Car Paint Protection Sealants & Saturday Nights

Think about protecting the exterior of your car and you immediately think about paint protection sealants. And as soon as you think about it, the astronomical cost associated with it usually comes to mind without delay. It’s a battle that ensues in your mind: cost versus worth. You know it will probably mean spending a couple of Saturday nights at home with the dog, but it will add worth to your current investment and slow the depreciation of its value. That is of course if you choose to get it done professionally. You might yet be able to avoid spoiling the dog with too much attention if you invest in a paint protection DIY kit (which we think is a good idea). So to get you started down the road of DIY paint protection, we’ll discuss the more intricate details of the sealant and its application.

It basically consists of two main components, an acrylic and polytetrafluoroethylene which is more commonly known as PTFE and forms one of the main components in commercial Teflon. What sets the sealant apart from other protective measures like wax, is the fact that it bonds directly with your car’s paint job and has fewer Achilles’ heels than wax: where wax melts in high temperatures and spoils in acid rain (a common feature of polluted areas), protective sealant not only protects against these, but also against excessive heats, colds, winds, storms of various kinds, etc. It even protects against bird droppings. So as you can see, the protective advantages are rather extensive and the added bonus is that it will keep your vehicle’s showroom appeal for years to come.

Now that being said, let’s look at where you’ll find these ‘miracle’ protective sealants. More often than not, and without putting in too much effort, you’ll find the DIY sealant kits available for sale on the Internet. Average prices indicate a saving of between 25% and 75% (depending on where you buy) on the amount you would have spent at a car dealer or detailer. These sealants usually come with a set of instructions or a manual which will probably elaborate on the application process which usually occurs in two steps.Also ask your local detailer/applicator for tips or advice the good ones will gladly give advice so if you get one that is a bit of a grump just move on.

The first step is giving the car a good wash and taping those areas not suitable for sealant application eg platic trims. Following that, a first layer solvent-based sealant is applied. It basically acts as a micro cleaner by scraping out all those unseen molecules of dirt and grime hidden within the pores of the paint job. When this has dried completely, only the active components will remain exposed.
In the second step, a second and different layer is applied of which the active ingredient is PTFE. This second layer then bonds with the first layer – the particles of which lie submerged within the pores of the paint job. The chemical bonding ensures that the PTFE molecules spread out evenly over the surface of the car, supplying it with a showroom aesthetic and something to be proud of on Saturday night.

Be sure to get good value for money when choosing a DIY sealant kit. Aside from a low price, you’ll most definitely want a guarantee on the lifespan of your sealant. The current average is about 5 years, or approximately 260 Saturday nights.