PAINT PROTECTION
What is paint protection?
Paint protection is any sacrificial layer above your paintwork that protects against weathering and in some cases, mechanical damage.
It provides protection against contaminants and allows for time to remove some more aggressive contaminants by assisting in slowing and reducing the damage caused by some forms of material such as bird droppings.
Although paint protection is any protective coating, the term usually refers to super hydrophobic sealants, usually those that take advantage of nanotechnology and those that exhibit extremely high performance and are ultra durable.
There is no authority that classes specific products as 'Paint Protection' so there are many varying types and grades of protective coatings with vastly varying levels of quality available.
Is (and why is) paint protection useful?
Any protection is useful for almost any surface.
Paint protection acts as a sacrificial layer and absorbs the damage instead of your paint/clear coat.
Some paint protection, such as Full Metal Jacket even absorbs some very light mechanical damage, the type you would induce when washing your exterior surfaces.
Paint protection, when it is a high quality, properly applied coating, promotes self-cleaning characteristics which keep a vehicle looking cleaner for longer, assists in quicker and much easier cleaning of the vehicle and improves the look of the vehicle when it is clean and between cleaning/maintenance.
What will paint protection protect against?
Industrial fallout
Occurs usually when vehicles spend considerable amounts of time around manufacturing facilities, so those who work and park in industrial areas will experience more industrial fallout contaminating their exterior surfaces than usual.
Industrial fallout, for most drivers with 'normal' driving habits is collected from exhaust fumes, carbon is mostly to blame but there are acids and assorted nasty particles that are also emitted and this fallout constantly deposits onto your vehicles exterior surfaces.
Used aviation fuel exhaust deposits itself onto exterior surfaces of vehicles, usually only an issue for vehicles stored at or close to airports.
Acid rain is also an issue, water with weak, but still nasty solutions of sulphuric, hydrochloric and nitric acids are not uncommon around most industrialised cities.
Watermarking / Etching
With the exception of demineralised water, all water has mineral content and when water evaporates, as rain or washing water does on your vehicles exterior surfaces, it leaves behind those minerals which etch into either your paint protection or your paint/clear coat, which is why we recommend a sacrificial layer of (paint) protection.
Oxidation
UV radiation will gently modify paint which alone can result in complete failure of the coating.
UV affects both the interior and exterior materials.
Heat
Heat evaporates moisture from leather, paint, vinyl (their plasticisers), soft sealing rubbers and external hard plastic trim.
Salt
Salt is used in some areas of some countries to dissolve snow, salt water has similar damaging effects. When in contact with water, a saline solution forms and attacks metal components, salt dramatically reduces sacrificial layers of protection.
Rail Dust
Rail dust is tiny particles of metal as a result of rail wheels rubbing on steel tracks.
The particles become airborne and whilst hot, attach themselves to paint surfaces.
New cars that are transported by rail are at extra risk. When moisture combines with the metal particles rust is formed, creating small rust spots, allied with acid rain they will eventually cause metal under paint and other protective coatings to rust.
What types of paint protection are best?
The coatings with the highest performance are best, although, the more durability, the longer protection will be provided for and the harder a coating is, the more protection it will provide. Manufacturers rarely give you information on their paint protection products such as the hardness (which is usually measured on the mohs scale) and most manufacturers unfortunately exxaggerate their longevity and performance claims stating completely unrealistic figures.
Some manufacturers state in fine print in separate literature that application of the product must be repeated at intervals in order to achieve said claims, pay close attention.
Eager and rapid water sheeting is a characteristic that is encouraged, the more readily a coating sheets water, the better the self-cleaning characteristics will be.
Polymer based coatings are best in our opinion, amino acids in these coatings are best for ultra low contact angles of water on the (coated) surfaces and nano-polymer coatings such as Full Metal Jacket Paint Protection that mimic lotus leaf characteristics are the pinnacle of paint protection technology.
Pros (of paint protection coatings)
Low cost
Fair detailing service providers usually provide paint protection services at fair prices,
There is also low cost for re-application and your investment in the technology is usually updated as the re-application will use optimised formulas and the investment is spread out across the ownership of the vehicle.
Complete transparency
Some products can yellow over time, some contain fillers and glazes - both issues affect paint clarity. High quality products will not.
Broad UV protection
Different levels of protection are offered depending on the quality of the product
Light mechanical damage protection
Some very high quality products such as Full Metal Jacket Paint Protection are upto 1um thick and very hard (upto 7 mohs) and some, such as FMJPP are also flexible, one or more of these characteristics will contribute to absorbing, deflecting and thus minimising light mechanical damage and help to minimise swirling
Protection from watermarking via sheeting
Different levels of protection are offered depending on the quality of the product
Self-cleaning abilities
Different levels of self-cleaning characteristics are offered depending on the quality of the product
Improved cosmetic appearance
Higher gloss levels, improved clarity and higher fidelity of reflections
Cons
In real-world use (not lab tests), no non-destructive coating designed for vehicles performs well for more than 5 years even on the cars with little use despite some claims.
Very many detailers fail to provide adequate preparation for paint protection coatings and thus, no matter how good quality the coating itself may be, insufficient preparation will lead to premature failure of coating, poor performance, durability or longevity and most commonly, non-adhesion of the coating which means no protection from day one and a complete waste of your money.
Poor preparation is extremely common where 'detailers' either have no or little skill or don't understand the basic principles of coating adhesion or are improperly trained in protective coating application or detailing in general.
I commonly use the 'house paint' analogy to help customers who find it difficult to understand why application is so important.
If you set out to paint your house and after considerable research you bought the very best house paint available, your next step would be to prepare the surfaces before painting in some way.
If your surfaces had old, possibly peeling paint, you would scrape that paint away and sand, you wouldn't paint to a loose surface, at the very least, you would clean the surfaces, you wouldn't simply begin painting the outside of your house, because if you did, you would see poor performance from that high quality paint you have just purchased and in order to see the longevity you'd expect, you'd want that paint to adhere to the brick or board (or whatever surface the exterior of your house is) very well to ensure the paint will last.
Well, paint protection is a coating just like house paint, it goes on as a liquid, solvents evaporate as it dries and solids are left behind on the surface that form a sacrificial layer of protection.
The layer then has 'x' months/years of longevity before re-application depending on the product of course.
PAINT PROTECTION APPLICATION
Paint protection coating and film both require the following steps to be carried out prior to application:
1. Wash and de-grease
Normal washing procedures followed by a degrease with a product such as Jaffa to rid oils which may hinder adhesion of the coating
2. Dry de-wax
This is carried out after the car has been washed and is dry.
Imported new cars often have a soft (hydrocarbon) wax applied to protect exterior surfaces and important engine components from salt water damage, this soft wax is very often not removed properly during quarantine and during pre-delivery of the vehicle, the result is yellow-ish glue-like substance that permanently bonds to surfaces after many heat cycles.
Often, kerosene is used to de-wax vehicles, this is an incredibly crude and damaging procedure, whilst solvents such as kerosene are safe on paint and glass, they strip moisture form soft rubbers designed to seal and cause damage to plastics such as exterior trim, scuttle plates etc.
This process should also remove tar, sap and any other surface or sub-surface contamination where a chemical is necessary.
Final Inspection use and recommend Cleanse STRONG for the chemical decontamination process.
3. Surface Decontamination
To further clean surfaces (and promote adhesion), surface contamination such as rail dust is removed with a tool such as an Eraser or Clay Bar. An Eraser is a non-abrasive form of decontamination and is recommended instead of claying which is an old form of decontamination that affects paint as a result of its high mechanical action and build-up of contaminants. Clay bars retain contaminants whereas a tool such as the Eraser does not.
4. Paint & Glass Correction
If the surfaces are suffering from severe marring, a polish may be necessary to promote adhesion of the coating or film to the surface. Most new cars will not require this however, this is the stage where any cosmetic blemishes should be addressed.
5. Final Wipe
Finally, a wipe with a solvent such as Paint Cleanse and an efficient cloth such as a NanoFibre Paintwork Cloth is necessary to remove lubricants from the decontamination process, polish from the paint or glass pores as a result of paint correction, or any other type of debris which may hinder adhesion of the coating or film.
The paint protection product is very important, but the preparation is much more important and many customers aren't understanding, ask or care about the most important component of the process which can make the investment a complete waste of money - and some (service providers) charge excessive amounts for both poor quality products and sub-par preparation efforts. There is no authority for, or regulation of the detailing industry, so research and faith in a good brand with good reputation is essential.
Ask who is working on your car, how many years experience the detailer has, what qualifications they have and ask them to answer some questions based on your new found knowledge after reading this article :)
If you're purchasing a paint protection product to apply yourself, ask questions about the product itself and the required application and make sure a) it is worthwhile paying for and b) it is a reasonable price for a high quality product and service from an experienced tradesman.
PAINT PROTECTION FAQ
Q. If Full Metal Jacket Paint Protection (FMJPP) is your highest protective sealant, why would I buy a product such as Dark Matter (DM) which offers far less protection or Full Metal Jacket Spray Wax (FMJSW)?
A. FMJPP is not a cheap product. It is brilliant and worth every penny and brilliant value when you consider the quality, but at $225, not everyone may want to purchase it.
Dark Matter has very different place in our line up. It offers a different cosmetic appearance, especially when applied to black and red coloured paintwork. Dark Matter is more of a show car protective sealant/wax that provides just enough protection for show cars that will never be driven in the rain, rarely see any road driving and live undercover, usually in a garage, sometimes in a climate-controlled environment. Dark Matter is a hybrid synthetic and natural wax formula that uses natural waxes for looks, some glazing agents for very minor correction and filling and synthetic sealants for bolstering protective characteristics.
Full Metal Jacket Spray Wax (FMJSW) is basically an easier-to-use, 'watered down' version of FMJPP and is designed to be a) affordable, b) very easy-to-use and extremely forgiving and c) maintenance for an FMJPP protective layer.
Q. Could I apply Full Metal Jacket Paint Protection (FMJPP) myself?
A. Yes, whilst FMJPP is a professional product, application is easy. We recommend reading and understanding the steps above for preparation carefully and if your vehicle isn't new, adding a polishing step to better prepare surfaces. FMJPP application is simple, but instructions must be followed to the letter. If you have some experience with car care products you will find the application relatively straight forward.
Q. Could I layer Full Metal Jacket Paint Protection (FMJPP) to build upon the protection?
A. Yes, FMJPP doesn't layer well with itself, instead, a maintenance product with a similar name, Full Metal Jacket Spray Wax (FMJSW) was created to add polymers to the FMJPP layer and build protection without removing the underlying coating. You should always use a product designed for maintenance from the same brand and always a 'pure wax' that does not contain heavy cleaners or even better, any cleaners at all.
Cleaners in wax are used to prepare poor condition surfaces to help the wax adhere, unfortunately, these cleaners remove most of (if not all) of the underlying layer, thus, they don't 'build' layers, instead constantly maintain a single layer.
The last thing you want is to remove your FMJPP layer by attempting to maintain it with a cleaner wax. Use FMJSW instead when topping any paint protection sealant.
VINYL FABRIC, PLASTIC AND GLASS PROTECTION
Vinyl Care
There is rarely such a product that exists as a proper vinyl protective product.
Many are actually cosmetic enhancers that involve smearing an awful silicone-based concoction which makes vinyl and plastics sticky and glossy. For a couple of decades now, most automotive manufacturers have included only very high quality materials for interiors. Most of these internal plastics and vinyls are coated with a very durable layer of UV protectant which is designed to have a very low gloss level of usually around 5-15gu and as a result, low reflectivity.
Especially on tops of door-trims and dashboards, these materials and the finishes applied to them are chosen to maintain integrity over many decades even when the vehicle is stored in such a manner that it will receive constant UV.
The materials in vehicles from decent manufacturers from the late 80's onwards almost never degrade as a result of exposure to UV and therefore, we find it completely unnecessary to 'protect' these surfaces with any product.
Applying greasy silicone-based products usually magnify and concentrate UV and degrade the coatings applied to vinyls and plastics. They also greatly increase reflectivity that is a safety issue. Dashboards that are shiny and thus reflective dazzle drivers in sunlight or areas that are heavily lit by reflecting outside glare off the shiny dashboard surface and onto the inside of the windscreen.
Greasy surfaces attract more dust and dirt than clean and dry surfaces.
Using such products is cosmetic enhancement, but not car care. Our recommendation is not to attempt to protect vinyl, simply keep it clean and don't apply any product to it unless you love the look and are aware that in sunny conditions, there may be side effects.
Final Inspection don't manufacture a product to 'protect' vinyl for these reasons, but do offer Interior Cleanse, a potent citrus oil based effective and cost-efficient solution to assist cleaning interior vinyls and plastics.
Alcantara, suede, microfibre and general fibre care
Alcantara is an entirely man-made material and the most common suede-looking material in vehicles.
Alcantara is a fantastic product with great feel, it is cool in summer and warm in winter, not at all glossy and very grippy. Used in race car applications dashboards, steering wheels and gear shift knobs for the last two characteristics.
In our opinion, Alcantara is a much more desirable material than leather for the properties mentioned above and because it is far easier to maintain than leather and slightly easier than most fabrics.
Consult with your vehicle manufacturer to determine what material you will have to maintain, it is highly unlikely suede will be used even though many manufacturers refer to it as suede.
Alcantara and microfibre can be cleaned with Interior Cleanse and an Interior NanoFibre and require no hydration.
Protection for this material and any other fabric usually used for carpets, mats and headlining is available from Final Inspection in the form of a product called 'Fabric Seal' which is a flexible polymer coating designed to adhere to fibres and promote hydrophobicity of liquids from the fibres protecting them from absorbing the liquid and staining.
Staining of fibres occurs when the liquid content evaporates and the minerals, dyes etc. bond to the fibres.
The best way to avoid staining is to maintain a healthy coat of protection and in the case of a spill, remove the spill by absorbing it by placing a NanoFibre Interior Cloth very gently onto the surface. If necessary, blot the surface but do not push the spill deeper into the pile and do not brush the area which spreads the material.
If staining is appearing, keep the area wet by saturating the cloth and placing it over the affected area, do not allow the water content in the liquid to evaporate. Seek the services of a professional detailer with an extraction machine and have them extract the soiling from the fibres as soon as possible.
Glass Care
Glass should be maintained similar to paintwork. Very high quality and latest technology paint protection products such as FMJPP can also be used to coat glass.
Plastic and chrome protection and care
Polycarbonate (which is what most modern headlight lenses are made from), acrylic (most modern tailights are made from acrylic) and chrome (most modern car parts use electroplating, not old-style dipping which produced a thicker coating) can all be coated in FMJPP for protection.
LEATHER PROTECTION
Leather Care
Leather must be maintained with a certain level of moisture and prevention of deterioration is vital. The amount and consistency of application is of a slightly higher priority than the process and materials used. Final Inspection recommends leather be fed (moisturised/conditioned/hydrated) every month regardless of use. An increase in the intervals of hydration is required when UV exposure, wear (mechanical abrasion) and exposure to common materials (as explained above) is raised. Final Inspection recommend feeding up to once per week in high demand situations.
The main issues with premature damage of the leather surfaces are UV damage (realised as cracking and drying), staining (from transfer of dyes in the fabric of our clothes, food and drink, make-up and skin protection materials such as sun block), and sweat and oils from occupants.
Most automotive leather has coatings for durability. Durability from the damaging effects of mechanical forces (driver and passengers entering/exiting the vehicle and rubbing across the surface) and environmental effects such as UV damage and whilst these coatings do function, the leather requires regular maintenance.
There is no once-off leather treatment available just as there is no coating applied that allows for no on-going maintenance. So don't fall for marketing gimmicks that advertise once-off 'leather protection' products.
There are dozens of types of leather and, usually, 2 types we deal with in mass produced vehicles; 'semi-aniline' and 'coated'.
Semi-aniline leather is very uncommon. Semi-Aniline leather is usually found only in full-size luxury, high quality vehicles at the upper end of the price range.
Most leather in the majority of cars are coated, usually with a urethane or acrylic (or both) permanent protective coating which is breathable. The coatings allow hydration (commonly referred to as moisturising, conditioning or feeding) products to be applied to the hide underneath, through the coating.
Always remember you are dealing with the finished coating on the leather and not with the leather hide itself in the same way you generally are working with your clearcoat when working on paintwork, not the colour coat.
Leather Feed contains no oils which can inhibit the hide's ability to breathe and is recommended for all leather in all mass-produced vehicles.
PROTECTION FILMS
Some paint protection, such as the very common polyurethane film, also known as clear bra, stone chip protection film etc. can help protect against more aggressive mechanical damage such as the impact from stone chips, rubbing of clothing such as rivets from jeans etc. completely.
These polyurethane films usually don't protect against UV very well or at all and usually cost more than replacing the paint they are protecting and so aren't considered a viable option for most vehicles.
You wouldn't coat your leather sofa in plastic if that plastic cost as much or more than the leather itself would you? So would you protect paint with a $1,500 option if it cost $1000 to re-paint?
Well, yes and no.
There are situations where PU film products are very useful though, especially on high end cars that actually retain more value if the factory applied paint is in perfect condition. Re-painting classic vehicles and removing the factory paint in the process can devalue that investment, so taking advantage of PU films can absolutely be worth the expense.
For most of us with modern cars that are unlikely to be classics or will be traded or sold within a few years, it's probably not a viable option.
PU films don't look as transparent as chemical paint protection coatings. No matter how good the technology is, you will notice some film peel/texture, you will notice less clarity and you will notice the edges of the film.
Should I film up?
Paint Protection films are for you if;
1. You prefer the sight of the film over stone chips,
2. The cost isn't an issue for you,
3. The time to re-paint the car and as a result, the car being unusable for days is a bother,
4. You own a classic car which is an investment and that vehicle will be worth significantly less than the film to protect it (including correct installation) if you were to have damaged paint or required replacing the factory paint or
5. You are able to have good quality film installed correctly that costs less than factory quality paint re-applied.
If you agreed with any or all of those points then sure, invest in the film.
Remember the cost is up front, if you decide to paint 3-5 years after purchase of the vehicle, that re-active cost isn't spent up front like the preventative measure (film application) which makes re-painting even cheaper.
Installation issues of Paint Protection films and coatings.
Some installers cut the film to size on the vehicle which may cause the paint underneath to be damaged. It is incredibly difficult not to cut into the paint underneath the car, but cut only the PU film which is usually only 20-50um thick whilst it is on the car. So some fitments are destructive and the correct procedure is to cut the film into a pattern before application.
We have seen paint safe knives that are designed only to cut films to facilitate 'on the body' fitment of, especially custom, film applications. But these devices usually haven't worked and if and when you remove the film you may find the dreaded cutting lines in your paintwork as a result of this method of application.
Pros (of paint protection films)
- Excellent and almost complete mechanical damage protection as well as all weather protection when sealed
Cons
- High up-front cost
- Low transparency
- Little, usually no UV protection
- Many films are porous and without regular sealing allow contaminants to penetrate and reach the paint surface
- Sweating can occur with low quality films and/or poor installation which may result in a damaged paint surface if not rectified quickly
- Almost always requires professional application as the installation requires skill and a steep learning curve, especially for complete panels.
I hope you've learnt something from this post. If so, show your appreciation by purchasing some of the Final Inspection products mentioned. Enjoy your detailing!
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