First Time Full Decon, Detail and Gloss Coat Application

[EBGroup]

What's up everybody. I'm super pumped!

I have a 2020 civic hatchback sport that I've owned for 2.5 months.

I've been using yellow ONR and Hyper-Seal for a few years.

I previously owned a small detailing business but mainly just managed and did not do much detailing.

I've been wanting to get my new car ceramic coated for long term protection and I started by asking a local shop who is an Opti-Coat dealer for a price.

I wasn't happy with what I heard so I decided to look at what I had for equipment and products and what it would take for me to do this myself.

Long story short I picked up the following:

Ferrex, MDR, Power Clean Gallon and Spray Bottle, IK 2.0 Foamer, Optimum Light Clay Disc, Interface Pad, Hyper Polish, Hyper Cut, White Optimum Pad, Black Optimum Pad, Wheel and Body Brush, More Hyper-Seal, More ONR Blue, A Second Bucket with Grit Guard, Tire Protectant and Coating, An Astro 50SLMAX Swirl Finder Light, a Milwauklee 18V Leaf Blower,  20cc of Gloss Coat and some Rag Company Pearl Weave MF Towels for Levelling.

I have tomorrow reserved to get this job done. I live in an apartment building and have two parking spots next to each other and only one car, so lots of space.

I have a FLEX XFE 15 150,  a big Milwaukee Stand Up Cordless Light & the big green blue and grey pad washer.

I fortunately have access to water but no power hence all the battery powered equipment.

I've been watching every Yvan Lacroix video I can find regarding Optimum products and their proper uses. Pretty big shock that he is no longer with the company.

It was watching his videos that sold me on all of the Optimum products I purchased.

Will update with results!

 

[Detail Mutant]

Have fun.

Only thing missing that I would recommend is potentially acquiring some Opti-Seal.  Apply this after a minimum of 1 hour (maybe 2 hrs if below 15 deg C in garage) after application of Gloss Coat.  This will protect Optimum ceramic coating for the one week cure time before full chemical resistance is achieved.  Do not use Hyper Seal (not the same) as it will interfere with the cure process of Gloss Coat.

Note, if it is currently cold in the garage  (below 5 deg C), I would recommend waiting till spring.  Coating relies on moisture in the air to properly cure which is significantly reduced at low temperatures.  Optimum typically recommends minimum 15 deg C for coating application.

Just did Gloss Coat to my newly acquired Blue Tesla Model 3 but I have a heater in my garage to get temp above 15 deg C.

[EBGroup]

Just now, Detail Mutant said:

Have fun.

Only thing missing that I would recommend is potentially acquiring some Opti-Seal.  Apply this after a minimum of 1 hour (maybe 2 hrs if below 15 deg C in garage) after application of Gloss Coat.  This will protect Optimum ceramic coating for the one week cure time before full chemical resistance is achieved.  Do not use Hyper Seal (not the same) as it will interfere with the cure process of Gloss Coat.

Note, if it is currently cold in the garage  (below 5 deg C), I would recommend waiting till spring.  Coating relies on moisture in the air to properly cure which is significantly reduced at low temperatures.  Optimum typically recommends minimum 15 deg C for coating application.

Just did Gloss Coat to my newly acquired Blue Tesla Model 3 but I have a heater in my garage to get temp above 15 deg C.

Very interesting. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard Yvan say it was ok to use Hyper-Seal after gloss coat has cured for an hour instead of Opti-Seal.

[EBGroup]

Your Right DM
I’ll have to wait 12 Hours before using Hyper-Seal. Opti-Seal is not an option for me.

See below:

 

 

[Ron@Optimum]

The recommendation for applying Hyper Seal over ceramic coatings (Gloss-Coat OR Opti-Coat Pro) is wait 7 days.  I'm sorry there's some bad info out there (some from me), but experience has taught that Hyper Seal (due to being Si02) can interfere with the cure process (primarily chemical resistance).  There's no rule that you have to apply something over Gloss-Coat and if Opti-Seal is not available, you should wait the 7 days.  When ceramics were first introduced we didn't top them (I have an Opti-Coat Pro car, coated 7 years ago by Yvan, it was not topped...and it's fine).

[EBGroup]

1 hour ago, Ron@Optimum said:

The recommendation for applying Hyper Seal over ceramic coatings (Gloss-Coat OR Opti-Coat Pro) is wait 7 days.  I'm sorry there's some bad info out there (some from me), but experience has taught that Hyper Seal (due to being Si02) can interfere with the cure process (primarily chemical resistance).  There's no rule that you have to apply something over Gloss-Coat and if Opti-Seal is not available, you should wait the 7 days.  When ceramics were first introduced we didn't top them (I have an Opti-Coat Pro car, coated 7 years ago by Yvan, it was not topped...and it's fine).

Thanks for the reinforcement of good technique Ron. I did read somewhere that it can be in the elements (snow/rain) before the 7 day curing time. If memory serves it was one hour after application?

[Ron@Optimum]

the recommendation is 1 hour after coating IF Opti-Seal is used, 8 hours if not topped before getting wet.

[EBGroup]

25 minutes ago, Ron@Optimum said:

the recommendation is 1 hour after coating IF Opti-Seal is used, 8 hours if not topped before getting wet.

Got it. 8 Hours for me. No problem.

Thanks Ron

[Detail Mutant]

Considering you are in Halifax and it is winter, it is best to have some additional topper during the curing time.  Gloss Coat can get wet within a few hours without issue but I would be more concerned about the salt build up driving around affecting the coating during the 7 day cure time.  If you don't have access to Opti-Seal, I would consider doing a light ONR wash of any salt build up daily.  Yvan indicated than ONR only wash is safe after 24-48 hours but should be reserved for emergency cases.  Or just be prepared to re-apply Gloss Coat on the lower body panels in the spring.

Note, like you I prefer Hyper Seal as a drying aid/topper for the exterior surfaces but Opti-Seal is excellent for interior surfaces (especially windows combined with ONR).  I've had my 8 oz container of Opti-Seal for 4 years and have barely used 2 oz while maintaining two vehicles.  So an 8 oz bottle can easily last a lifetime and is good investment if you intend to apply more Optimum ceramic coatings.

[EBGroup]

21 hours ago, Detail Mutant said:

Considering you are in Halifax and it is winter, it is best to have some additional topper during the curing time.  Gloss Coat can get wet within a few hours without issue but I would be more concerned about the salt build up driving around affecting the coating during the 7 day cure time.  If you don't have access to Opti-Seal, I would consider doing a light ONR wash of any salt build up daily.  Yvan indicated than ONR only wash is safe after 24-48 hours but should be reserved for emergency cases.  Or just be prepared to re-apply Gloss Coat on the lower body panels in the spring.

Note, like you I prefer Hyper Seal as a drying aid/topper for the exterior surfaces but Opti-Seal is excellent for interior surfaces (especially windows combined with ONR).  I've had my 8 oz container of Opti-Seal for 4 years and have barely used 2 oz while maintaining two vehicles.  So an 8 oz bottle can easily last a lifetime and is good investment if you intend to apply more Optimum ceramic coatings.

Thank you for your input and I agree that if I'm going to do another coating, which I plan to do because I purchased 20cc of GC, then it only makes sense to buy a bottle of OS.

I am the ultimate preparer and I've researched this process for 2 months before going ahead. So, when it came time to do the job and I found out that hyper-seal is not actually going to work for me 1 hour after GC application, I was pretty pissed because it's winter here. So far it's just been rain and no salt has been put down since my applying GC so I hope I'll be safe.