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What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
When detailing your car, you will get better performance from your products, (compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants), in moderate temperatures and avoid working in extreme cold and extreme hot temperatures. Not only will your products perform better but so will you...
When we talk about surface temperatures, we need to consider four factors:
- Surface Temperature
- Ambient Temperature
- Relative Humidity
- Surface Temperature (Actual surface temperature of the vehicle)
The best surface temperature range for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants is in a range of 60 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A simple test you can do is to feel the surface, it should not feel warm or hot to the touch.
Most premium quality car detailing products will work easily within a much broader temperature range, such as, 50 degrees to 90 degrees Fahrenheit but optimum results are when you're working in a range of 60 degrees to 80 degrees.
Ambient Temperature or Outside temperature
Ambient temperature is the room temperature or the temperature of the surrounding environment. It's easily possible to have between 10 to 50 degrees difference in ambient temperature as compared to the surface temperature.
This difference in temperatures can make the difference between a product that's easy to work with, or difficult to work with. And of course, the hotter the ambient temperature, the faster liquid products are going to dry.
Humidity (Moisture in the air)
Humidity is moisture in the air. Technically there is Relative Humidity and Absolute Humidity, but as it relates to these procedures or characteristics,
- Applying
- Working with by hand or machine buffing
- Drying time, curing time, crosslinking
- Wipe-off or removal of car care products.
How humid it is or more specifically, how much moisture in the air there is, will dramatically affect how easy or how difficult a product will be to work with.
Low humidity in the warm to hot temperature range
In warm to hot temperatures, low humidity will cause liquids to evaporate and dry more quickly. This can make a product difficult to work with and/or decrease the buffing cycle or working time of the product.
Low humidity in the low to cold temperature range
Low humidity in low temperatures tends not to be a factor in buffing cycle or working time, nor drying times for waxes and sealants.
(Low temperatures are a factor, but not low humidity in low temperatures).
High humidity in the warm to hot temperature range
High humidity in high temperatures tends not to be a factor in working with buffing cycles and working time of compounds and polishes. High humidity in high temperatures will affect drying and curing times of different waxes and paint sealants.
High humidity in the low to cold temperature range
Extremely cold temperatures can make products hard to work with because extreme cold temperatures can cause liquids like compounds and polishes to thicken and become less workable. High humidity in cold temperatures can also increase the amount of time necessary a wax or paint sealant to dry.
Generally speaking, extreme temperatures, both cold and hot will make any product and/or procedure more difficult than working in a temperature range from 60 to 80 degree.
Direct sunlight
Direct sunlight will dramatically increase the surface temperature compared to ambient temperatures and make compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants extremely more difficult to apply, work and remove.
Note: While some products state they can be used in direct sunlight, direct sunlight is kind of a vague term. There's a difference between working in direct sunlight in winter in Oregon in the morning and working in direct sunlight in summer in Arizona at noon.
Besides that, any product that can be used in direct sunlight will still always be easier to use on a cool surface in the shade.
Air current/Wind
Air current/air flow, or windy conditions will act to increase the evaporation speed and potentially making some products more difficult to apply, work, or remove. In some cases this can be a bonus, helping a wax to cure/dry more quickly.
Summary
The best conditions for using compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants on automotive paints would be in a cool place, out of direct sunlight, in a surface temperature range between 60 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with comfortable to low humidity and with a light breeze to create the perfect conditions for detailing your car's finish.
Common sense and a good rule-of-thumb is to avoid applying any product if the surface is too warm to touch with the palm of your hand comfortably.
50 degrees Fahrenheit = 10.0 degrees Celsius
90 degrees Fahrenheit = 32.2 degrees Celsius
Related articles
Tips for working in warm/hot weather or direct sunlight
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Super Member
Re: What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
I will usually work in the garage if it is at least 50. I have not had many problems polishing or waxing at those temps but glass cleaners and some detail sprays do not work as well to me at those temps especially if cool and damp. They do not partially flash off while wiping. I do not have issues with ONR.
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Re: What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
One advice for people, and I learned this a while back. DO NOT clay bar your car if the surface of the car is hot. And don't do it in the sun outside on a hot summer day. It will melt the claybar in your hand and make the residues of it stick to the paint.
I made that mistake the first time I used a clay bar long ago on my own car and had a fun time cleaning up the mess afterwards. Lesson learned.
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Super Member
Re: What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
Thanks Mike! This makes me love my Insulated & climate controlled garage.
My name is Jim and I am an Old Auburn Tiger.
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Super Member
Re: What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
This is a great article. I found out by chance that, for me, KSG will wipe on & wipe off quite easily in San Antonio winter but is an absolute bear in San Antonio summers. (I realize that for some of you guys up north that San Antonio & winter is an oxymoron.)
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Re: What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
Originally Posted by Old Tiger
Thanks Mike! This makes me love my Insulated & climate controlled garage.
No problemo Jim...
Originally Posted by SATracker
This is a great article. I found out by chance that,
Been a popular article lately... that time of year...
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Super Member
Re: What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
I am guessing -20 is too cold to play with my new polisher...
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Super Member
Originally Posted by Coopers ST
I am guessing -20 is too cold to play with my new polisher...
Are you in Siberia?
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Super Member
Re: What temperature ranges are best for applying compounds, polishes, waxes and paint sealants
Originally Posted by swanicyouth
Are you in Siberia?
Wyoming, the news tonight said we are going to warm up day after tomorrow because the jet stream is going to bring warmer air from Alaska
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Super Member
Originally Posted by Coopers ST
Wyoming, the news tonight said we are going to warm up day after tomorrow because the jet stream is going to bring warmer air from Alaska
I think I see an Eskimo ONR'ing his dog sled:
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