How long does spray wax extend the life of your base wax?

[cfiiman]

I've recently started using spray wax , Griot's Spray Wax to be precise and really like how easy it is to use. I know these waxes are "boosters" but I can not find exactly how long they should be "boosting" wax. I know this is dependent on several factors like daily drivers vs. garage queens, whether they sit outside, weather, climate, wash cycle, etc., but I'm looking I guess for a general answer if there is one? It seems to me if they "replace" wax that is lost, and you used them regularly, say every week at least, then wouldn't it take an extremely long time to ever need to redo the base wax? I searched and searched but all the threads just kept saying it "extends" or "boosts" but no real appx. time frames that is why I'm asking. Thanks for any replies.

[Desertnate]

It seems to me if they "replace" wax that is lost, and you used them regularly, say every week at least, then wouldn't it take an extremely long time to ever need to redo the base wax?

This is why it's so hard to determine the effectiveness of a spay wax as a booster. There is no way to determine when the spray wax ends and your LSP begins. You know when *something* is there, but you won't be able to tell them apart. That is why there aren't any good answers. Like you said, in the right climate, with applications of every two weeks or so, one could see water beading behavior lasting almost indefinitely. Meg's UQW lasts about two weeks. You keep applying it every week or two, it may never get down to the LSP. The quick wax becomes the sacrificial barrier.

[cardaddy]

I think the simple explanation is that anytime you are adding ANYTHING on top of anything else you are "layering". :) Applying spray wax is just adding a layer on top of what was already there. Keep in mind though that almost all spray "waxes" these days are far from carnauba and may not have ANY carnauba in the formula what-so-ever.

Now that is NOT a bad thing. Far from it actually. Over the last decade most everything has moved to some sort of polymer based product (for the obvious reasons).

It is worth noting, some information on "layering". I had a conversation this week with Bill Bailey from Duragloss (about a totally different matter) but as always discussions ended up covering a wide range of topics pertaining to detailing methods and products. I told Bill how fond I am of their AquaWax and actually keep 2 bottles handy, one as it comes out of the jug, another that I've added Polycharger to (as it'll REALLY jack up the slickness and durability). And in fact that we use their product on all our simple "wash & wax" jobs. But there is one thing that I've noticed when it comes to adding spray waxes, especially on vehicles that are not driven much (garage queens). That is that they tend to get ghosty/smear/weird looking. Bill confirmed that this is nothing more than the layers of product building up.

With many spray waxes (polymer sealants as they tend to be) the durability is longer than the wash cycle between applications. Bill even said that AquaWax doesn't wash off completely and really does have 4~6 month durability. In so much, that one needs to be careful when re-applying so that you CAN avoid the smearing problem.

So yeah.... adding a spray wax is nothing more than adding yet another sacrificial layer on top of whatever base wax/sealant you have on the bottom.

[dpk20x]

I've used nothing but spray waxes since my spring detail in early April.

Well that's not entirely true. I started with Prima banana gloss which lasted me all of two weeks, lol. Looked good while it lasted though.

Beading died quickly so I topped whatever was left with optimum spray wax. Been using that or a number of other spray waxes every few weeks after a wash. I'm pretty sure I could keep this going indefinitely. Matter of fact I think I'm done with traditional LSPs. It's just so fast and easy to add a quick layer after you wash your car.

[KneeDragr]

I use Griots spray wax and I would say at most it adds 2-3 weeks protection. I say this because once my wax has gone south, and it essentially becomes my only LSP, it lasts 2-3 weeks.

[Niblick]

as the guys have said, probably only a couple of weeks realistically

[JVD]

Yep. Only way to tell would be to strip the paint and then use JUST the spray wax. See how long it lasts on its own.

I did this with Sonax Brilliant Shine Detailer once and was shocked by how long it lasted.

[cfiiman]

Thanks for all the replies. So "in theory" you would never have to apply wax again if you had a garage queen and used a good spray wax once a week. Seems very interesting to me b/c I HATE waxing a car with the old haze/buff waxes. In fact I dislike it so much that I ordered Pinnacle Soveuran to make the task more pleasurable, it arrives tomorrow and I'm very excited about it :)

So for those of you who do spray wax regularly, have you found yourselves skipping a "real" wax job altogether?

[davidc]

I have read many of the stories of spray waxes lasting 1 to 3 weeks and I do not really see that with Aqua Wax. This van was bought new in 2012 and never waxed or sealed to date. It has been washed with 901 or 932 for its life so far.The last wash was about 4 months ago. During our big storm the other day I was with a guy with the exact van on a job and noticed his van had absolutely no beeding, just wet. I snapped a pic of mine which proved the AW is around a lot longer than I read.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/uploads/7729/4_month_Aqua_Wax.jpg

Dave

[trashmanssd]

Yeah Seems right now there is huge difference with Spray waxes some last a long time and bead well some last 1-2 weeks and bead well others add a lot gloss but don't bead well. They seem to be all over the place trial and error and reading posts here should help steer you towards what you are looking for. I used to love MUQW but after finding out that there is stuff that works as well or better and has a lot more durability I only use it in a pinch if I run out and forget to order the better stuff. I love the Look of V7 but it took away a lot the beading I had from Hydro2. Prima Hydro Max I find is nice Balance good looks great beading not sure on the durability have not tried alone but must be at least month because i used it on the roof of my truck and nothing else a while ago and it was beading for month real well and beading ok for another month or 2 after. I only do a true wax/ Sealant 1-2 times a year in between is spray wax/sealant way easier and less time.

[NikonGuy]

If you want to save time, just wash with CarPro Hydro2

[FUNX650]

For discussion purposes only: :)
I'll propose that the amount of extended time, that Spray Waxes might afford to "base Waxes", is:
~Zero...Negligible, at best.

•Assumptions:
-The vehicle is a DD
-The initial Spray Wax application occurs during/or-immediately-after the first car wash session, (from the original Wax application day)
-Car Waxes "adhere" to paint; forms a lattice/shell...they don't "bond/cross-link", as would car Sealants.
-A car Wax film-layer is very, very thin (~7.0 × 10-6 inches "thick")

To continue:
•I'll venture that once the Wax on a DD has cured; and, by the time this Waxed-DD has been driven and received its initial car-wash session; that: the original Wax has already been degraded by a certain degree.

-"The Laws of Decay" are always in effect!

-Then, upon the Spray Wax's application, spreading/wiping, buffing/more-wiping, etc.;
-that there is...essentially...little to no traces of the original (underlying) Wax film-layer left to be found.

-As has been stated earlier:
Basically the Spray Wax becomes the LSP in place of the original Wax.

•Why?

-The typical car Wax = 177.8 nanometers (nm) "thick"
177.8 nanometers = 0.1778 microns
0.1778 microns = 0.007 mils
0.007 mils = 7 millionths of 1" (7.0 × 10-6 inches)

-In other words: Just a few molecules thick.
__________________________________________________

A perspective:
Let's be generous and give the CC paint-film 2 mils thickness.
Then:
(2 mils) / (.007 mils) = 285.714286

A car Wax film-layer is ~1/286ths the thickness of CC!
_________________________________________________

•I'll conclude by asking:
-How can a car-care product as fragile as a car Wax withstand the onslaught of environmental and man-made contaminates; rubbing/abrasion from car-wash sessions...and applications of other well-meaning car-care products such as Spray Waxes?

-My answer is, unequivocally, they can't:
They're easily displaced.

-Your thoughts, comments?

_________________________________________________

•Disclaimer:

The essence of this post is correct...
but I'm pretty sure that every fact in it is wrong. :D

_________________________________________________


Bob

[cfiiman]

For discussion purposes only: :)
I'll propose that the amount of extended time, that Spray Waxes might afford to "base Waxes", is:
~Zero...Negligible, at best.

•Assumptions:
-The vehicle is a DD
-The initial Spray Wax application occurs during/or-immediately-after the first car wash session, (from the original Wax application day)
-Car Waxes "adhere" to paint; forms a lattice/shell...they don't "bond/cross-link", as would car Sealants.
-A car Wax film-layer is very, very thin (~7.0 × 10-6 inches "thick")

To continue:
•I'll venture that once the Wax on a DD has cured; and, by the time this Waxed-DD has been driven and received its initial car-wash session; that: the original Wax has already been degraded by a certain degree.

-"The Laws of Decay" are always in effect!

-Then, upon the Spray Wax's application, spreading/wiping, buffing/more-wiping, etc.;
-that there is...essentially...little to no traces of the original (underlying) Wax film-layer left to be found.

-As has been stated earlier:
Basically the Spray Wax becomes the LSP in place of the original Wax.

•Why?

-The typical car Wax = 177.8 nanometers (nm) "thick"
177.8 nanometers = 0.1778 microns
0.1778 microns = 0.007 mils
0.007 mils = 7 millionths of 1" (7.0 × 10-6 inches)

-In other words: Just a few molecules thick.
__________________________________________________

A perspective:
Let's be generous and give the CC paint-film 2 mils thickness.
Then:
(2 mils) / (.007 mils) = 285.714286

A car Wax film-layer is ~1/286ths the thickness of CC!
_________________________________________________

•I'll conclude by asking:
-How can a car-care product as fragile as a car Wax withstand the onslaught of environmental and man-made contaminates; rubbing/abrasion from car-wash sessions...and applications of other well-meaning car-care products such as Spray Waxes?

-My answer is, unequivocally, they can't:
They're easily displaced.

-Your thoughts, comments?

_________________________________________________

•Disclaimer:

The essence of this post is correct...
but I'm pretty sure that every fact in it is wrong. :D

_________________________________________________


Bob

Interesting thoughts! I guess I'm in the camp that the big companies that make the spray waxes "hopefully" have done a bunch of R&D to be able to make the statement that the spray wax is in fact a "booster" that extends coverage of base wax. Now I realize this is me being completely trusting of their claims, but I guess I feel like this day in age there would be to many people trying to discredit anyone that makes a blanket false claim right? Not to mention the fact that companies like Meguiars, Mothers, etc. all have a stellar reputation in this field. If we were to use your assumption that the act of applying a spray wax actually removes what fragile base wax may be left, this would be a complete falsification by all the companies that market and sell spray waxes right? I don't know that is how I think about it.

[cardaddy]

I agree with you Bob! Wax (as it is... PASTE) is BY AND LARGE the weakest link in this proposed chain. :eek:

Many, MANY spray waxes (IE polymer based sealants) are more durable.

Which goes to the point that Bill @ Duragloss was telling me about DG-AW. I for one, know that darned stuff is durable as all heck. (At least within the confines of anything that sprays on and is instantly wiped off.)

[davidc]

For discussion purposes only: :)
I'll propose that the amount of extended time, that Spray Waxes might afford to "base Waxes", is:
~Zero...Negligible, at best.

•Assumptions:
-The vehicle is a DD
-The initial Spray Wax application occurs during/or-immediately-after the first car wash session, (from the original Wax application day)
-Car Waxes "adhere" to paint; forms a lattice/shell...they don't "bond/cross-link", as would car Sealants.
-A car Wax film-layer is very, very thin (~7.0 × 10-6 inches "thick")

To continue:
•I'll venture that once the Wax on a DD has cured; and, by the time this Waxed-DD has been driven and received its initial car-wash session; that: the original Wax has already been degraded by a certain degree.

-"The Laws of Decay" are always in effect!

-Then, upon the Spray Wax's application, spreading/wiping, buffing/more-wiping, etc.;
-that there is...essentially...little to no traces of the original (underlying) Wax film-layer left to be found.

-As has been stated earlier:
Basically the Spray Wax becomes the LSP in place of the original Wax.

•Why?

-The typical car Wax = 177.8 nanometers (nm) "thick"
177.8 nanometers = 0.1778 microns
0.1778 microns = 0.007 mils
0.007 mils = 7 millionths of 1" (7.0 × 10-6 inches)

-In other words: Just a few molecules thick.
__________________________________________________

A perspective:
Let's be generous and give the CC paint-film 2 mils thickness.
Then:
(2 mils) / (.007 mils) = 285.714286

A car Wax film-layer is ~1/286ths the thickness of CC!
_________________________________________________

•I'll conclude by asking:
-How can a car-care product as fragile as a car Wax withstand the onslaught of environmental and man-made contaminates; rubbing/abrasion from car-wash sessions...and applications of other well-meaning car-care products such as Spray Waxes?

-My answer is, unequivocally, they can't:
They're easily displaced.

-Your thoughts, comments?

_________________________________________________

•Disclaimer:

The essence of this post is correct...
but I'm pretty sure that every fact in it is wrong. :D

_________________________________________________


Bob

My head is still spinning at 90mph. But yeah, what he said :iagree: