Choosing Wax

Paste or liquid?
By: Tom Morr/autoMedia.com


The car-care aisle in the average auto-parts store has a mind-boggling array of products. The wax section alone offers products formulated for new paint, old paint, clear-coated paint, scratched paint, oxidized paint—just about everything but roller-applied paint. Many of these products claim to restore routinely maintained paint to its original factory finish (when used as directed). So how do you know which wax is best for your car? We'll attempt to boil it down to the basics.

Synthetic Vs. Natural

Thanks to modern chemistry, car care products are easier to use than ever. In the olden days, rubbing/polishing compounds were used solely for scratch- and swirl-removal. Then paste wax was hand-applied Karate Kid style to protect the finish and bring out its shine.

These days, waxing and polishing can be "engineered" into the same step. Modern polishes eliminate fine scratches in addition to "conditioning" the paint by restoring certain oils. These characteristics combine to improve the overall gloss and protection/toughness of the finished job. (Conventional wisdom for dark-colored cars is to use a non-abrasive polishing product followed by a pure wax to produce superior results as opposed to a one-step polish/wax process). Better yet, liquid waxes can be formulated to withstand the heat generated by orbital buffers; paste waxes tend to melt and burn under high-friction conditions. In other words, superior paint-care results can be achieved in a fraction of the time it used to take.

Liquid Vs. Paste

This debate overlaps the synthetic/natural decision. In general, liquid waxes are synthetic (created in the laboratory) while paste waxes can either be "natural" (as in originating in nature) or a combination of natural wax and synthetic additives such as polishing polymers.

Paste wax is still preferred by many purists (those guys with handlebar moustaches who wear British touring caps). Because most paste waxes should only be applied by hand, the process allows passionate enthusiasts to literally pet their pride-and-joys while making the paint shine.

Pro detailers tend to prefer liquid waxes, which can either be applied by hand or machine. Time is money, and a detailing pro wielding a high-speed buffer can finish multiple vehicles in the time it takes the mustachioed purist to complete his hood, trunk and both fins. On a related note, purists contemplating making the jump to an electric buffer should cut their teeth on a lower-speed model (and ideally on someone else's car).

For the same brand and style of wax, liquid and paste produce comparable results (protection and shine) and offer the same longevity between waxings. Paste waxes generally cost more up front but can be a better value—a tin of paste usually yields more than twice as mnay waxings as a bottle of liquid.

Colored Wax

Infomercials tout the benefits of newfangled colored waxes that are intended to conceal scratches by filling in the offending areas with like-hued wax. But as many of the old-school car-care companies point out, literally thousands of colors of automotive paints are introduced each year, making an exact colored-wax match highly unlikely. Also, most modern cars have clear coats. One well-known manufacturer of car-care products claims that using colored wax over clearcoat is like putting shoe polish on your windshield.

Carnauba

Some waxes tout carnauba as the secret to their success. Carnauba wax is actually a resin produced by the palm tree Copernicia Cerifera (commonly known as the carnauba tree). The hardest natural wax known, it protects the trees' leaves from harsh South American tropical-rainforest conditions.

Pure carnauba is as hard as a brick, so petroleum distillates and mineral spirits are added to soften the wax—above about 30% concentration, carnauba is too stiff to use as an automotive wax. Many name-brand wax manufacturers use only #1 yellow-grade carnauba, which is the highest grade available and also the most expensive. Incredibly durable, carnauba dries to a deep, natural shine (compared to beeswax, paraffin and synthetic waxes, which can become cloudy).

These days, choosing car wax often boils down to convenience. Fans of the by-hand wax on/wax off method can pick between liquid or paste wax. Buffer masters are best served with liquid waxes. Swirls and fine scratches can either be removed in a separate step using a product designed for that purpose or in a single step with a wax that's formulated with its own polishers.

The bottom line is that using name-brand products as directed on the label should produce that wet, glossy look. However, no car-care product can bring dead-and-decomposing paint back to life. If the wax won't buff out (because it's trapped in pits and pores), it's time to re-paint the vehicle.

Waxing or Sealing

Waxing/sealing the paint is one of the most important parts of the detailing process. After spending countless hours polishing your car’s paint, you’ll definitely want to protect it with a wax or sealant. Not only is the LSP a layer of protection for your paint, but it also provides the “lens” through which you see your paint. So, it will affect the look of the paint.

Choosing your LSP like many detailing decisions is a matter of personal preference. Your options for this decision are wax, sealant, or both.

A wax will typically give your paint a very warm appearance. It will also make metal flake in the paint really “pop” and give the paint an extremely wet, deep shine. Waxes also have filling capability. So, using a wax can help to hide paint imperfections. However, depending on climate waxes do not typically last more than 1-3 months.


Most sealants will give your paint an almost lacquered look. Sealants like waxes will give your paint a very wet look and typically leave the paint surface feeling ultra smooth. Another property of sealants is that they make the paint surface ultra-reflective. However, these reflections typically lack depth. Also, most sealants do not fill well. So, some paint imperfections may stand out more after a sealant is applied. Sealants are also much more durable than wax. Many brands of sealant will last up to 5 months or more.

Using a layer of sealant topped by a layer of wax is a common practice and makes for a good compromise between the two LSPs. Using both a wax and a sealant gives the durability of the sealant combined with additional depth of shine from the wax.

What you’ll need . . .

• Shade – Most waxes/sealants are not designed to be used in direct sunlight. Therefore, it is important to find a shady spot to apply your LSP. This can be under a car port, a canopy, or in a garage. It is not recommended that you detail under a tree as sap, leaves, pollen, or other debris could fall on your car during the detail.

• Wax/Sealant – your choice of wax or sealant. There really are quite a few excellent waxes & sealants available either at your local auto parts store or on-line. Just to mention a few there is Meguiar’s #26 Yellow Wax, Detailer’s Pride Max Wax, Pinnacle Souveran, Zyml Concours, Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant, and Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket (FMJ).

• Applicator – your choice of applicator. There are many tools which can be used for wax/sealant application. Application can be done using a foam wax applicator, a microfiber applicator, or a folded microfiber towel. Paste wax is typically easiest to apply using a foam applicator and liquids are easiest to apply with the other types of applicator mentioned.

• Microfiber towels – high quality microfiber towels are critical for wax residue removal. After a long day detailing you don’t want to use a cheap towel which will undo all of your hard work by instilling scratches in your paint. To test the “softness” of a microfiber simply rub it gently on a blank CD making sure to use both the center of the towel and the edging. If the towel leaves scratches then it could possibly scratch your paint. Always be sure before testing a new towel or using it on your paint that it is clean and that any tags have been removed. One last item to note is that microfiber towels with a shorter knap will remove wax or sealant residue faster than towels with a deeper knap, but will also clog with residue faster.

How to get it done . . .

1. Make sure the car is completely clean and dry before beginning. Always wash or QD a car immediately before waxing. If the car was washed and then polished there is no need to wash again before waxing. The car cannot be driven in between waxing/sealing and washing.

2. Apply some of the LSP to your applicator. Using the applicator spread the LSP thinly across the paint of one panel or half of a large panel.

3. Consult the product’s directions for how much time the LSP needs to setup. Then allow the LSP to set for the prescribed amount of time.

4. Using a microfiber towel folded in half twice and minimal pressure wipe away the excess LSP from the paint. Any wax that is difficult to remove should be sprayed with QD or distilled water rather than using extra pressure to remove it.

5. If you desire to add more than one layer of LSP wait 12-24 hours before doing so. Follow steps 1-4 to add additional layers. If you are using both a sealant and a wax always be sure to apply the sealant first, then wait 12-24 hours for the sealant to cure, and then apply the wax.

Source : The Detailing Hand Book