Coats of Wax

**roydok** · June 18th, 2003 01:05 AM

I hear detailers applying 1-2 coats of wax layers. Does applying more than say 2 or 3 coats have any advantage or just a waste of money? How many is too many wax coats?

Thanks.

**kimpOy** · June 18th, 2003 09:20 AM

roydok,

after i do my off roading i always have my strada "double waxed"
its enough already considering what my rig had been to

pero another coating wont hurt also.

**dtg** · June 18th, 2003 10:24 AM

wax is basically like applying lotion to your body... now how can you determine how many coats are there?

**kimpOy** · June 18th, 2003 02:54 PM

:lol:

**bacon** · June 18th, 2003 03:28 PM

If you intend to layer wax, it is best to wait at least 12-24 hours in between applications. You need to let the previous layer cure completely, and let the petroleum distillates in the wax eveaporate before applying the succeeding layer.

The effects of layering as far as shine, depth, and gloss are concerned is completely subjective. Depende talaga yan sa tumitingin kung ano ang effect ng multiple layers. When it comes to protection, 2 or 3 layers of wax (with the proper amount of curing time) will be better than just a single coat. However, it doesn't follow that 2 layers of wax will double the "protection time" offered by a single application. In other words, for discussion's sake, kung 3 weeks tumatagal ang ang single coat of wax, it doesn't necessarily mean that 2 layer will last 6 weeks. It will last longer, but definitely not by much. Most enthusiast detailers who layer wax actually do so more for the looks. Like I said, paint may seem richer, deeper, and shinier with multiple layers. Be mindful, though, that I use the word, "seem".

Pag protection naman ang pag-uusapan, since 2 or 3 layers of properly cured wax does not dramatically double or triple "protection time", you may be better off applying wax on a more regular basis than multilayering in a short period of time. Under our harsh weather conditions (wether it be rain or extreme heat), IMO, a coat of wax every 3-4 weeks would suffice. Don't believe those claims by wax companies that their products need to be applied only every 6 months. That's only possible if you don't drive your car and keep it garaged for six months.8O

With regard naman to wax being similar to lotion applied to your body...I humbly disagree. This is not a correct analogy since the human skin is porous and will absorb the lotion, and automotive paint is not. Wax, when applied and left on the car's paint will simply evaporate under extreme heat and will wash off when exposed to prolonged periods of rain. Zymol lang ang nagpauso ng marketing strategy nila na paint has to be fed. Polyurethane, lacquer and acrylic automotive paints are not at all porous.

Hope this helps.

**dtg** · June 19th, 2003 03:48 PM

bacon, thanks for the enlightenment.

**irmscher** · June 19th, 2003 05:24 PM

Another thing to keep in mind is that carnauba-based waxes generally contain petroleum distillates as their carrying agent. This means that the petroleum distillates, among other ingredients, are mixed with carnauba to make the wax more workable. This is how a hard substance such as carnauba wax is made into liquid and paste form. This is also partly the reason why paste waxes generally last longer than their liquid counterpart as they contain more carnauba.

Anyway, when you apply a 2nd layer of carnauba, it is plausible that you *may* potentially break up the 1st layer. OTOH, synthetic (polymer and acrylic) sealants, particularly Zaino, have been formulated to be layerable, and actually yields better results as you layer. Of course, with both synthetic and carnauba, there is the point of diminishing returns. After a few layers, it won't be any better looking.