Beading or Sheeting ? and Why?

[Floridian Mustang]

Been researching what would work best for me for my situation. i"m curious do you like/use wax that beads, or sheets? if you like beading (especially for you southern people) don't you get water spots?

[Loach]

Both. Take Sonax Polymer Net Shield as an example. This has some of the tightest beading while at the same time sheeting water off the paint at the fastest rates. Crazy hydrophobic with a lower sliding angle, this will boost the self cleaning properties of the surface. Since I use a blower during my drying step, the more hydrophobic the surface is the more effective the blower is at removing the water from the paint. Hard water spots can be an issue on the paint regardless of how hydrophobic the surface is. In an attempt to reduce spotting, I would rather take steps to remove or avoid the source of the hard water rather than altering the hydrophobic behavior.

Some products that bead nicely can have that beading cling to the panel stronger than others, leaving a surface that has a higher comparative sliding angle. So if I take a spare hood with two different products on each half, mist it until I have a ton of beading on the panel and then begin to lift that hood on one end until the beading starts to fall off, the product with the lower sliding angle will be the first to release the beading from the surface, it does this at a lower angle. So on vertical panels if I spray a product down that beads nicely but has a high sliding angle, I'll see more beading clinging to this surface. Polymer Net Shield has a lower sliding angle, so more water beads will fall off of the surface if sprayed down exactly the same. Both the high contact angle (tighter beading) and lower sliding angle pair up to produce the insane sheeting rates.

Some refer to the better "sheeting" products as the ones that are less hydrophobic, flooding the panel will produce a nice sheet that runs off the surface at a consistent rate, removing a large portion of the water. As long as the product has some form of durable water signature that I can attest to it surviving on the paint then this is great, but I definitely prefer the most hydrophobic products I can get my hands on.

[LEDetailing]

Both. Take Sonax Polymer Net Shield as an example. This has some of the tightest beading while at the same time sheeting water off the paint at the fastest rates. Crazy hydrophobic with a lower sliding angle, this will boost the self cleaning properties of the surface. Since I use a blower during my drying step, the more hydrophobic the surface is the more effective the blower is at removing the water from the paint. Hard water spots can be an issue on the paint regardless of how hydrophobic the surface is. In an attempt to reduce spotting, I would rather take steps to remove or avoid the source of the hard water rather than altering the hydrophobic behavior.

Some products that bead nicely can have that beading cling to the panel stronger than others, leaving a surface that has a higher comparative sliding angle. So if I take a spare hood with two different products on each half, mist it until I have a ton of beading on the panel and then begin to lift that hood on one end until the beading starts to fall off, the product with the lower sliding angle will be the first to release the beading from the surface, it does this at a lower angle. So on vertical panels if I spray a product down that beads nicely but has a high sliding angle, I'll see more beading clinging to this surface. Polymer Net Shield has a lower sliding angle, so more water beads will fall off of the surface if sprayed down exactly the same. Both the high contact angle (tighter beading) and lower sliding angle pair up to produce the insane sheeting rates.

Some refer to the better "sheeting" products as the ones that are less hydrophobic, flooding the panel will produce a nice sheet that runs off the surface at a consistent rate, removing a large portion of the water. As long as the product has some form of durable water signature that I can attest to it surviving on the paint then this is great, but I definitely prefer the most hydrophobic products I can get my hands on.

Sounds like you have tested out a few LSP’s

You should make a youtube video demonstrating the above. That is some good technical detailing info!

[CleanIT]

A Ceramic Coating Not Beading Doesn't Mean It's Failed

[dlc95]

A Ceramic Coating Not Beading Doesn't Mean It's Failed

That was a great read, thanks!

[John U]

Years ago I was a sales rep for a company that had a division that sold Rain Dance. Bottom line was that they marketed sheeting in Europe and beading in North America.

[CleanIT]

That’s interesting. I guess ideally you want both but after reading that article it’s changed my perspective a bit.

I did know that getting a product to bead is very easy. What I didn’t know is that even though a coatings hydrophobics fall off, that doesn’t mean the coating or protection is gone. I thought it meant the coating has failed.




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[dlc95]

That’s interesting. I guess ideally you want both but after reading that article it’s changed my perspective a bit.

I did know that getting a product to bead is very easy. What I didn’t know is that even though a coatings hydrophobics fall off, that doesn’t mean the coating or protection is gone. I thought it meant the coating has failed.




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And what he said about how to tell if it had failed, brings to mind what I recently experienced.

I tried to remove CQUK 3.0, and Optimum Gloss Coat with 3D ONE on a polishing pad and was unsuccessful.

Both were still slick as surrounding panels.

[TTQ B4U]

That was a great read, thanks!

Good read but to claim one is going to use a PTG and measure the coating being applied is a bit more than a stretch. The +/- accuracy of even a fully calibrated gauge isn't going to accurately measure a ceramic coating to the point where the average person will do so effectively.

In terms of beading and sheeting, the best is both thus why Ceramic Coatings are so highly regarded. Key to either on automotive paints and surfaces will still remain in the prep. There are several factors that play into the effectiveness of an LSP's self-cleaning ability and the main one is a perfectly smooth, refined surface. It starts with the decontamination and continues into the polishing phase which then smooths out the microscopic channels in the paint. The more refined the process and even the properties within the product such as with CarPro Essence or GYEON Primer, the added protection both apply help fill in those polishing marks and thus make the surface ideal in smoothness and refinement. Chemically, they also serve as a primer or bonding layer for the subsequent coating.

Once applied correctly water will have super tight high-contact angle beading and the property of the coating layer combined with the surface prep will allow those water beads to simply slide off as you drive or wash or rinse thus creating that sheeting effect also mentioned.

Hope that all makes some sense.

Here's an example of high contact angle from GYEON Syncro on my wife's previous car. This coating is amazing and sheets dirt and water right off.





That said, you can achieve a similar look with a sealant too. This is Polymer Net Shield early on in a test I did on my 2001 Jeep. It looks similar but the self-cleaning isn't as strong as a true coating.

[Desertnate]

In terms of beading and sheeting, the best is both thus why Ceramic Coatings are so highly regarded...

I was going to say the same thing, but doubt I could have done it as well.

I too see both characteristics working hand-in-hand to make for a great LSP and one of the big reasons I'm hooked on high solids ceramic coatings.