falcaineer

Hey everyone! I wrote this technical article for the website a few weeks ago. A big thank you to our creative and marketing teams for making it look much more presentable with nice photos and layout design. 






 





Preparation Instructions
Prep for Paint
Thoroughly wash the vehicle using a shampoo without any protection additives like Adam’s Car Shampoo or Mega Foam, or through a Waterless Wash or Rinseless Wash process.
a. Use a Foam Cannon or Foam Gun if possible, as well as a Two Bucket Wash Method with Grit Guards.
b. Use multiple clean towels if performing a Waterless or Rinseless Wash.
c. The safer you are in the wash process, the less chance of wash-induced marring or scratching.
(Optional) Perform iron decontamination with Iron Remover if necessary, by referencing our videos and other blog write-ups.
Thoroughly rinse and dry the vehicle with an Ultra Plush Drying Towel or Air Cannon.
Mask off any plastic and rubber areas that come in contact with paint, using detailing tape or painter’s tape.
Remove bonded contamination with a Clay Bar or Clay Mitt using Detail Spray as a lubricant.
Wipe away clay residue with a clean microfiber towel and Surface Prep.
Perform paint correction with a machine polisher by referencing our videos and other blog write-ups.
a. Remove previous protection with Compound and a Microfiber Cutting Pad.
b. Remove oxidation, swirl marks, light scratches and other imperfections using various stages of Compound and Polish with their respective pads.
c. Always do a test area first. Every vehicle will need a different level of correction.
d. The better you make the surface look in compounding and polishing, the better the graphene ceramic coating will look in the end. Coatings do not fill in or hide swirl marks and other imperfections.
Wipe away Compound and Polish residue with a clean microfiber towel.
Move the vehicle indoors if you have not already done so for claying/compounding/polishing. Remove any Compound and Polish dust from body panels, body seams, etc. using a clean microfiber towel and Surface Prep.

Prep for Glass
Clean exterior glass using Adam’s Glass Cleaner and Green Microfiber Glass Scrubbing Towel. Clay glass with a clay bar or clay mitt using Glass Cleaner as the clay lubricant. (Optional) Polish the glass with our white Polish or Hand Polish with a Blue Hex Grip Applicator. Wipe away residue with a clean microfiber towel. Use a second clean Glass Towel with Surface Prep to ensure the glass is 100% clean.
Prep for Wheels
 
NOTE: If you are coating a set of new wheels, we strongly recommend coating the wheels after the tires have been mounted and balanced. Wheel weights can have difficulty sticking and can fall off if you coat the wheels before mounting and balancing the tires.
If you wish to coat the outer and inner portions of the wheel, carefully remove the wheel from the vehicle after lifting the vehicle and securing it with jack stands. Heavy brake dust: Thoroughly clean the wheels using Adam’s Wheel Cleaner or Adam’s Wheel & Tire Cleaner, with the Short Wheel Brush, Trim & Lug Nut Brush, and Wheel Woolie for the inner barrel. Light brake dust or light dirt: Thoroughly clean the wheels using a shampoo without any protection additives like Adam’s Car Shampoo or Mega Foam or Adam’s Eco Wheel Cleaner with the Short Wheel Brush, Trim & Lug Nut Brush, and Wheel Woolie for the inner barrel. Thoroughly rinse the brushes or scrub them on a Grit Guard in a wash bucket multiple times throughout the cleaning process as they become dirty. You do not want to continue scrubbing dirt into other parts of the wheels and possibly scratching them. Thoroughly rinse and dry the wheels with a Mini Plush Drying Towel, Air Cannon, or Blaster Sidekick. (Optional) On clear coated, chrome, or gloss powder coated wheels, remove bonded contamination with a Clay Bar or Clay Mitt using Detail Spray as a lubricant.
a. Wipe away clay residue with a clean microfiber towel and Surface Prep.
b. Perform paint correction with the Swirl Killer Mini or Swirl Killer Micro Polisher by referencing our videos and other blog write-ups.
c. Remove previous protection with Compound and a Blue Foam Pad.
d. Remove oxidation, swirl marks, light scratches and other imperfections using various stages of Compound and Polish with their respective pads, or Metal Polish for chrome wheels.
e. Always do a test area first. Every wheel will need a different level of correction.
f. The better you make the surface look in compounding and polishing, the better the graphene ceramic coating will look in the end. Coatings do not fill in or hide swirl marks and other imperfections.
g. Wipe away Compound/Polish/Metal Polish residue with a clean microfiber towel. Use a clean microfiber towel with Surface Prep to ensure the wheel is 100% clean.  
Prep for Trim & Plastic
Remove any detailing tape or painter’s tape from the plastic and rubber trim. Clean exterior plastic trim and rubber using Adam’s Trim Cleaner or Tire & Rubber Cleaner with an Edgeless Utility Towel.
a. Fold the towel into fourths. Spray the cleaner directly into the towel, not onto the surface, to avoid over spray onto surrounding paint and glass areas that may have already been cleaned/polished/prepped.
b. Use one side of the towel to scrub away dirt, oxidation, and previous dressings. Use a dry side of the towel to wipe away excess residue.
c. (Optional) Use a Deep Clean Eraser in place of the Edgeless Utility Towel for very heavy cleaning. Test first to ensure the eraser does not scratch soft plastic.
d. Clean the plastic until you no longer see new dirt/discoloration in the towel. If there are white/chalky wax or sealant stains in plastic trim, you may need to repeat the above cleaning steps multiple times before all discoloration is removed.
a. You do not want to coat over any stains or discoloration in plastic.
b. The coating will not hide the stains, and then they would be locked in underneath the coating. Use a second clean Edgeless Utility Towel and generously clean the area with Surface Prep to ensure all Trim Cleaner or Tire & Rubber Cleaner has been removed.  
Application Instructions
Application for Paint, Glass, Wheels, and Chrome
 
NOTE: Rubber gloves are strongly recommended for applying a ceramic coating, and a pair are included with the Graphene Ceramic Coating Kit.
Move the vehicle (or wheels if coating wheels only) indoors into a garage.
a. This minimizes dust and moisture exposure, as well as provides a more consistent temperature.
b. Use multiple light sources at various angles to work more effectively and see the coating flashing more easily on lighter colored finishes. Generously wipe the surface with Surface Prep and a Borderless Grey Towel. The Surface Prep will evaporate to a degree while wiping - this is normal.   Thoroughly shake the Graphene Ceramic Coating 60ml bottle or the Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating 12oz bottle to mix the solution evenly. Graphene Ceramic Coating: Pour several drops of the coating onto one side of the Suede Applicator Block. Do not use the side that is stitched together. Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating: Facing away from the vehicle, mist 2 or 3 sprays into the Microfiber Applicator Block. Apply the coating to a panel in an even manner.
a. We recommend outlining the panel first, then pour/spray a little more into the applicator and fill in the remainder of the panel by applying in overlapping left/right or up/down passes.
b. Try not to lift the applicator from the surface when applying the coating. Lifting the applicator will expose it to more oxygen and leave heavier spots of coating in those sections, which can possibly become high-spots later on.
c. If you apply in a left/right path first, then do another pass in an up/down path. You do not need to apply more coating into the applicator at this point - you just want to spread it for more even and complete coverage. After a few moments, the coating will begin to have an oily, rainbow-like appearance as it begins to flash on the surface. Once the coating becomes slightly tacky on the surface, gently wipe the coating with a new, clean Suede Microfiber Towel to remove approximately 50% of the coating residue or more.a. The time in which it is ok to remove the coating residue can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes or more, depending on temperature and humidity.
b. If the Suede Microfiber Towel seems to glide very easily without any slight tension, let the coating flash for another 30 seconds and test again.
c. One other way to verify that the coating is ok to wipe off is when the rainbow effect begins to fade into a more clear look on the surface. Wait another 20-30 seconds, and then take a new, clean Borderless Grey Towel to thoroughly wipe away all remaining coating residue. Repeat the above steps for the remaining, body panels, glass, or wheels. Inspect all areas of the vehicle to ensure all coating residue has been removed.
a. Use the UV LED Light to inspect coated areas for complete coverage. Some areas may appear to glow more heavily than others. You may see streaking, or overlap lines with the UV Glow Tracer - as long as the coating residue has been fully removed, these inconsistencies that are seen with the UV Glow Tracer will not show up under normal light.
b. Temporarily move the vehicle outside to inspect it under natural lighting, both sunlight and overcast conditions if possible. No matter how much lighting you have in your garage, you will most likely see a few high-spots that you did not notice indoors. Polarized sunglasses can also aid in spotting high-spots.
c. To correct any high-spots or other issues, please see the next section of this blog.
d. Move the vehicle back indoors. Allow the coating to cure indoors for the required minimum time frame.
a. Graphene Ceramic Coating: 24 hours
b. Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating: 4-6 hours or longer if possible  
Application for Textured Plastic and Rubber
 
NOTE: Rubber gloves are strongly recommended for applying a ceramic coating, and a pair are included with the Graphene Ceramic Coating Kit.
Move the vehicle indoors into a garage.
a. This minimizes dust and moisture exposure, as well as provides a more consistenttemperature.
b. Use multiple light sources at various angles to work more effectively. Generously wipe the plastic or rubber surface with Surface Prep and an Edgeless Utility Towel. The Surface Prep will evaporate to a degree while wiping - this is normal. If the plastic or rubber trim does not appear to have a uniform color appearance after the Surface Prep is fully dry, go back to the PREP Steps and clean the area again before continuing. Thoroughly shake the Graphene Ceramic Coating 60ml bottle or the Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating 12oz bottle to mix the solution evenly. Graphene Ceramic Coating: Pour several drops of the coating onto one side of the Suede Applicator Block. Do not use the side that is stitched together. Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating: Facing away from the vehicle, mist 2 or 3 sprays into the Microfiber Applicator Block. Apply the coating to the plastic or rubber trim in an even manner. Use the applicator to level the coating evenly across the rubber or plastic, so that it appears uniform, rather than having some areas heavier or shinier than other areas. Allow the coating to flash and soak into the surface for 30-60 seconds. It will not rainbow as it does on paint, glass, and chrome. Use a clean Edgeless Utility Towel to thoroughly wipe the plastic or rubber trim to ensure that all solvent from the coating has been removed. Allow the coating to cure indoors for the required minimum time frame.
a. Graphene Ceramic Coating: 24 hours
b. Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating: 4-6 hours or longer if possible  

 
 

 


 
We hope this in-depth blog and reference videos help to clear up any confusion or hesitation you may have on our Graphene Ceramic Coating™. You can take a look at our reduced graphene oxide products HERE. Please let us know below if you have any questions!

@Rich
@falcaineer
I didn’t either. I was on YouTube a while back and saw that Adams had a new video uploaded. So I of coarse went and checked it out. And it was the foam and seal video. Looked interesting. Found it in their website. 
Everyday I come on the forum (sometimes multiple times a day) and read all new posts. I hadn’t and still haven’t found much talk about foam and seal. 
I hope it works well… it should as I believe @falcaineer. But hopefully it’s not one of the products that doesn’t catch on and Adams eventually cuts it from their line up. 

Yea. That’s what I was thinking. Less set up time, less tools/towels, less passes around truck, less cleanup. All of that combined would make it an easier option,  especially for winter.

I have and really liked it. Underrated. It's an all in one so no extra steps like rinse then seal, and I really like HGG. Follow the video on the website to make it easy.

Cannonball!!!!

This morning I woke up to a bit of a surprise.  This was the first snow that stuck to the ground since 2014 in our area. It was rather cold last night and we were under a winter storm warning for freezing rain.  We were fortune that it turned to snow instead of freezing rain.  It was pretty much all gone this afternoon except in the areas where it stays in the shade and being back in the 50's on Sunday, that will take care of the rest of it.
 
It was cold enough last night and will be again tonight that we'll let the pool filter run all night to ensure we don't end up with the pump freezing. 
 

I don't like to reuse any towels on paint I use with ceramic coatings, spray or otherwise. If I do wash them, I will relegate them to dirtier jobs like engine bays or wheels, even tires by using TRC during a rinseless or waterless wash session. I also like to mark them with a sharpie in the corners with a big "X" so I know which ones they are.

Have had a new container of  Americana for a few months now. Never have used this product. Decided to give it a try while watching the game today. Put a coat on BisQuick and Goodness does this wax apply wonderfully. Did panel by panel but don't believe it would have mattered. It removed just as easily as it applied. Gave the paint alittle deeper wetter look. Think I'll do the wife's Escalade next with it. Here's a few after pics. Great winter therapy..
 

It is amazing how quickly time passes especially with the last 2 years being a blur most of us would like to forget about.  During this time the kids moved to a new house and the car spent almost a year sitting under a cover at my place. 
 
Over the summer we got it moved to the kids new house and work has slowly been progressing with getting the engine out and rebuilt, the entire interior was removed for updating and a color swap and removal of the 300zx instrument cluster.  The wiring harness has been partially replaced and upgraded along with the suspension and brakes.  Interesting point, to upgrade the rotors and calipers, you have to use parts for a Mustang GT.
 
The engine went back in a few weeks ago and the wheels came in this week and were installed.  The interior is getting close to being done, just waiting on the new seats to arrive.  There is still a plenty of work left to do on it and then it will go for paint and the son-in-law is saying it will be Magma Red.   
 
Parts have been a challenge since the son-in-law is doing it as a Nismo conversion, so there are various body parts that have been and will be replaced in additional to the mechanical side.
 
Here's a current picture that shows the wheels and engine and the color match being done.
 
 

The only thing missing is the picture with the end results.

Suede and pretty lightly for am initial levelling, shortly after applying, then the plush towel to fully remove the residue. Short, quick wipes will remove the residue better than slow and methodical.
 
For when, not if, you get high spots, here's how to fix them. High spots are common and will look like smudges or oil slicks. They happen when the coating residue isn't fully removed.
 
 
 

Can? Yes. But should? As a polish, it probably won't make much difference beyond the most minor of defects or oxidation.  It's designed to be used with the One Step Pad and a machine polisher. The abrasives need to be broken down completely to get the best results.
 
To be certain, you aren't confusing polish with wax, right? Sometimes terms in the detail world are used interchangeably, so I don't want to misunderstand what you're asking...

Good advice above. Especially when purchasing a used car, it's difficult to know how it was cared for or not in its prior life, including if it has every been polished, maybe with a rotary. Still, as a general rule start least aggressive because it's easier to step up vs down. That said, Mercedes paint is usually hard so Polish and white foam may not be enough. You could try Compound and blue foam as your next step vs all the way up to what you used before. Here's a paint gauge that both @Dan@Adams and I have, it works well and is a decent value. I also purchased an aftermarket case, link and picture below.
 
Gauge: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081T6L3SF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Case: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E70SBB8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
 

After 24 hour cure time your ok to get wet from rain, however wait a week before washing.

Unfortunately there is no set number of times a vehicle can be polished.  A paint gauge does help to understand the amount of material is left on the paint.  With that being said you should be fine polishing again without removing too much paint.  
 
 

Yes, you can use non-graphene, silica-infused products like those you mentioned, as well as CS3 and others. The Graphene Ceramic (Spray) Coating is a ceramic coating at its core, so it won't hurt them. That said, they are slightly different and using toppers that aren't optimized for the Graphene coatings might not give quite the same amount of boost than those that are.

Hi, Lindy. Agreed with @Mantis, so we can understand, what was your process to prep the car before applying, from steps to products used?
 
Not seeing it rainbow/flash could be a result of the ambient temperature and humidity. The spray coatings usually rainbow pretty quickly, but the time to move past the rainbow stage to a chalky look will take longer in cold temperatures and low humidity. What were the weather conditions at the time of application for you? What color is your vehicle? It's harder to see on some colors than others. Note that time also isn't necessarily an indicator, it's better to go by feel where the surface is tacky vs. slick when using a plush towel, and it's possible you removed it too soon.
 
Increase in gloss is a little subjective, and true shine comes from proper paint correction, the rest is enhancement and protection. If you applied it over paint that wasn't in good condition already, the effects may be minimal. It also may relate to the color of car, where lighter colored cars don't necessarily shine as much if they weren't corrected.
 
Applying a second layer isn't necessary, but I understand why you may have tried. How long did you wait between layers?
 
These will appear thin and watery, especially in the sprayable form where the active ingredient levels are lessened to make it sprayable. But the traditional/small bottle form ar is also "watery."

I've only used it with the Foam Cannon, and it works really well. But to use it with the Premium Foam Gun, I think it would work by pouring the contents into the canister vs. attaching the bottles. The foam won't be as dense, needless to say, as using it with the Foam Cannon. 
 
I recommend you get a Pressure Washer, it really changes the game. The 2.0 is great, the Pro incredible. And with the 12 days of daily deals right now you might find a good one on the site 

All your questions can be answered in this thread. 
 
 

Check out this video. 
 
 

Duty calls

I know the paint is lacquer I am trying to determine what is the best method to get some shine to her paint, there is cracking on both fenders at the end of the side running boards I want to maintain as much of the original condition as I can, the interior is the original upholstery I believe she really is in great overall condition, runs great with a straight 8,  cruise control, ride regulator (suspension adjustment) and an automatic clutch! Any thoughts, ideas of what to use and what NOT to do would be greatly appreciated!!

Just get the Graphene Ceramic Coating Headlight Restoration Kit Pro version!
 
https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-headlight-restoration-kit
 

After two years we were able to go back to Florida to see the wife's father and visit my aunt & uncle.  This also gave me the opportunity to take care of the golf cart and redo the headlights on the Suburban.  The golf cart was done in November 2019 with Adam's Ceramic Spray Coating, which is the first picture.   
 

 
The second picture is from November 2021 after getting washed and dried with CS3 and I must say that I'm impressed with the longevity and how good it looks.  I can tell that the black trim on the front needs to be redone and I will look at going to the Graphene Spray Coating in the spring. There is no doubt the Ceramic Spray coating held up well for 2 years given that the golf cart gets used every day since it is the way the father-in-laws gets around the park.
 

 
 
Next up is the headlights on the Suburban and I already knew they had gotten pretty bad again.  I expect that I'll need to do the headlights on at least an annual basis if not twice a year.
 
Before

 
after using the Adam's Headlight Kit that used to be on the web site with the two pads and little bottles of correcting, finishing polish and detail spray along with the Swirl Killer Mini.
 

 
 
As I was working on the Suburban I had five people stop and ask me if I did that for a living or if I had a card because they needed theirs done.  Unfortunately time did not permit me to take on additional jobs since I had more items on my list for the two houses than was possible to get done.  At least I know I won't be bored on the next Florida run
 
 

This is good to know - thanks, @falcaineer!