Has anyone polished their opti-coat to add another layer?

[Guitarist302008]

I was considering doing this to my car as when I wash it, it looks good, but there are some areas that just don`t bead the same... like there`s not much there or something. I know I did it properly though. If anyone has done a second coat later on after the finish had cured... how did it turn out? It`s been on my car for about 3 or 4 months now.



I was thinking of a yellow megs pad with just a single easy pass of Menzerna final polish or SIP. Also, the car was polished to perfection (or at least my version of it lol) before the coating was applied, but is there anyway to get more of a glassy appearance to it or will adding another coat do just the opposite?

[RaskyR1]

I`ve done it a few time to remove marring in the paint but never with the intention of just adding another layer. I don`t think you will see any increase in appearance of benefit from it either (other than to fix those areas). Either way, all you need to do is polish the area and to make sure it`s free of polishing oils....pretty simple.

[Guitarist302008]

I just wasn`t sure if there would be any sort of benefit... like if it made the coating thicker.

[Guitarist302008]

Ok, so I was thinking about it... I got my old water softener set-up that`s basically just 2 resin cartridges... some go with 1, but the water here is pretty bad. I`m going to wash the car up and then look over how the beading is and perhaps just start at the front and add some more OC until i`m happy with it. I`m almost out of final polish, but I think that a simple easy pass with the Menzerna SIP would do the trick with my Flex on a yellow megs pad... any tips as far as speed setting or anything? I was going to basically just do a simple once over... IPA wipe down and then try the OC to see if it will flash in ok.

[RaskyR1]

Ok, so I was thinking about it... I got my old water softener set-up that`s basically just 2 resin cartridges... some go with 1, but the water here is pretty bad. I`m going to wash the car up and then look over how the beading is and perhaps just start at the front and add some more OC until i`m happy with it. I`m almost out of final polish, but I think that a simple easy pass with the Menzerna SIP would do the trick with my Flex on a yellow megs pad... any tips as far as speed setting or anything? I was going to basically just do a simple once over... IPA wipe down and then try the OC to see if it will flash in ok.





SIP is a moderate level polish and you will getter a better looking finish by following it with PO85RD or similar finishing polish. As far as the layering goes you can get a thicker layer if you don`t buff off all of the previous layer, though there is no real benefit in doing so. The coating really only need a light polish with something like Optimum Polish to scuff it up for the coating to adhere to.

[Guitarist302008]

yeah... I have some FP, but just not much of it.. not enough to do the whole car anyway. All I want to do is sort of rough it up and add a layer over the car.

[Guitarist302008]

Ok, I have figured out something about my car... I had gone over a section of the paint with a white pad and some KAIO... I saw quite a lot of dirt on the pad. I believe part of the problem I am having is with the hardness of this water... A LOT of calcium and magnesium, it is leaving a build up, even on the OC. The water falls off of the car and the hardness is there, but how possible is it that this residue that might be left on the paint is causing my problem with the beading not looking like a standard beading that you would see normally?



I plan on just cleaning the paint with either the KAIO or Durgloss 105 since it does have mild cleaners in it, even though I know it`s not really considered an AIO product.. but I really love the look DG gives, and i`m curious over OC how it does.



Anyway, back to my question.. what does everyone here think about possible residue "interrupting" the OC`s beading effect?

[Accumulator]

Anyway, back to my question.. what does everyone here think about possible residue "interrupting" the OC`s beading effect?



Since the KAIO seems to be removing a lot of contamination, it sounds to me like the vehicle just isn`t getting all that clean. Maybe the OptiCoat is even OK underneath all that [whatever it is].



Not sure how your hard water factors in, but I bet it doesn`t help.



Before I started using somethign that might mess with the (possibly OK) OptiCoat, I think I`d wash the car with something pretty potent; it`s not like APCs/etc. strip OptiCoat so there shouldn`t be any problems there.

[Guitarist302008]

ok, so like adam`s APC or dawn or simple green or what?

[Driven Auto Detail]

My favorites are Optimum Power Clean or Meg`s Detailer Line APC+, but the two you listed should be fine.

[Guitarist302008]

my biggest concern is that I don`t know if these APC`s will actually remove hard water reidue though? I`m going to give it a try and see. I`ll let you guys know how it turns out.

[Accumulator]

Guitarist302008- I`d lean toward something slightly acidic in this case. Wonder what the Optimum experts would suggest along those lines :confused:

[RaskyR1]

If you`re trying to remove hard water deposits on the paint I would suggest using a products designed to do so. I`ve had good luck with Chemical Guys Water Spot Remover in the past and it should have no effect on the coating. Just follow the directions and don`t apply it in the sun or let it dry on the paint.



Any contamination that is on the paint will have some effect on the water beading/sheeting. The good news is that the coating is impervious to chemical cleaners and you should be able to remove them without effecting the coating itself.