When to Use Car Wax versus Paint Sealant   by Steve Savitzski

in Autos / Maintenance and Repair    (submitted 2012-02-04)

There are numerous discussions about car wax vs paint sealant. Everybody wants to learn what's the primary difference between the two? Which product offers better protection? What should you use?
In this post, I want to answer all of the questions above and explain to you the best way to apply wax and sealant the correct way. Let's start by talking about how each of them works and what the pros and cons are.

Natural Car Wax (Carnauba Wax)

All natural car wax is manufactured out of a substance called "Carnauba", that is why it is usually termed as Carnauba Wax. It comes from leaves of a tropical plant called Tree of Life, scientific name Copernicia cerifera, that is indigenous to Brazil. The carnauba wax protects fronds on the palm from intense warmth, humidity and repels the rain water directing it to the root of the plant. After collecting the leaves and drying them off, unique equipment is utilized to gather the wax.

Natural wax is rock hard and needs to be combined with other elements like oils, naphtha and petroleum distillates prior to it being applied to the car. Without those additional elements the wax is really unusable. Since only 1/3 of the natural wax is used in the car waxes, when you see bold advertisement saying "100% Carnauba Wax" on the package, it really is talking about the quality of the wax used and not the product as a whole.

Wax is usually graded based on its coloring, purity and origin. Plants from northern Brazil are viewed to generally be the highest quality and produce most pure yellow wax that is used by a lot of unique industries. Carnauba wax is available in either paste or liquid form.

Pros: Carnauba wax is desired by a lot of car enthusiasts because it gives paint deep, warm, vibrant shine and conceals small swirls and scratches. It brings out the color of the vehicle giving it almost "three-dimensional" shine. In addition, it capitalizes on its natural ability shielding your car from high temperature, humidity, oxidation and Ultra violet rays. Natural wax will slow down the negative effect of environmental pollutants like bird poop, toxic bugs, sap and etc. Since it sits over the paint rather than bonding with it like sealant, it doesn't need any curing time.

Cons: Wax is not as durable as synthetic waxes. Since natural wax sits over the paint, it'll last only 4-6 weeks under ideal conditions. If you are living in a hot moist climate, the Carnauba wax might last only a few weeks. Additionally, it takes additional time to apply.

Synthetic Car Wax (Paint Sealant)

Synthetic car wax, also known as paint sealant or paint protectant, is a man-made product created inside of a lab from numerous man-made particles. It does NOT have any natural wax in it. That's where a great deal of confusion arises. Why would something that doesn't have any wax in it have the word "wax" within the label? The reason is - pure marketing. When a regular vehicle owner walks into the retailer to buy products for cleaning and waxing his / her car, he or she is searching for a product called "car wash" and "car wax". Simple. Many customers don't know the difference between all-natural wax and man-made sealant. They simply know they would like to protect their vehicle. Therefore, to prevent frightening and confusing shoppers, marketers use word "wax" as a part of the label.
The real difference between sealant and natural wax is the longevity. Paint sealants last from 4-6 months defending your paint from Ultra violet rays and contamination. For people who don't have enough time for detailing month after month yet still wish to have paint protection, paint sealant may be the way to go. It's available in a liquid form which is very easy to use. This time-saving product is hard to beat when it comes to choosing paint protection for your vehicle.

Pros: Paint sealant forms a rigid layer around your paint giving it a shiny, smooth, showroom shine. It lasts considerably longer than all-natural wax,up to 4-6 months, and is much easier to apply. It is resistant against UV rays, salt, humidity and pollution. I think this is usually a great choice for busy owners who don't have enough time for the upkeep each month.

Cons: Because sealant creates a bond together with the car paint, it needs some curing time after application. Some vehicle owners don't like the plastic, glass look and prefer rich deep shine of the carnauba wax.

Which Car Wax Is The Best?

When choosing between natural wax and man-made paint sealant think what is more of importance to you, the deep shine but regular monthly upkeep or long durability but glassy finish. Both of the products provide wonderful paint protection if applied on a regular basis.
Exactly what is the Difference Between Car Wax & Paint Sealant? Some car enthusiasts will not make a choice between the two applying paint sealant first and topping it using a thin layer of all-natural wax. By doing this you get optimum protection and beautiful warm glow of the paint. And even if you don't re-apply Carnauba wax after 4 weeks, your car paint will still be protected with the paint sealant.

Carnauba Wax
In the event you decided to go with a all-natural wax, one of the premium natural waxes that I absolutely love is Gold Class Carnauba Wax by Meguiar's. It is actually affordable, made from premium quality wax and is very easy to put on.

This wax gives your paint mirror like shine and makes your vehicle look like brand spanking new again while providing all-important protection. This product has received wonderful consumer reviews and 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Paint Sealant
Selecting a paint sealant will provide you with more durability when compared to a natural wax. My favorite is NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 made also by Meguiar's. This is a synthetic sealant that takes waxing to a completely new level.

This product is extremely easy to apply and provides remarkable protection against corrosion, oxidation, Ultraviolet rays and surface degradation. You can expect unbelievably deep, vibrant color and wet-look shine found in car showrooms.
Something else that I like is that it will remove fine paint scratches and swirls from the surface. This product also got great reviews on Amazon.com. More than 70 consumers gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Some consumers stated it left the same warmth and silky smooth finish as Carnauba wax. The true secret is in added polish that makes this beautiful finish possible.
The best way to Apply Wax and Sealant

For the best result, you must do some prep work before applying wax.

Step 1: Wash your car with car soap. You may use any product. I usually use NXT Generation Carwash by Meguiar's. It is very gentle on the finish, doesn't strip off wax while washing off the most difficult dirt and road grime. I would not recommend using dish soap, because it will remove all the wax.

Step 2: Get rid of remaining contamination by using a clay bar.

Step 3: Polishing your car before applying wax to remove fine scratches and swirls. It'll smooth out the surface and give your car a fantastic shine.

Step 4: Apply wax. Apply a thin layer of wax or sealant using soft microfiber towel. Many car owners prefer to apply a sealant and top it with wax for optimum protection.

Step 5: You may use quick detailer to maintain the high gloss.

Meguiar's created a great 5-Step Paint Care Cycle Video http://http://www.fixmycarscratches.com/2012/02/04/are-car-waxes-and-paint-sealants-different/

Throughout my tutorials, you've probably noticed that I use a lot of Meguiar's products. I don't deliberately try to use only their products. I just pick products that do an outstanding job in my opinion and also are highly regarded by other consumers. Please feel free to use any products you like. I know there are a lot of good products on the market that can do a great job.

About the Author

Steve is a family man continually looking for ways to save money. More information can be found at http://www.fixmycarscratches.com.