Multiple layers of wax?

[Jasonk]

Being new to the 'science' side of car washing, I have gorged myself on you tubes about detailing.

On one such video, the detailer mentioned that he applies something like 5 or 10 layers of Carnuba wax over a 2 week period whilst he is cleaning the car. The results look pretty impressive, but left me with two questions.....

1. Can or should you apply multiple coats of wax should you have the time and will it look any better than one coat?

2. Does one need to hermetically seal ones car in a dust free environment whilst going through this process?

As as I suspect you can't apply a coat of wax, drive around town for the day, then apply another coat without at least a wash/dry before hand.....

Any my thoughts from the better informed MOLsters?

[thedoc46]

Re: Multiple layers of wax?

Multiple ? Some people like to do two, just incase they've missed somewhere, (hence one panel at a time) but one thin layer is good to go, and anything on top, doesn't really leave an extra layer of protection, and it looking better? well, maybe if you've used a carnuba on top of a synthetic if the car black or a dark color, but mostly its in the head.

[Spazzz]

Re: Multiple layers of wax?

Do you still have the link for that video? I would like to see that.

When you do 2 layers you don't end up with 2X the protection. You end up with 1.(a little bit more) percent.
It does help to do 2 coats if you have the time. The first should really sit and cure for a day. Some say right away, for some waxes.
I don't know maybe the more pure? carnauba doesn't need a cure time.

The second coat helps assure a uniform coat.

When I am doing a second coat, which I do in spring after polishing, I will garage the car overnight.

Any other time I seal it, I will do the second coat after the next wash.

And yes if the car is subjected to the elements, you would need a wash of some kind.
A regular 2 bucket wash, waterless or rinseless would be the course of action before the second layer.

[The Guz]

Re: Multiple layers of wax?

There is this thing called the law of diminishing returns.

[Jasonk]

Re: Multiple layers of wax?

http://youtu.be/HNAmZPgcBzU

Detailers name is Paul Dalton. You can see him on a fifth gear episode claybaring gunk out of a spanking new rollers paintwork on a different video. It is, from the price at least (5000 pounds) a fairly top end detail. Anyway, I know jack about it, so would be interested in what you guys think.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Multiple layers of wax?

While you won't do any harm applying carnauba wax on a weekly, or even daily, basis you will definitely not be creating a continuously growing film thickness of carnauba. Carnauba wax in its natural state is essentially rock hard. That's why it's the most commonly used naturally occurring wax for automotive paint protection use. But that same hardness means that some sort of solvent must be used to break it down and make it spreadable in the first place. Once applied, the solvents and other "carrier ingredients" either dry and create the haze we're all familiar with, or they simply evaporate due to their inherent volatility. Wipe off the haze and you're left with a very thin coat of carnauba and some light polymers on the surface. In all their various guises, these carnauba waxes can impart subtle variations in appearance and they definitely provide protection to the paint, albeit fairly short lived simply due to their chemistry.

Now consider this: You've just left a very thin coat of carnauba on your paint, and a day or so later you're going to apply a fresh coat. With the same product. That contains all those same solvents that break down the carnauba and make it spreadable in the first place. Those very same solvents are going to do an excellent job of breaking down that extremely thin coat of carnauba you applied yesterday, and you're going to remove the majority of it in the process. The chemistry of carnauba waxes simply will not allow for you to layer or build up a film thickness. It just won't happen. We've never seen anyone prove scientifically that you can do this, and in fact everything we've ever seen indicates just the opposite - you'll actually lose film thickness with multiple applications. Evidence seems to indicate that a second application can gain a very, very tiny percentage increase in film thickness, but a third application (and anything beyond that) often yields a net loss in film thickness. In other words, you're just wasting your time and wasting product. Why?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Multiple layers of wax?

http://youtu.be/HNAmZPgcBzU

Detailers name is Paul Dalton. You can see him on a fifth gear episode claybaring gunk out of a spanking new rollers paintwork on a different video. It is, from the price at least (5000 pounds) a fairly top end detail. Anyway, I know jack about it, so would be interested in what you guys think.

Paul is very well known in the pro detailing world, and among enthusiasts as well. Heck, he and I are even friends on Facebook - he's actually a pretty down to earth guy with a massive talent for... marketing. Yes, he is a very accomplished detailer who does stellar work, no doubt about it. But for anyone to be able to convince a customer to part with $5000 or more for a detail, you've got to be both a great marketer and a great salesman. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all.

He has pioneered some processes that some think are overkill, but he's always pushing the envelope and trying new things. He isn't without controversy though, but that's to be expected when you become as high profile as he has. He's had tussles with some manufacturers who have sponsored him in the past, and some partnerships have gone sideways. But that's part of the marketing side of his business. Again, that's fine. It business, and things in business don't always go smoothly. That anyone gives the guy any gruff at all about what he does is just silly. The guy is flat out great at making paint shine (and other aspects of detailing) and he's attained near rock star status in the community. It's normal that in such a situation people are going to take shots at him. To his credit, although he often reacts with some initial shock to some of these shots, for the most part he just rolls with the punches. He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.

[Jasonk]

Re: Multiple layers of wax?

Thanks for that guys. What you have said has been really informative and made a lot of sense.

i think, taking it all into account I can summarise it.

"um, no."

That will save me a lot of time and largely wasted effort!