Fresh paint-How long to wait....

[MaxTL]

Hi Everyone,

I just got my car back from the body shop (hood, front bumper painted) last Friday and it was painted on Wednesday before I got it. The body shop did a buff on it prior to be picking it up and I can still see some swirls in the paint.

I have a 7424XP and have experience with M105/M205 and was wondering if I can safe to perform the standard M105/205 treatment on this fresh paint or do I have to wait a certain period of time for it to harden ?

I really don't want to screw this up...

Thanks for any advice !

[Agfan]

Nope you are good to go. Usually a day to compound or polish. 3-4 weeks wait to wax or glaze.

[Skimmer0220]

Nope you are good to go. Usually a day to compound or polish. 3-4 weeks wait to wax or glaze.

Hear 90 days too you gotta give the paint time to completely cure


Sent from space through a satellite

[Mike Phillips]

Both of the below articles explain all you need to know about a new paint job and buffing...

Don't wax your car for at least 30 days! (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/26967-don-t-wax-your-car-least-30-days.html)

Fresh Paint - But you can touch it... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/28717-fresh-paint-but-you-can-touch.html)



They can be found in my article list (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/23722-articles-mike-phillips.html)under,



Articles on Car Paint



:)

[MaxTL]

Thanks for everyones help. I suppose the safest approach would be M205 with a white pad first and go to M105 if necessary ?

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks for everyones help. I suppose the safest approach would be M205 with a white pad first and go to M105 if necessary ?


Yes.

Just like working on cured paint do a test spot first and make sure you're getting the results you want, hope for and dream about before buffing out the entire car or even a panel.

Fresh paint is soft and sometimes M205 can micro-mar softer paints when used with a DA style tool.

How To Do a Test Spot (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/50162-how-do-test-spot.html)




A Test Spot
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/TestSpot03.jpg




:)

[Mike Phillips]

DO NOT CHEMICALLY STRIP FRESH PAINT


See my warning here,

How to Mix IPA for Inspecting Correction Results (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/31183-how-mix-ipa-inspecting-correction-results.html)



:)

[MaxTL]

Thanks Mike. The whole car has been M105/M205'd except for these newly painted panels.

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks Mike. The whole car has been M105/M205'd except for these newly painted panels.


Then just do a test spot on one of the newly painted panels and inspect with good light. If you want to strip to inspect, carefully wash with something like Dawn dishwashing soap as it's a detergent wash.

Or wait to fully inspect after 30 days.

My point was to inspect after machine polishing fresh paint with ANY product/pad/tool combination before buffing out the rest of the car or in your case the newly painted panels.

My other point was don't introduce solvent to fresh paint.


:)

[Kitoy22]

I heard or read somewhere that Optimum spray wax can be used on fresh paint, can anybody here confirm if this true to their claim? Thanks!

[choijw2]

Bump.

I have a customer coming in this weekend, and he just installed new fender and getting it painted tomorrow.
So... it will be in my garage only 2 days after painted.

I was planning to go with HD speed, but I guess its best to mask fresh paint area and just go around it.

[Mike Phillips]

I heard or read somewhere that Optimum spray wax can be used on fresh paint, can anybody here confirm if this true to their claim? Thanks!




Dr. David Ghodoussi states this product is safe for fresh paint and he's a lot smarter than I am.

What I share in my articles is two basic things...

1: What's the hurry?
2: Not a single paint manufacture recommends sealing their paint system till at least 30 days have passed.


My comment...
I've seen fresh paint sealed before 30 days air cure and I've never seen a problem because of it. But my question remains the same...

What's the hurry?






Bump.

I have a customer coming in this weekend, and he just installed new fender and getting it painted tomorrow.
So... it will be in my garage only 2 days after painted.

I was planning to go with HD speed, but I guess its best to mask fresh paint area and just go around it.




If it is your plan to not wax or SEAL fresh paint or the request of your customer, then it wouldn't hurt to mask off the fresh paint section. I would use a cover up towel like we sell here instead of paper or plastic.


Autogeek Detailing Cover-Up Towel, beach towel (http://www.autogeek.net/autogeek-cover-up-towel.html)

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/autogeek/ag-cover-up-towel-1.jpg



But if it were me, with no input from the owner, I would probably just work around it and not cover it up.

Then, tell the owner why I didn't seal the fresh paint on their car and also ask them to bring the car back in 28 days or sometime around the 30 day mark and offer to complimentary polish and seal that area.


:)

[choijw2]

Thanks for the quick respond Mike!