Brilliant Glaze Question

[Guest washemup]

Hey guys and gals, I used the BG last week on my Camaro. It does work well and is easy to use like all Adams stuff is. 

 

It's an un-garaged daily driver as most of you know. When I did my weekly wash today, the water sheeted really slow off the car, it wasn't really cold, 54 degrees.

 

I'm thinking since it rained one day this week, most of it was washed off and only a little left which caused the slow sheeting. I realize it's not a durable product. 

 

My car has a good coat of sealant with HGG a few weeks ago as well.

 

I know the BG has a light solvent in it. I wouldn't think it would be strong enough to remove sealant? I used maybe an ounce on the whole car.

 

Anyone else experience this? I'm thinking if it doesn't sheet well on next weekly wash, do another HGG application.

Edited December 21, 2015 by washemup

[rkj4243]

Joe,

 

Can't really help with the water sheeting and Brilliant Glaze, as I typically use it when added luster or pop may be needed on a show vehicle.

 

True, it enhances the shine, and is not a very durable product, so it may be safe to assume another coating of H20 Gloss & guard will solve your concern.

 

Also, it should not have anything in the contents which would remove any of the sealant on the vehicle.

[Chris@Adams]

One rain I don't think would wash the BG off......and one coat of BG shouldn't affect the longevity of your LPS. That being said when ever you strip and start over apply the BG under the LPS that will seal it in and make it last. Hope this makes sense.

[LT1xL82]

One rain I don't think would wash the BG off......and one coat of BG shouldn't affect the longevity of your LPS. That being said when ever you strip and start over apply the BG under the LPS that will seal it in and make it last. Hope this makes sense.

 Chris...will the BG under the LPS reduce the longevity of the LPS? If so, by much?

[Chris@Adams]

We have tested and don't see it affecting the longevity......at least not that you could notice.

[pirahnah3]

ok Ill bite here, What is the benefit of putting the glaze under the liquid paint sealer? 

[dakman47]

Forgive me too.  I've studied these forums extensively and thought I had a good understanding, but now I'm a little confused.  I thought glaze under LPS was a no-no.  While I love the concept of making the paint really pop with glaze and then locking it in with sealant, I find it hard to believe if I hand apply glaze then top it with a machine applied LPS, that the foam pad would not strip the glaze and end up mixing it with the LPS.

 

Help please!

[Ricky Bobby]

ok Ill bite here, What is the benefit of putting the glaze under the liquid paint sealer? 

 

There is none.  It may not affect the longevity so they can tell of the LPS, but the BG will still deteriorate in the same manner.

 

You may get an additional week out of the glaze if anything, although its a 2 week product max anyway.  I do not recommend this method, if some want to do it, thats their perogative.  Put your strongest layer down as a base, this would be Liquid Paint Sealant.  If you like to glaze, then do it after your bases of protection are down.

 

The notion that putting a polymer sealant  or a wax over top of a product that lasts 2 weeks and suddenly that 2 week product now lasts for 6 months like the sealant is a huge misnomer.  There is nothing to "lock in" as paint has pores and it will still breathe anyway regardless if there is a sealant or wax on top of the surface, and as the paint breathes, your protection starts to dwindle.  Even though there is sealant on top of a glaze, that glaze will still deteriorate at the same rate, I think guys get confused and think it is lasting longer because they get a ton of shine from the Sealant and do not notice the glaze deterioration because there are 2 products at work on the surface.

 

If you glaze, use it how its intended.  And if you are sealing, don't seal over other waxes or glazes, use it as a base layer of protection so you get the intended longevity.  However, feel free to top a durable sealant as needed with a lesser durable product such as G&G, Buttery, Americana, Patriot, or BG, as it will not deteriorate your base LPS layer.

 

My .02...

Edited December 22, 2015 by Ricky Bobby

[Chris@Adams]

ok Ill bite here, What is the benefit of putting the glaze under the liquid paint sealer?

It seals the BG and makes it last, it won't affect the longevity of your LPS.

[NG13]

There is none.  It may not affect the longevity so they can tell of the LPS, but the BG will still deteriorate in the same manner.

 

You may get an additional week out of the glaze if anything, although its a 2 week product max anyway.  I do not recommend this method, if some want to do it, thats their perogative.  Put your strongest layer down as a base, this would be Liquid Paint Sealant.  If you like to glaze, then do it after your bases of protection are down.

 

The notion that putting a polymer sealant  or a wax over top of a product that lasts 2 weeks and suddenly that 2 week product now lasts for 6 months like the sealant is a huge misnomer.  There is nothing to "lock in" as paint has pores and it will still breathe anyway regardless if there is a sealant or wax on top of the surface, and as the paint breathes, your protection starts to dwindle.  Even though there is sealant on top of a glaze, that glaze will still deteriorate at the same rate, I think guys get confused and think it is lasting longer because they get a ton of shine from the Sealant and do not notice the glaze deterioration because there are 2 products at work on the surface.

 

If you glaze, use it how its intended.  And if you are sealing, don't seal over other waxes or glazes, use it as a base layer of protection so you get the intended longevity.  However, feel free to top a durable sealant as needed with a lesser durable product such as G&G, Buttery, Americana, Patriot, or BG, as it will not deteriorate your base LPS layer.

 

My .02...

 

 

It seals the BG and makes it last, it won't affect the longevity of your LPS.

 

 

ok kids, that's enough. LOL

 

I can see both sides of this argument and I think it is a personal preference thing...that being said, in THIS video the boss man himself answers the question. I believe it is at about :50 to 1:00 min in that he talks about it.

[Dan@Adams]

Ok, I can see both sides of this discussion.

 

Yes, laying down a layer of Liquid Paint Sealant immediately after polishing on a bare clear coated surface will allow for the best adhesion of the sealant, but there is really no harm in adding a thin layer of Brilliant Glaze prior to the LPS. I've done this method on several vehicles that I've detailed, exactly like Chis describes, and on others, I've applied the LPS first.

 

What it all comes down to for me, is how neglected the surface really is after I start machine polishing. Some vehicles that I detail, the owner brings the vehicle over and I immediately wonder how it has been washed, and if it has even been waxed in the past 5 years - severe scratches and swirl marks all over the surface and so on. I will machine polish them to the best of my ability, but there are some vehicles that I, as a fairly experienced detailer, just cannot get them back to how I really want them to look, without going into the time consuming process of wet-sanding and polishing, which I am not always comfortable doing on someone else's vehicle anyway and the owner usually does not have that type of time to be away from their vehicle either. For these types of vehicles that I know I can't get back to near 90% corrected, and that I know the owner still wants them to look super shiny, I will put a layer of Brilliant Glaze down first after polishing to try to smooth out some of those deeper scratches more before applying the Liquid Paint Sealant. It can also help make removal of any stubborn Paint Finishing Polish residue easier, that may get a little more difficult to remove during hot humid months...say out in the 90 degree sun on a black ZR1 at Corvettes at Carlisle back in August...Chris and I know all about that one... Sure, some will say "Hey that's just cheating if you're using a glaze to try to hide those imperfections!" and I can agree with that to an extent, but it's also my reputation on the line when I'm detailing a vehicle, and I know some owners want it to look the absolute best for minimal time, otherwise they will go and complain to all of their friends (those are the owners that I will kindly refuse to detail any more vehicles for them, but I digress...) - with the majority of them having no idea the level of work I've already put in to achieve results on a truly hammered car...I will take any advantage I can when I'm working on a poorly cared-for vehicle to get it looking as best as possible.

 

If the vehicle is nearly flawless after machine polishing, I will go straight to the Liquid Paint Sealant, then Brilliant Glaze an hour or two later, and then either Buttery Wax, Americana, or Patriot for the LSP. If it is a show-only type of vehicle that doesn't get out too much and I have that finish looking amazing, my loud blue car being a great example, I will go straight to Brilliant Glaze and Americana or Patriot Wax and skip over LPS entirely, because I enjoy waxing the car 3 or 4 times a year.

 

Yes, Jason is correct in that the paint has to breathe and that the Brilliant Glaze is going to wear off after a few weeks being underneath the LPS, but Chris, Dave, and I have all never had any issues with it leaving any type of haze or cloudiness, and it sure does make an owner's face happy when they come pick up their ride.

[Dan@Adams]

ok kids, that's enough. LOL

 

I can see both sides of this argument and I think it is a personal preference thing...that being said, in THIS video the boss man himself answers the question. I believe it is at about :50 to 1:00 min in that he talks about it.

 

You beat me to is as I was typing up my response, but I was going to link that video as well. Thanks!

[dakman47]

Ha.  I think he answers it both ways in the same video!  Personal preference it is then.  I guess I'll be adding Glaze to my next order.  I have a dark car showing up soon.  I'll try glaze under the LPS to see if I can get that "wet paint dripping off the car" look. 

 

Thanks for the guidance folks.

[Chris@Adams]

Ha. I think he answers it both ways in the same video! Personal preference it is then. I guess I'll be adding Glaze to my next order. I have a dark car showing up soon. I'll try glaze under the LPS to see if I can get that "wet paint dripping off the car" look.

 

 

Thanks for the guidance folks.

You WILL see a difference, also BG has some fillers to hide something you may have missed.

[Ricky Bobby]

Yes, Jason is correct in that the paint has to breathe and that the Brilliant Glaze is going to wear off after a few weeks being underneath the LPS, but Chris, Dave, and I have all never had any issues with it leaving any type of haze or cloudiness, and it sure does make an owner's face happy when they come pick up their ride.   ^^^Completely agree with this, its all "detailer preference"

 

In full agreement with your entire post Dan and everything you are recommending and saying.  I do not think the LPS will be compromised in protection, or will get cloudy etc if laying down a layer of BG first, if you want to put it down first, that is just fine and its one of those "do it your way" type of things.

 

The only thing I disagreed with and it may have gotten lost in my post, is the notion that you can "seal the glaze in and make it last longer" by putting something else on top of it, e.g. your Glaze will last longer if you apply it first and then LPS on top of it.  What will be lasting on top is the sealant, you aren't "boosting" the glaze by using a sealant over it.

 

I'm absolutely with you all that it is all personal preference and the LPS will bond just fine if there is some product on the surface, I just used G&G a month ago and just applied LPS last weekened for winter prep to my ride.

 

IPA wipes and completely bare surfaces should be reserved for ceramic coatings on vehicles and shouldn't be obsessed over unless you are applying them, your decontamination and your environmental conditions affect the longevity of a wax, glaze or sealant much more than whether there is a coat of glaze on there prior to application of your LSP - if you like BG, use it often for sure, great product!

Edited December 22, 2015 by Ricky Bobby

[BRZN]

Hey, just for fun, I'll throw my .02 in too, not sure how far off topic from the OP we've gotten though. I've been detailing for money or fun for 37 some odd years. I've always laid Glaze down over freshly polished paint, and then topped with my LSP.

 

Here's my thinking.

Any defects that remain will be filled somewhat by the fillers in the glaze (nature of the product) and hiding them. Then the LSP locks the glaze down. My experience tells me the LSP does lock on the glaze. I don't know the science behind it, just that that's my experience.

 

Try this sometime; take a darker colored vehicle with some swirls or holograms that are very noticeable. Thoroughly wash and clay it, then apply a glaze; sort of like a car dealer often does prior to sitting it out on the lot; glaze only no other LSP. Count how many times you wash it before the swirls or holograms reappear. Do the exact same procedure; thoroughly wash and clay it, apply a glaze, but now top the glaze with a wax or sealant. Again, count how many washing's it takes to see the swirls or holograms.

I'll bet you it'll take more washing's for the swirls and holograms to reappear.

 

Brilliant Glaze is a "beauty" product with some minor filling properties. To me, it adds the pop, and clarity to the paint. It has minimal longevity and seems to be removed after two weekly washing's, or one month of daily use of the vehicle. Wax adds the wet look, depth of shine and the gloss to the vehicles appearance, it can also bring out subtle hues from the paint glazes and sealants can't quite achieve. Sealants are getting closer though.

[Chris@Adams]

 

Bingo Dave^^ ......Here is what Adam has to say about it in another thread.

Regardless of the above conditions, the process I used to remove swirls or oxidation, and correct the paint was identical, without a single exception:

Waterless or Rinseless Wash the finish.

Clay Bar, including glass and chrome.

Paint Correcting Polish, using the Black/Orange Microfiber Cutting Pads.

Cyclo Polisher at full speed, setting 6.

6-8lbs of pressure, moving extremely slow across the finish.

3-4 passes over the same areas.

Working the polish longer makes it finish incredibly well.

Using the Cyclo with Red Foam Pads and Brilliant Glaze:

Apply directly over the Paint Finishing Polish residue. (Or not...sometimes.)

(We also used a Microfiber Applicator, or the Black UFO Foam Applicator with excellent results.)

Remove Brilliant Glaze residue with a Premium Microfiber.

Vehicles that live indoors day/night: Americana Paste or Buttery Wax

Vehicles that are drivers, and see some heavy use and/or outdoor living: Liquid Paint Sealant.

 

Have you been using Paint Finishing Polish, or are you achieving the results you are after with just the Paint Correcting Polish?

 

Reason for the question: We are selling the Finishing Polish and pads like crazy, but I don't want to make customers feel then need it, if in fact, they don't need it!

 

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

-Adam

[pirahnah3]

Wow...amazing how one little sentence sets off THAT chain. 

 

Thank you all for the honest answers to a simple question. It does appear to be mostly personal preference for the finish. 

 

I can certainly see the points to applying it before hand now, and while I can understand it as "cheating" for that perfect finish, but if we are all out seeking the perfect finish look for the least amount of work are we then just merely achieving the desired results? which then by said desire and satisfaction we really didn't cheat ourselves, just merely got the most of what we could get with the products at hand with the least amount of work? 

 

but that can get a whole lot deeper for no need in this thread. 

[Ricky Bobby]

^Deep thought right there.  Doesn't matter if you are polished to perfection or polished to 90% and the Brilliant Glaze got you the last 10%.  At a car show, or similar, perfect finish is perfect finish, and if you don't mind keeping the surface glazed in order to keep it "looking" perfect then its a win win for everybody.  BG is a great minor filling product by itself and adds a ton of shine - so if you like using it after your bi-weekly wash or once every month or so technically you should always have perfect looking paint

[Dwhite0960]

I personally like the idea of cheating a touch to make my work look that much more spectacular, if it brings attention to the customer behicles word of mouth will have you ordering more glaze!

[TheWolf]

For additional information, refer to the FAQ that discusses Glaze and Sealant and their primary purposes and affects on layering:

 

http://www.adamsforums.com/topic/27631-faq-should-i-use-wax-or-sealant-on-my-car/?p=434202

 

A few key points:

 

 

Sealants, glazes, waxes, and even coatings - in the world of car care right now there are a number of options when it comes to protection and enhancement of your vehicles exterior.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR OPTIONS

Each type of product provides unique benefits and some level of compromise. Understanding what benefits are part of each type of product and choosing your last step product (LSP) or combination of steps based on what you need them to do is important. Ultimately, each person needs to strike their own personal balance between 2 aspects:

DURABILITY = how long the product lasts and how well it protects the underlying clearcoat.

AESTHETICS = the visual impact the product provides in terms of added gloss, depth, etc.

GLAZE:

Durability: Very Low | Aesthetics: High

Glaze has long been a favorite product of car lots all over the world since they offer fast, easy, and inexpensive enhancement of painted surfaces in one step. However, the short lived effects have left more than a few new car owners wondering why their recent purchase looked so awful after just a few washes.

Ultimately glazes are best suited as a compliment to another LSP or used only for short term enhancement. The blends rarely lend themselves to more than a week of staying power in mild conditions and they're often easily washed away or evaporate when exposed to moderate heat.

In spite their short lifespan on your vehicles finish a glaze can offer fast, easy, and dramatic enhancement of gloss and depth making them a great choice as a topper right before a show, cruise, or whenever you want a little extra 'pop' on your finish.

SEALANT:

Durability: Moderate to High | Aesthetics: Low to Moderate

Sealants tend to be mostly synthetic man made products chemically engineered to do very specific things, but mostly they excel at providing durable protection.

LAYERING MULTIPLE PRODUCTS

As a general rule, the most durable product should always be used as the base, so for example if you were working with a sealant and a wax, the sealant would be your base layer that is then topped with the wax. The only exception to this rule comes into play with a combination of glazes and wax. Because wax doesn't bond to the paint in the same manner as a sealant or a coating a glaze can be used UNDER a wax to maximize the filling ability of the glaze without compromising the longevity of the wax coat.

The best thing to do is to experiment for yourself to see what you like. With so many possible combinations theres going to be a process that suits you best, finding it is just a matter of trying them and evaluating for yourself.

 

 

 

 

One more post on the topic:

 

If the reason you're adding sealant to the mix is for durability, flip the order of the glaze and the sealant. (Sealant first, then glaze) By putting glaze down first your significantly shortening the longevity of the sealant, and to that end whats the point of sealing if you're not doing it for the durability. You can do it the other way, but the benefits are largely lost.

 

 

Based on this information, I would conclude that the sealant WILL make the glaze last longer, but the sealant WILL NOT last near as long being applied on the top of the glaze.

 

So, if your goal is to use the glaze to hide imperfections or to add more gloss, and you want it to last longer than normal, add a layer of sealant or wax on top.  However, if your goal is to have a long lasting layer of protection by using the sealant, apply it first.

[Guest washemup]

I was happy with the results of BG, just surprised with the slow sheeting on the next weekly wash. Again, it did rain fairly hard one day during the week after the application, so I'm just thinking the glaze has worn down to the extent that it's slowing the sheeting during pooling rinse after washing.

 

No big deal though, if it doesn't sheet well on next wash, I'll just do a HGG application and get back to super sheeting!

 

I think I will use BG if someone wants a show car prep, before a car show, on a car with good paint already. A layer of it topped with a concours wax should look really good!

[Bill-V8V]

I like it, lots of great info in this thread !!!!

[ematt1212]

.  

Edited November 23, 2016 by ematt1212

[MrRaspberryJam]

Okay SO skimming through most of this thread without reading everything, what would be the best step by step process you guys recommend? Let's say after a nice clay bar detail

 

1. LPS

2. Wax

3. LPS

4. Brilliant Glaze

 

???

[James__]

Wash

Clay

Wipedown

Glaze

Paint Sealant

Wax