wax/sealant application

**joyriiide1113** · 01-18-2005, 06:13 PM

for as long as i can rememeber the general way of applying a wax has been in a circular motion. to then be wiped off in a back and forth movement. but as for an acrylic sealant like sg being applied with a microfiber applicator, is it really needed to use a circular motion, and can it be applied back and forth?

**JasonD** · 01-18-2005, 06:17 PM

Actually, I prefer to always apply waxes and sealants in a back and forth motion. To be more specific, horizontal surfaces are front to back and vertical surfaces are up and down.

In my opinion, the absolute best way to apply sealants is with the PC and a finishing pad. I can get a thinner and more even coat this way which will save you money in product and make it easier to remove.

**joyriiide1113** · 01-18-2005, 06:36 PM

well actually ive tried applying sg with the pc and it was a nightmare. an hour buffing it off and a half bottle of quikdetailer. but as for the pc. i heard that the first coat of the wax or sealant can be applied pc, but every coat after that should be done by hand. i dont know exactly why but i assume its because the speed of the machine mught actually rub off the previous layer. i really dont know...

**JasonD** · 01-18-2005, 06:47 PM

Well, first of all. I`ve had nothing but trouble with SG, period. Other than on my wheels, I don`t mess with the stuff. That being said, the biggest mistake you can make with SG is putting it on too thick. The best way to apply SG by PC is to put the SG in a spray bottle and lightly *mist* the pad with product. You should apply it so thin that it`s almost invisible, and then leave it on at *least* an hour or so before removing it. The longer you let it cure, the easier it will be to remove.

I`ve also heard that the first layer can be done by PC and the rest by hand, but I still do it by PC every time. It just works better for me that way. Then again, when using the PC I don`t go over speed 4 and use little to no pressure at all. The most pressure applied is by the weight of the machine or less, this will minimize removal of the previous layer/s.

**Accumulator** · 01-18-2005, 07:00 PM

I`ve never had a problem doing LSPs by PC except for getting it on too thick for my taste (UPP and SG). BUt then I apply *very* thin when I do it by hand, so thin I can`t see it on the surface.

I`ve never seen any evidence that machine application is so aggressive that it disturbs previous applications that wouldn`t be disturbed if you did it by hand. But I`m pretty gentle about it too.

Likewise, I`ve never found any advantage to applying LSPs in a particular direction. The PC uses random movements and nobody claims this is a problem, so what`s the difference with how you move your hand? I`d just do whatever feels comfortable.

**lnl512** · 01-18-2005, 09:55 PM

no ffense guys but that doesnt really answer his first concern. y`know. if its ok to apply in a back and forth motion...

oh and as for having to leave it cure for 45 min. i just use the wowo method. supposedly produces same results...

**lnl512** · 01-18-2005, 10:03 PM

same here tho, ive always been stuck with the idea to apply in a circular motion.

**JasonD** · 01-18-2005, 10:04 PM

Originally posted by haze5l2

no ffense guys but that doesnt really answer my first concern. y`know. if its ok to apply in a back and forth motion...

I`m confused, are you joyriiide1113? :nixweiss

Anyway, to answer your question, yes it`s okay to apply in a back and forth motion. It is actually preferred by most, just to prevent swirls by rubbing the surface in circles. As Accumulator stated, it really doesn`t matter, what`s more important is that you are gentle while applying vs. the direction your apply it. :up

**spotpad** · 01-18-2005, 11:43 PM

Sorry for the semi-hijack but since JDookie mentioned it...

Originally posted by JDookie

... The best way to apply SG by PC is to put the SG in a spray bottle and lightly *mist* the pad with product. You should apply it so thin that it`s almost invisible, and then leave it on at *least* an hour or so before removing it. The longer you let it cure, the easier it will be to remove.

That`s an interesting suggestion, JDookie. I`ll put SG in a small spray bottle and mist a MF applicator once (I figure that`s about the size of a dime/nickel per trigger pull) and use that for an big panel like the hood, trunk, and roof. For smaller panels, I`ll mist the pad lighter by pulling the trigger just halfway. :xyxthumbs

**joyriiide1113** · 01-19-2005, 12:02 AM

thats good. is the same for carnuba waxes or just sealants. just wanna make sure. oh and no im not haze.

**dbruene** · 01-19-2005, 03:53 AM

My 2 cents. This observation is somewhat related to a question I posted last week regarding rejuvenating the paint on a 92 Integra which never had any polishing before. On the rear left panel I could actually see vertical streaks of what appeared to be "wax" marks. Out of curiosity, I dabbed a couple squirts of the same pale-blue Zymol Cleaner Wax the car saw before onto a Sonus green polish pad and worked on that surface. After going through two cycles of speed 2 for distributing and speed 4 for buffing, those streak marks simply dissolved. Car owner did say that sometimes he became really tired when he got to the rear panels and often didn`t do a good job of "buffing it out," and hence the streaks. Anyway, the "circular" (technically RO) spinning PC pad seemed to do a decent job in applying an even coat of wax onto the panel. YMMV

Aloha,

Solara

**Accumulator** · 01-19-2005, 02:33 PM

Yeah, along the same line`s as Solara`s post, IMO if you only go in a linear motion there`s a greater chance of streaking (you`ll notice that the streaking, if you get it, will be linear, matching the application). Best to apply from multiple angles, but again, this is just my opinion based on my experiences.

**dbruene** · 01-19-2005, 03:23 PM

Agree with Accumulator... but, out of (probably) old hand application habits, I do my last pass with a PC following the traditional recommendation - front to rear on the hood, roof, and trunk, and top to bottom on all of the sides, after doing the diagonals and across, etc. When hand-buffing using Pakshak towels, I do finish the last pass according to the "traditional" directions as well after going through the circular, across, diagonals, etc. Please find a small inconspicuous section and experiment to find out what works best for you. Try squatting, going side to side to look at the finish from multiple angles before calling it a day.