Coldest weather you would detail in?

S

schiddy

New member
I live in CT and didn't do a few things I wanted to do before the winter hit. What's the coldest weather you would polish in? What's the coldest you would use sealant or wax in? What's the coldest you would wash with ONR?





I have no access to garage. Might do a wash and seal on a warmish day if it comes along, otherwise I will have to wait for spring I guess.
 
I would make sure it is at least above freezing for obvious reasons. When polishing and waxing the time-frame in which it takes to work the polish or have the wax haze/properly adhere is much different than if the temperature was warmer. Even cleaning small areas and claying the car becomes difficult if you're too cold to take your time, or the clay gets too hard [and it could mar the paint too].
 
Yeah I would assume anything over freezing would be fine for a wash. But how warm would be good enough for a sealant or wax? My car has little to no protection left since the last waxing was quite a while ago. Also, how high a temp would it have to be for you guys to venture for a polishing outside?
 
I just did a truck in some pretty chilly temps. Got down to freezing at night (worked til midnight a couple nights). Various products started acting strangely at those cold temps.



Most LSP's won't do very well in cold temps; sealants refuse to cure, and waxes just get too stiff to budge. Menzerna polishes are about worthless when it gets below around 50 or so. Megs 105/205 worked pretty well in the cold temps, though.
 
I have sealed as cold as 40 and had no problems. I liquid wax may be OK. As Superbee said above, some paste waxes can be all kinds of fun to spread and buff off when cold. You will have a good workout should you decide to try.
 
I forgot to prepare the car for winter, and had to do it on 11 F temp... I had to grab a heat gun and heat a panel, heat the applicator and work as fast as you can.

The water based stuff freezes almost on contact :(
 
schiddy said:
So hmm I should wait until at least 50 degrees to do a wax or seal?
Click to expand...



Kinda depends on the sealant. Waxes, yeah, I'd say you need to be 50 or better. Spray waxes are ok in lower temps.



Some sealants will cure, eventually, in cold weather. I've used FK1 1000p at around 45 degrees or so. It took almost three hours to cure. Just be sure to use a whisper thin coating. You'll get better cure times, and the residue removal will be much easier.



Just give it a shot on a small area and see how it goes.
 
That white Countach I detailed back in February was on a 35 degree day. I was cold but I didn't have any problems working on the car.
 
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