New Paint Care

C

CTDiesel

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How long should the paint cure before applying a sealant like AJT? I've been told to wait anywhere from 30-90 days, but I really think this timeframe does not apply for a modern bc/cc paint system.
 
New cars are typically heat cured at the plant..... you can wax/seal them straight after you buy it.



If you're talking about repainting, then I'd wait 30-60 days for it to cure. If colder out, a bit longer.
 
There's a thread about this where MirrorFinishMan spoke directly with the paint manufacturers (and there are a zillion other threads on this topic too ;) ).



Repaint, baked or not- wait at least 90-120 days minimum. I usually wait at least four months and sometimes more.



Factory paint- go ahead and wax right away. It's completely different stuff compared with aftermarket paint, different formulation, baked at a much higher temperature too.
 
Question on glazing and new repainted hood.



I've used either Meguiar's #5 and #7 after washing with ONR but curious if it really matters. I notice zero difference appearance-wise on the metallic silver and since glazes have zero protective capabilities and little durability, its my impression that applying it is simply a waste of time.



Beginning to think its just a stop-gap to satisfy my waxing jones until the paint outgassing is complete (I do love to wax).



Any thoughts?
 
ricka said:
Question on glazing and new repainted hood.



I've used either Meguiar's #5 and #7 after washing with ONR but curious if it really matters. I notice zero difference appearance-wise on the metallic silver and since glazes have zero protective capabilities and little durability, its my impression that applying it is simply a waste of time...Any thoughts?
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I believe that glazes *do* provide some degree of protection, minimal though it may be. Any sacrificial layer is better than nothing IMO (e.g., sure wouldn't want a bird bomb on utterly bare paint if I could have it on top of glaze instead).



When I did some experiments claying through #5, it took a little doing to get through it (with Sonus green clay), so I read that as indicating that it was leaving more stuff behind than I would have expected. And I notice different surface characteristics (slickness, some differences in beading, etc.) between glazed/not areas. Some of these differences were even visible after a *very* gentle wash (say, with something like Meg's #00), though it's a good idea to redo the glazing after any wash.



If nothing else, [stuff] doesn't adhere as well when the paint is glazed because those Trade Secret Oils are on top of the paint.
 
Accumulator;



I guess that does make some sense. And even though the hood has a nice clear coat covering (so not literally bare paint exposed) it probably doesn't hurt having something on it.



Boy, 2-3 months not waxing is gonna be tough!
 
i had to get a new hood and bumper for my civic this fall. The body shop was using Dupont paint and baking it to cure and they said wait 2 weeks before putting a clear bra on for it to cure. I am pretty sure they put some kind of wax on it tho because my hood beaded just as good as the rest of my car and it had a 3 week old coat of Natty's blue on it.
 
I back “Accumulator’s� replies regarding glazing and wait times – although I wouldn’t go more than 90 days unless it’s one of those custom paint jobs with multiple layers of colors, those take forever to completely gas-off and cure.
 
ricka said:
.....Boy, 2-3 months not waxing is gonna be tough!
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But you still have the engine, wheels, tyres, interior, exhaust, wheel wells, lights, glass, trim, suspension etc to clean in the mean time
 
ricka said:
...the hood has a nice clear coat covering (so not literally bare paint exposed) it probably doesn't hurt having something on it.
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Ah, but remember that the clearcoat *is* your paint ;) Anything you can do to protect it will stave off having to polish it, and polishing it will *eventually* thin it. It's not like you can use up all the clearcoat; if you remove ~0.05 mil (that's only .0005") it will be subject to failure.



dmcphee07SI said:
i had to get a new hood and bumper for my civic this fall. The body shop was using Dupont paint and baking it to cure and they said wait 2 weeks before putting a clear bra on for it to cure. I am pretty sure they put some kind of wax on it tho because my hood beaded just as good as the rest of my car and it had a 3 week old coat of Natty's blue on it.
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Fresh paint is nice and smooth, with no surface flaws (well, it *oughta* be at least :D ), so yeah, it'll bead water. Any glaze will do that too. So it's not like they *must've* waxed it.



IIRC 3M says to wait 6 months before applying the PPF. IIRC#2 Dupont was one of the companies MirrorFinishMan queried when he got the straight story about how long it takes for paint to *really* cure.
 
it was nice and smooth until i put the lights on it, then i saw the swirls lol, my hood is alright but my bumper looks like the used steel wool , the bumper is alot softer than my hood aswell? must not of baked them the same i guess
 
dmcphee07SI said:
it was nice and smooth until i put the lights on it, then i saw the swirls lol, my hood is alright but my bumper looks like the used steel wool , the bumper is alot softer than my hood aswell? must not of baked them the same i guess
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It seems odd that the bumper's paint is so much softer than that on the hood. Hope they even out as the paint cures :think: Also hope the marring on the bumper isn't under the paint and starting to show through as the paint cures.
 
Wait wait wait! My painter told me it was 100% safe to wax the car the day I picked it up so I listened to him. My paint NEVER cured properly. The clear was so soft a year later cotton ball dropped on the paint would scratch it, not literally but close!
 
its safe to polish fresh paint right? i am not sure why the bumper is softer either, i thought maybe they didn't bake it because it was plastic but baked the hood. They did a good job at painting the parts its just they got covered with dust sitting in the shop after and didn't wash them good. If they are under the clear they are going to be repainting them, but i am pretty sure it wont be needed. How long does it take for clear to fully harden?
 
Danase said:
Wait wait wait! My painter told me it was 100% safe to wax the car the day I picked it up so I listened to him. My paint NEVER cured properly. The clear was so soft a year later cotton ball dropped on the paint would scratch it, not literally but close!
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I would have to kill him... My "painter" told me the same thing when I had my GTO fixed, but thank god for autopia. Ive been holding out on waxing/sealing and have just been using Megs #34 qd and #5 glaze. On the 25th it'll be 3 months and I will polish and seal.:woot2:
 
dmcphee07SI said:
its safe to polish fresh paint right? ... How long does it take for clear to fully harden?
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You can polish but if the paint is super-soft it won't finish out right until it hardens some more. The paint will finish curing in 90-120 days unless they messed up when they mixed it and then it'll be as hard as it's gonna get.
 
one quick question....can I polish new paint and not wax it?

I had a mediocre paint job done in a bodyshop recommended by my friend . amazing orange peel and some what oversprayed....:sign

I guess considering it was so cheap...I wouldn't say it's a bad job. But this kinda job is not what I need..

I don't even know if Mother's PP + yellow LC pad will fix it



It's bugging the hell out of me.......I am wondering if I can polish and then QD.



nm.......i only read the first pg...kill me :sosad

I'll wait till march then....



It's OK to use quick shine tho rite? QD my way through Spring :D
 
kyotousa- You can polish, but remember that it might be unusually soft until it cures more. I've had paint that even #80 marred up.



Orangepeel needs wetsanding, I've never had compounding/polishing reduce OP on b/c paint as the compounding/polishing follows the contours of the OP.



Insted of using a leaves-stuff-behind QD I'd use a glaze.
 
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