fresh paint

[Top Cat]

For all the detailers out there. 

I have some freshly painted bumpers on my car what is the best way to care for them. IE should i wax them or not , if so does it need a special wax. can i clay them and if so after what time period, i think you get the picture.

thanks in advance. 

[NEWEY]

i think we need some pictures ;). as long as you dont use a mop for the first few months then your fine and get some polish on them :)

[RobMKV]

Come on pics!

[Gaz W]

Generally, paint that comes out of a Bodyshop won't have cured properly, it requires another 90 days or so, depending on the weather etc to finish its curing process, you can Polish, Clay etc during this time, although do not use any waxes/sealants.

[Top Cat]

Generally, paint that comes out of a Bodyshop won't have cured properly, it requires another 90 days or so, depending on the weather etc to finish its curing process, you can Polish, Clay etc during this time, although do not use any waxes/sealants.

Thanks Gaz, i was hoping you would spot this thread. 

[JPC]

yep, thats the one. the solvents need time to evaporate. waxing over would stop this and the paint wouldnt properly harden!

and yep..i wanna see pics too! ;)

[stealthwolf]

I swear I remember reading over at DW that waxes were okay but sealants not? (again all to do with breathing and allowing it to cure).

[Mark M]

This isn't necessarily true regarding curing time.

When you get a car/part painted, it is baked in an oven.

Then it is flat sanded to remove imperfections, and then polished with a machine polisher (usually to a poor standard by bodyshops).

Was the panel baked?

So, really, if it has swirls in it, you can machine polish, then glaze/pre wax, then polish.

[JPC]

ive found panels that have been baked to not be fully cured.

a half decent body shop would bake it, but even just for my own piece of mind, i leave my parts 6 weeks.