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  1. #1
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    How long to wait before polishing new paint

    I had dealer touch up a ding when taking deliver of a new car. They said they had to blend door and quarter panel paint as it was right on the door jam ridge and I side of door.

    I cannot tell the extents, as it looks factory new. They only had the car 48h.

    Should I wait some period before polishing?

  2. #2
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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    I personally like to wait at least two weeks after a repaint before I touch a car, mostly because after polishing you also want to coat or seal the car, which in turn could affect the paint's ability to release solvent gases properly, without developing bubbles.

    That said, most shops nowadays are using modern paints with added hardeners, which reach full hardness in a matter of hours, especially if exposed to infrared curing lamps (which, again, are used by all serious shops nowadays). On the other side, if they were using regular touch up paint, and no curing lamps, the paint could take days to reach full hardness, and up to a week or two ot release most solvents still captured in it.

    So, it really depends on the actual paint and curing technique used, but if the job was done by a professional, generally you most likely should be able to polish the paint after 48 hours (provided the above conditions are met). However, if you want to be on the safe side, better wait a few weeks, just to eliminate any risks.

  3. #3
    Super Member TTQ B4U's Avatar
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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    You can compound and polish as soon as you get the car back.

    just make sure you use silicone free products and do not seal the surface with anything containing silicone or a coating

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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    Quote Originally Posted by TTQ B4U View Post
    You can compound and polish as soon as you get the car back.

    just make sure you use silicone free products and do not seal the surface with anything containing silicone or a coating

    Sent from my Galaxy Note 8 using Tapatalk
    The reason I wanted to polish was to apply cquartz UK. Why would a coating/seal be bad after polish?

  5. #5
    Super Member Goonie75's Avatar
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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmarkmac View Post
    The reason I wanted to polish was to apply cquartz UK. Why would a coating/seal be bad after polish?
    I'm pretty sure it's to allow paint to cure or air out more so to speak. One can polish new paint but like others might say it is good to give it a month or so before 'sealing' or coating a vehicle.

    IOW... Polish away but don't seal it yet...


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  6. #6
    Super Member FUNX650's Avatar
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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmarkmac View Post
    I had dealer touch up a ding when taking deliver of a new car. They said they had to blend door and quarter panel paint as it was right on the door jam ridge and I side of door.

    I cannot tell the extents, as it looks factory new. They only had the car 48h.

    Should I wait some period before polishing?
    Quote Originally Posted by mrmarkmac View Post
    The reason I wanted to polish was to apply cquartz UK. Why would a coating/seal be bad after polish?

    •Personally, I’d do one of the following:

    1.) Either I’d ask the folks that did the
    actual painting/blending exactly how long
    to wait before sealing it up with an LSP
    {i.e.: Coating, Wax, or Sealant}.

    2.) Or, I’d apply Meguiar’s M305; and,
    then wait for ~30 days (to ensure any
    and all outgassing/curing has finalized)
    before prepping and applying the Coating.


    •Speaking of prep:
    -Since you state that the paint job looks
    factory new...hopefully any pre-Coating
    “polishing” will be limited to products such
    as: Wolfgang Perfekt Finish Paint Prep;
    McKee's 37 Coating Prep Polish; Blackfire
    Paint Prep; Optimum Paint Prep; Griot’s
    Garage Paint Prep; or any one of the many
    others that can be found in the AGO store.



    Bob
    "Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk."
    ~Joaquin de Setanti

  7. #7
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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    Quote Originally Posted by FUNX650 View Post
    •Speaking of prep:
    -Since you state that the paint job looks
    factory new...hopefully any pre-Coating
    “polishing” will be limited to products such
    as: Wolfgang Perfekt Finish Paint Prep;
    McKee's 37 Coating Prep Polish; Blackfire
    Paint Prep; Optimum Paint Prep; Griot’s
    Garage Paint Prep; or any one of the many
    others that can be found in the AGO store.

    Bob
    I have gone over it with a light and its really hard to find any swirl marks, excepts a few on the roof. I was planning to just use M205 wherever I did find a swirl, and then compare to the rest fo the car to see if it really needed it. However the more I read here, the more it is suggested to polish it regardless to ensure the best finish.

  8. #8
    Super Member 2black1s's Avatar
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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    Like others have said you can polish anytime, but do not wax or otherwise seal.

    Personally, and I'm an old painter, I like to wait a minimum of 30 days and ideally 60-90 days before doing anything, including polishing. The reason being that as the paint hardens over time, the paint will shrink, the texture will change and the gloss will diminish. I like to wait for all of that to occur prior to polishing. You can polish new paint typically within a day or two but it is my opinion that you are wasting your time because of the reasons stated.

    The only reason in my mind for polishing early on after painting is to remove dust nibs or other minor imperfections prior to returning a car to a customer.

    Someone else previously stated that today's paints with hardeners and force drying (infrared lights) are fully cured/hardened within a matter of hours. That is simply not true. Paint products used in the aftermarket are developed for air-drying. The use of infrared lights speed along the drying process but should not be confused with baking. Only the factory can truly "bake" the finish and that is the only paint that is fully cured within hours.

  9. #9
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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    Quote Originally Posted by 2black1s View Post
    Someone else previously stated that today's paints with hardeners and force drying (infrared lights) are fully cured/hardened within a matter of hours.
    I guess you're talking about me... but no, that's absolutely not what I actually wrote. Instead I made the distinction between the hardening and curing of the paint, because ... well... those are two different things. And what I actually wrote was that even though the paint might reach essentially full hardness within hours, it will still take weeks until the remaining solvents fully escape (ie. the paint fully cures). Because of that I also suggested the paint not be sealed in that time period; and that I personally wouldn't even touch (polish) it during that time. Feel free to read back!

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    Super Member 2black1s's Avatar
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    Re: How long to wait before polishing new paint

    Quote Originally Posted by itsgn View Post
    I guess you're talking about me... but no, that's absolutely not what I actually wrote. Instead I made the distinction between the hardening and curing of the paint, because ... well... those are two different things. And what I actually wrote was that even though the paint might reach essentially full hardness within hours, it will still take weeks until the remaining solvents fully escape (ie. the paint fully cures). Because of that I also suggested the paint not be sealed in that time period; and that I personally wouldn't even touch (polish) it during that time. Feel free to read back!
    Sorry. You're right. You never used the word "cured", only "hardened".

    I look at the two as being synonymous and stand by my original comments.

    At least we both agree that it's best to wait through the curing period before polishing.

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