wannafbody said:
Wouldn't it stand to reason that if product X exhibited a specific water beading characteristic after curing and it remains constant for an extended period of time that none of it has washed or evaporated from the paint surface? Would one assume that product X continues to protect at the same level as after initial curing?
Yes it would.
If a product shows a change in water beading characterisitics has protection been compromised?
That's a definite "maybe".
Not trying to be cute...I'll explain why I say "maybe".
*I* feel that most people (both novices and Autopians alike) are overly obsessed with beading. That's not a criticism; just an observation. I too love beading - it's almost like soft porn watching paint bead on a wet day! :chuckle:
It's a useful
guide but not an accurate
measure of durability when it comes to
synthetics. With 100%
natural waxes (carnauba, beeswax, montan), sure, beading IS an accurate measure of durability. Natural waxes,
by their nature will bead when present. As they break down they bead less. When they are completely gone, no beading is present. So, if we're talking Souveran, P21S, etc, which contain NO polymers, then beading indicates quite accurately the presence or absence of the wax. This won't apply to
hybrid waxes (which take in most waxes we call 'carnaubas' - such as #16, #26, Collinites, PS II, 5050, Pete's '53, Nattys, etc. It's not always easy to know as some don't disclose the synthetic content. Eg, the recent rumour about Zymol).
Polymers are different animals. Depending on the synthetic/polymer/resin, some will intrinsically bead, some bead poorly requiring additives to create beading. Example, NXT1 vs NXT2. As a result, a sealent may lose it's beading properties due to the 'beading additive' degrading, but still maintaining it's appearance/protective qualities. It's basically an unknown quantity, so to look at beading on sealants as a measure of when it's stopped protecting is not really possible.
We then have to turn to other qualities to determine its presence. Appearance, slickness, cleaning ability, etc.
At best, with sealants we can say that, if it is beading strongly then, it's present and protecting. If it beads poorly, the only thing we can say with certainty is that it has lost its beading properties. It may still be protecting as strongly as the day it was applied. Conversely, it may be totally dead.
We just don't know.
To put it very simply, with sealants (and hybrid waxes), beading demonstrates its maximum, but not its minimum.
Thus, my comments in my earlier post, and frequently on other posts. Sorry to be a nuisance.
