Silly question- the roof?

[ToddA]

Do professional detailers polish/wax the roof or cars and trucks? I can't imagine someone getting the whole roof of an SUV, especially if its lifted

[Dr Oldz]

Always. That’s what separates the pros from the hacks!

I use ladders, Werner work platforms or whatever is needed to reach.

[PA DETAILER]

It's part of the vehicle! I have a step ladder to wash/seal the roof.

[PAD]

Not a silly question.....yes, absolutely. Once in a while I get a customer ask me the same question. Some have told me that other shops they have been to have not detailed the roof.

[Bruno Soares]

The roof is one of the areas that get the most damage from mother nature because it's flat. You'll always find water spots there, potentially UV rays damage, bird poo etching, etc. If you don't detail the roof, it will be trashed beyond detailing in just a few years. Just because one can't easily see it, doesn't mean one should not care about it.

[mk9750]

I guess I never considered NOT doing the roof.

I've got a conversion van coming in mid May, and need to remember to ask the owner if I can stand on the roof. If not, I may not be able to do the center of the roof, but I will tell him about it up front. But beyond that, I always do the roof, and my test spots are on the roof.

[ToddA]

I agree with the reasons it should be done. I'm just thinking of how to get my polisher to the middle of a friends lifted tahoe roof. I guess a ladder and towels between me and the car to protect any markings caused by leaning in

[PAD]

You can take two similar ladders and make scaffolding with a 2 x 12.

[Mike Phillips]

Do professional detailers polish/wax the roof or cars and trucks? I can't imagine someone getting the whole roof of an SUV, especially if its lifted

This,

Always. That’s what separates the pros from the hacks!

I use ladders, Werner work platforms or whatever is needed to reach.

Here's how I work taller vehicles. From this article,


Supa BEAST backing plate swap


And the above article evolved from this job.

If you look carefully under the table, there's the table legs and table supports and where they meet there's a clip that slides into place to prevent the legs from folding under.

I wrap TAPE around the clip so it cannot accidentally slide away from the locked position so the table will not collapse.





I don't recommend others to do this but I don't miss the roof.

Also notice how I taped microfiber towels on the edge of the table so I can push it right up to the vehicle.

[Thomkirby]

Not a silly question at all!
This is a 'pet peeve' of mine and yes the roof of taller vehicles is often ignored by the owners (some of my family members included). Ask around to anyone that washes their trucks or vans and everything above the head is often ignored in a routine wash.

Let me show a couple of reasons why all painted surfaces need TLC and should not be neglected.

This truck spent all of it's life outside and was neglected.


Then often a problem is wind and grit slowly wearing away on the top of the truck, see this often as clear coat failure first. Most owners will deal with earlier but not this guy.


So after spending time in body shop to totally take it down to bare metal and repaint those sections, you have it back to near new.


So it is much more economic sense to protect it early and on a regular basis, even if that requires buying a couple of ladders. In fact I remember a photo shoot by Mike Phillips on a taller Suburban he did recently. He used a plastic folding table (6-foot type) and placed towels at the edges to protect the car from bumps. The proceeded to polish out the top of that monster panel. (Note: Mike posted his while I was typing this LOL)

Now I am inclined to sometime not wash mine each week or every wash but I do look and clean and protect it regularly.

Disclaimer: I was not the driver of this truck in the photos. Gotta keep it real however and I do not think they have learned the lesson yet, ugh.