Entry Three: Wax

A collection of commonly available waxes

There are a lot of waxes out there, and choosing the right one can be a difficult. Hopefully this overview will help you understand the differences so you can pick the best one for you. I will also be sharing some tricks and tips along the way.

Traditional waxes are usually a combination of carnauba, beeswax, petroleum distillates, and other natural oils. Waxes containing large quantities of carnauba wax are known for their deep warm gloss. However, these waxes aren't very durable and typically last only six to eight weeks. 

Sealants are composed entirely of man-made ingredients. They offer superior long lasting protection and incredible shine, but often lack the rich deep luster of natural wax. Any sort of 'synthetic wax' is a sealant.

Glazes are polishes that offer no protection against the elements. Their sole purpose is to maximize shine before using a pure wax.

Applying a finishing sealant with an applicator pad

Finishing Wax

These waxes enhance the beauty of a highly polished finish. Some are pure wax, while others often contain fillers, mild cleaners, and polishers. Glaze should be used when using a pure wax maximize shine. However, there is no need to use glaze when using products with cleaners or polishers built in. 

Cleaner wax

These are the most commonly available waxes and often referred to as an 'all in one'. These use abrasives, detergents, and chemical solvents to clean, polish, and protect, all in one step. Application: You simply work them into your paint with the supplied applicator to remove dirt/road grime, fine scratches, and old wax/sealants. If you car is a daily driver, these are a great option after a wash. 

Tip: Cleaner waxes are used to restore a shine to a worn finish. Use them after using a compound or claybar for a nice finish. They should never be used on a new or highly polished finish or the abrasives will dull down the finish.

Keep a squirt bottle handy to soften harder waxes

Technique

Applying: Most waxes should be not be applied in direct sunlight or to a hot surface. When applying wax with an applicator, move the pad in small overlapping circles. This will remove any contamination that may prevent the wax from adhering to the surface. The motion also helps distribute the wax evenly to prevent any streaking. 

Removal: Let the wax sit for twenty minutes or so until it has completely glazed over. For best results, allow sealants and synthetic waxes to cure overnight when possible. Always use a microfiber towel to remove the wax. Carnauba wax is naturally very hard. Those waxes with high concentrations can be tough to remove, so keep a squirt bottle handy when working with them.

Coats: It is not uncommon to add another coat of wax. The wax that you choose will play a significant roll in how many coats can be applied. Most waxes, like those with abrasives can only have one coat since they will just strip the previous layer off. However, some waxes can have dozens of coats applied. In many cases there are diminishing returns and even some of the best waxes can become cloudy after only a few coats. 

This panel was glazed and carnauba waxed

Advanced Techniques

Glazing: This is the final step in the polishing process and is done to achieve the highest possible shine. Be sure to wax after glazing to protect your finish. Using anything other than a pure wax can undermine all your effort. 

Layering: Since sealants often lack richness of carnauba wax, some detailers will put a layer of wax over them. This will give you the long lasting protection of a sealant and the deep rich gloss of carnauba wax.

Tip: The Carnauba wax that you choose to go over the sealant must be a pure wax that contains no cleaners/polishers.  A cleaner wax will strip the base layer and dull the paint back to the cleaning stage where you will need to polish all over again. Even a lot of finishing waxes contain ingredients that can weaken or strip the sealant. You will learn very quickly that the products that you use make all the difference. The professionals often use specially formulated, high-end products that are meant to work together as a system. While you don't need expensive products, a lot of time and money can be spent trying find the right combination.


Note: Make sure that the sealant cures for 24-48 hours before applying any wax. Carnauba is naturally acidic and can eat uncured sealant off.

Glaze, carnauba wax, and finishing sealant

Results

I used some commonly available waxes to do some test comparisons. I've tried a few high-end waxes and still prefer NXT tech wax because its great shine and easy application. NXT is also a finishing sealant, so it lasts longer than traditional waxes and I genuinely can't tell the any difference in shine between it and show car glaze; but I digress.

The panel I tested on was machine polished with the entire Perfect-it system. This panel has no orange peel so the glaze made it look like a mirror, but it was still a little flat. The deep crystal carnauba really brought the color, but at the expense of some of the mirror-like sharpness. After letting it sit 24 hours, the wax did become crystal clear, but it it also lost some of it's luster from sitting in the sun. A panel I left in my shop still looked amazing 24 hours later.

A sealant was applied to the other half of the panel and given a 48 hour cure time. The sealant contained polishers and looked as glassy as the glazed area, but a little richer. After applying the carnauba over top, I actually was hard pressed to find to decide which I liked better. The sealant looked like a glass mirror, while the carnauba looked a little deeper but very plastic.

That said, I really like the look of deep crystal carnauba wax. It does look a little like plastic, but in a good way. I couldn't tell any difference between putting it over the glaze or the sealant. Both polished to a high gloss and I didn't see any difference in shades.  As for a comparison, the NXT doesn't quite match the richness of the carnauba wax, but it looked more like glass than plastic. It also takes half the effort to apply, lasts longer, and still looks wet weeks later. Factor in that it costs only $14 and you can see why I recommend it so often.

I also tested Griot's 'Best of Show' wax. I had heard good things, so I applied it by hand to a glazed panel and to another using an orbital, per the instructions. I got the same results in both cases. I felt the shine was rather dull and flat by comparison to the other waxes. Griot's has a cleaner wax in their lineup, so this should be their finishing wax. It was a definitely a great shine that many would be satisfied with, but not quite on par with what I'm used to. I'll give it an 8.

Anyway, I hopes this helps!