’s paint, wheels, and glass for application of a Black Label Diamond coating. Water-based formulation promotes proper bonding thanks to its wax, silicone, and oil free formula; polished surfaces can be coated immediately after application.

Black Label Surface Cleansing Polish is a thick cream that can be applied by hand or machine. For this application, I used a Lake Country EZ-Grip Hydro-Tech TANGERINE Hand Applicator.





COATING APPLICATION

Black Label Diamond Paint Coating couldn't possibly be any easier to apply.

1. Ensure surface is cool to the touch and out of direct sunlight
2. Working one panel at a time, spray Diamond Paint Coating directly onto paint and evenly distribute using a Lake Country Coating Applicator
3. Work the coating into the paint until it disappears
4. If high spots occur, lightly buff with a Gold Plush Microfiber Towel

Diamond Paint Coating is hyper-concentrated. A single 4 ounce bottle is enough to coat up to 15 vehicles!







FINISHED RESULTS

Black Label Diamond Paint Coating creates an extremely glassy, reflective finish. This type of finish looks especially good on white and silver colored vehicles. For even more shine, Diamond Paint Coating can be topped with a carnabua paste wax or a synthetic sealant.








MAINTAINING THE FINISH



So you've applied a Diamond Paint, Glass, Wheel, or Surface coating to your vehicle - now what? First, you'll want to regularly wash the vehicle using Black Label Diamond Coating Shampoo.

Black Label Diamond Coating Shampoo is a hyper-concentrated, high-foaming shampoo that was designed to restore the impressive water beading and sheeting characteristics exhibited by paint and surface coatings. Crystalline nano-polymers encapsulate dirt and grime to prevent wash-induced scratches and marring. Hyper-concentrated formula only requires one pump per gallon of water.


On Autogeek.net

Pinnacle Black Label Collection

Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Paint Coating

Pinnacle Black Label Surface Cleansing Polish

Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Coating Shampoo

Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay Special

Lake Country Coating Applicator 2 Pack

Gold Plush Jr. Microfiber Towels 3 Pack

[FUNX650]

Hi Nick,

Great review and step-by-step: flow chart directions of several of the new PBMG's Pinnacle Black Label products.

If I may ask:
Can the Black Label Diamond Coating Shampoo also be diluted to such an extent (rather than the below highlighted, prescribed dilution ratio)...
for those of us that would need/desire a rinseless/waterless wash product...to otherwise maintain the Black Label Diamond Coating(s)?

Thanks in advance for any information you are able to provide.



Bob

MAINTAINING THE FINISH



So you've applied a Diamond Paint, Glass, Wheel, or Surface coating to your vehicle - now what?
First, you'll want to regularly wash the vehicle using Black Label Diamond Coating Shampoo.

Black Label Diamond Coating Shampoo is a hyper-concentrated, high-foaming shampoo that was designed to restore the impressive
water beading and sheeting characteristics exhibited by paint and surface coatings.
Crystalline nano-polymers encapsulate dirt and grime to prevent wash-induced scratches and marring.

Hyper-concentrated formula only requires one pump per gallon of water.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Thanks for the thorough review Nick!!!

[jankerson]

Nice, I love white.

Nice truck too.

[john c.]

That is a great looking truck. The Black Label Paint Coating appears to be a great product. Would like to know if it will work when the temp is say 40 degrees. ?? I do not have a garage.Thanks in advance.

[creaky]

Thanks for the review!

Would another dedicated car wash like CG Maxi Suds have any detrimental effect on the shine or durability of PBL coatings?

And what is the advantage of using PBL shampoo?

Finally, can PBL shampoo be used in a foam gun?

[Meghan]

That is a great looking truck. The Black Label Paint Coating appears to be a great product. Would like to know if it will work when the temp is say 40 degrees. ?? I do not have a garage.Thanks in advance.

Well it will be 88 today here so we have not personally tested it at 40 but yes should be good. I will have Nick chime in when he lands in Vegas.

[02whitetundra]

Is this an actual coating or sealant? Wondering if and how it would compare to Opticoat.

[Meghan]

It is a coating.

[Nick McKees37]

Hi Nick,

Great review and step-by-step: flow chart directions of several of the new PBMG's Pinnacle Black Label products.

If I may ask:
Can the Black Label Diamond Coating Shampoo also be diluted to such an extent (rather than the below highlighted, prescribed dilution ratio)...
for those of us that would need/desire a rinseless/waterless wash product...to otherwise maintain the Black Label Diamond Coating(s)?

Thanks in advance for any information you are able to provide.



Bob

Bob,

Diamond Coating Shampoo is designed to be used in the traditional wash style - hose and bucket. You can wash a coated vehicle with a high quality rinseless wash, like ONR, DP Rinseless Wash & Gloss, etc.