Confused? Do I apply a coat of wax after a sealant?

[Mike Phillips]

Confused? Do I apply a coat of wax after a sealant?


Received the below in an e-mail, I prefer to answer questions on the forum as typing for one set of eyeballs just isn't' a good leverage of typing time which is so limited.

Sir, I'm a professional detailer based in India and I follow your every instruction (technique) while doing a detailing job and I have great regards for you as you are like a guru to me.

Sir after following so many articles and bulletins I'm a little bit confused whether to apply a wax or not after the application of paint sealant?

I'm using Klasse High Gloss Paint Sealant and Meguiars NXT Gen Tech Wax 2.0

please guide me

Rgds/ Murali

Hi Murali,


Great question and a COMMON question as there is a lot of confusion over the correct steps and procedures when sealing paint.

Here's the deal. You really only need to use ONE product to seal the paint. You state you're using Klasse SG and Meguiar's Tech Wax. These are both protection products, that is they seal the paint surface and protect it. You really only need to use one and whichever product you choose do a GREAT job off applying a uniform application and the remove according to the manufacturers directions.


Topping
There are some people that like to do what's called topping. Topping is when you LAYER one protection product over the other with the IDEA being you're creating a thicker layer of protection because in our brains we imagine that the second product is coating over the first product.

In reality, this "might" work with some product but with most products the second product applied is going to liquify the first product and you'll end up with something on the surface, probably a little bit of both products after the final wipe off.


The "consensus" for the right way to top a product goes like this,

First apply a synthetic paint sealant and then apply a carnauba wax over it. The theory being that the synthetic paint sealant will bond or crosslink to the paint with a strong enough bond that as long as the carnauba wax you apply over it is NOT a Carnauba CLEANER/WAX but a carnauba finishing wax, that is no cleaning ability, then the carnauba wax will not remove the synthetic paint sealant and thus will be sitting on top of it or layered over it for MORE protection.

The theory being that if you apply a carnauba wax first and then apply a synthetic sealant over it the synthetic sealant will simply remove the carnauba wax in the process.


Since there's no way of really knowing what's going on at the surface level then in my opinion a good and normal practice is to simply pick ONE product and do a GREAT job of applying it. Then INSTEAD of trying to create a thicker layer of protection that will last a long time SIMPLY re-wax the car on a regular schedule.

It's called maintenance.

Then to make it fun and easy, do what I've been teaching for decades,


"Find something you like and use it often"




Also just to add....

The Klasse Sealant Glaze is a non-cleaning acrylic resin. You MUST apply a THIN coat or it will break your arm to try to wipe it off. It should have a clean surface to be applied to so I don't think it would be a good idea to try to apply it over the Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax.

The Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax has a light cleaning ability, it's not a true non-cleaning finishing sealant. So if you apply it over the Klasse SG the NXT will probably remove it or at least remove some of it.

In other words, I think you're going to be spinning your wheels to try to apply one over the other no matter which order you go with. So just pick one and go with it.


Hope that helps...

[Jim w]

Mike

Would the above also be true for let’s say layering Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0? And what about using Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant after washing a car that has Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0? Would each second product liquify the first product or because each product is similar, they will work together (assuming all appropriate cure times where met.)
Thanks
Jim

[Delegance Detailing]

Mike

Would the above also be true for let’s say layering Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0? And what about using Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant after washing a car that has Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0? Would each second product liquify the first product or because each product is similar, they will work together (assuming all appropriate cure times where met.)
Thanks
Jim

Jim, It is my experience that as long as you are utilizing these products properly that the Spritz will NOT liquify your WDGPS product and neither will layering the WDGPS. Both are brilliant products!

[Jim w]

Elegance Detailing

Thank you very much. My plan was
to layer WDGPS and maintain with the Spritz. Then
I saw that post and it got me wondering; still have lots
to learn.

Thank you for your help!!
Jim

[AZpolisher15]

The Wolfgang spiritz sealant can be used as a stand alone sealant, much like the 3.0 (one difference is ease of use). As a topper for either, and to prolong the longevity of either, you might consider the detail spritz as a maintenance product after washes:

Wolfgang Instant Detail Spritz

[Delegance Detailing]

Elegance Detailing

Thank you very much. My plan was
to layer WDGPS and maintain with the Spritz. Then
I saw that post and it got me wondering; still have lots
to learn.

Thank you for your help!!
Jim

You are welcome Jim

[Jim w]

Harpolith

Thank you. Is the Wolfgang Instant Detail Spritz
better suited for maintenance or just more
economical?

Thanks
Jim

[AZpolisher15]

Harpolith

Thank you. Is the Wolfgang Instant Detail Spritz
better suited for maintenance or just more
economical?

Thanks
Jim

It's a little confusing with these two products due to the names-- "spritz sealant" and "detail spritz". Yeah, the detail spritz would be better suited for maintenance use.

Sticking with convention, you'd use either the 3.0 or the spritz sealant as your "last step product"-- and then maintain that product with the detail spritz.

The "spritz sealant" and "detail spritz" are two totally different products intended for different uses. I'd imagine the detail spritz will have more lubricity (it's a detail spray) and less protective polymers than the spritz sealant (a paint sealer). Generally speaking, detail sprays can be used for light dusting, spot cleaning, and "amping up" the shine after washes. The spritz sealant, on the other hand, it's meant to only be applied to a totally clean and prepared surface. Hope this helps

[AZpolisher15]

Something else to note (and adding a little more to the confusion)- the spritz sealant DOES have some protective qualities of its own (not all detail sprays contain "protective polymers" like the Wolfgang Detail Spritz). So, that's kind of a bonus.