Adams Sealant & Ceramic Boost Issues

[Fricfracfrank]

I performed a test on a panel I had laying around with a few different products and different layering options to see how things would react with each other. After a quick water test I was settled on applying Adams paint sealant w/ Ceramic boost as a topper. I have applied CB to a white car not too long ago which proved great in both water behavior and how it makes maintenance washes quicker and easier. Thus I wanted these results on my own (blue) car WITH the increased protection/durability of the sealant. So....

 

I washed (w/o strip wash as I knew any previous protection was gone), clay, polished out a few scratches, IPA on polished areas, then applied Adams sealant. I now attempted to apply boost on top of the sealant in a small area of the hood and BAM!; streaks which were not easy to remove. At this point I decided to skip the CB on the paint and try my luck with it on the windows. Well even the windows proved to be a PITA with streaking all over.....the only way to removed them was with pressure, buffing and more pressure, to where I don't think there is any CB left on the windows.

 

Perhaps for the paint, the CB has to be used as a topper to a ceramic coating OR standalone and not with any other sealant? What about the windows? Any thoughts, tips & advice are appreciated.

Edited May 13, 2019 by Fricfracfrank

[Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin]

My experience with CB is similar. I found that using a new clean and dry microfiber helped in removing those streaks with less pressure. 
I found a few things that I have changed since my first few times using CB. I do also want to say that I think CB is an amazing product, but it took me a few tries (and still learning) to kind of figure out a process that I liked:

 

1. Using in warm Sun - I only try to use it in shade now, because I think the warmer temps and sun made the CB stick a little.

 

2. Using too much product - I think only two ish sprays per panel should be plenty. I was using 4 - 5. It spreads better than I thought it did at first.

 

3. Probably the biggest thing I found is using a clean and dry microfiber really helped with removing those streaks without requiring too much pressure. If I ever saw the streaks sticking too much I would flip the towel to a clean and dry side, if that side was still streaking, I switched to a new towel.

 

The new towel and using less product is what has been working better for me, recently.

Another few notes:

 

1. If you haven't tried HGG on the paint sealant, I have read amazing things. I have only used HGG as a stand along, and once or twice on a ceramic coat, and it's a very effective product. I cannot speak to using CB on PS.

 

2. This is dependent on a few things, but mainly what process you used for claying. I normally clay with Adam's DS and Visco Clay. Since I use the DS, and I plan to put a sealant or coat on the paint, then I will make sure to go over the whole surface with the surface prep or IPA, not only what was polished. That would remove the DS that I used with the clay bar so that I would have a naked surface for the protection of my choice. THis may or may not have had an impact on the CB streaking (probably not), but it may affect the durability of the PS.

 

I'm sure others will have some other ideas too as to what may have gone wrong.

 

[Parad0x]

My vehicle is ceramic coated but after experiencing mild streaking with CB 2.0 on dry paint, I now only use it after a wash as a drying aid, applied on moderately wet paint, and I no longer have an issue.  I do use a cordless leaf blower to blow off some of the water and get it out of cracks and crevices, but I find the extra bit of water left behind doesn't affect its 'boosting' effectiveness and considerably helps avoid streaking.  I use Ceramic Boost around once a month now and all the other washes in between are dried using Detail Spray.

[nateeric]

I apply CB to a dry vehicle after washing, I spray 1-2 sprays per panel, wipe it down with 1 cloth, then go behind with a fresh dry cloth and buff it until there are no streaks.  I've never really had an issue doing it this way, and am really happy with how CB performs over my CLW. I usually apply the boost every other wash.

Edited May 13, 2019 by nateeric

[Fricfracfrank]

 

 

 

58 minutes ago, Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin said:

My experience with CB is similar. I found that using a new clean and dry microfiber helped in removing those streaks with less pressure. 
I found a few things that I have changed since my first few times using CB. I do also want to say that I think CB is an amazing product, but it took me a few tries (and still learning) to kind of figure out a process that I liked:

 

1. Using in warm Sun - I only try to use it in shade now, because I think the warmer temps and sun made the CB stick a little.

 

2. Using too much product - I think only two ish sprays per panel should be plenty. I was using 4 - 5. It spreads better than I thought it did at first.

 

3. Probably the biggest thing I found is using a clean and dry microfiber really helped with removing those streaks without requiring too much pressure. If I ever saw the streaks sticking too much I would flip the towel to a clean and dry side, if that side was still streaking, I switched to a new towel.

 

The new towel and using less product is what has been working better for me, recently.

Another few notes:

 

1. If you haven't tried HGG on the paint sealant, I have read amazing things. I have only used HGG as a stand along, and once or twice on a ceramic coat, and it's a very effective product. I cannot speak to using CB on PS.

 

2. This is dependent on a few things, but mainly what process you used for claying. I normally clay with Adam's DS and Visco Clay. Since I use the DS, and I plan to put a sealant or coat on the paint, then I will make sure to go over the whole surface with the surface prep or IPA, not only what was polished. That would remove the DS that I used with the clay bar so that I would have a naked surface for the protection of my choice. THis may or may not have had an impact on the CB streaking (probably not), but it may affect the durability of the PS.

 

I'm sure others will have some other ideas too as to what may have gone wrong.

 

 

37 minutes ago, Parad0x said:

My vehicle is ceramic coated but after experiencing mild streaking with CB 2.0 on dry paint, I now only use it after a wash as a drying aid, applied on moderately wet paint, and I no longer have an issue.  I do use a cordless leaf blower to blow off some of the water and get it out of cracks and crevices, but I find the extra bit of water left behind doesn't affect its 'boosting' effectiveness and considerably helps avoid streaking.  I use Ceramic Boost around once a month now and all the other washes in between are dried using Detail Spray.

 

 

Thanks for all the input. Since the weather was cloudy the paint wasn't warm and direct sunlight wasn't a factor. I used a brand new Adams plush polishing towel as the second towel after spreading with a lower GSM microfiber towel using less than a full pump of the sprayer since I've experienced less is more with most detailing products. 

 

I clayed with a detail spray that did not contain any protection (wax/sealant). Adams liquid sealant went on/wiped off without any issues, and since CB was going over this I wouldn't think the a detail spray would affect the last layer of protection. Is HGG the same as the liquid paint sealant just with the ease of spraying on?

 

Would using CB as a drying aid on a non ceramic coated car prove effective  as on a coated car?

[RayS]

The rule of thumb is that ceramic based products should be used with other ceramic based products.  However, I have used CB and HGG on vehicles prepared the same way and found both of them to work very well.  I will say that when it comes to white cars, where I have no experience, the pictures tend to gravitate toward tHGG unless you are going full ceramic.

 

I have used CB on vehicles right on the paint, after Paint Sealant and on top of Ceramic Paste Wax.  With the non-sealant vehicle and the one with Paint Sealant, when using the dry method, I found that it would streak rather easy if I applied too much product or the towel started to get saturated.  Generally two sprays is plenty of product for a panel, the hood may take an additional squirt.

 

When using CB as a drying aid it is must more forgiving and have not had any streaks.  I always use two towels, one for the initial wipe down and then a dry one to go over the panel a second time.  When the dry towels starts to get wet, then I toss it in the bucket and grab another dry one.   For the vehicles with Ceramic Paste Wax, I have always done the wet method.

 

 

[Nickfire20]

7 hours ago, Fricfracfrank said:

 I used a brand new Adams plush polishing towel as the second towel after spreading with a lower GSM microfiber towel 

 

I use Adam’s Double Soft for application (wipe on, wipe off) just like DS.  There is basically no need for a second towel, when I do this.  

This is also Adam’s recommendation 

 

I use this on my coated Tahoe with flawless results 

I use this on my wifes NON coated Honda with 99% flawless results,  once in a while I will get a high spot at the edge of my spreading area, some waterless wash, and it’s gone.

[falcaineer]

8 hours ago, Fricfracfrank said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for all the input. Since the weather was cloudy the paint wasn't warm and direct sunlight wasn't a factor. I used a brand new Adams plush polishing towel as the second towel after spreading with a lower GSM microfiber towel using less than a full pump of the sprayer since I've experienced less is more with most detailing products. 

 

I clayed with a detail spray that did not contain any protection (wax/sealant). Adams liquid sealant went on/wiped off without any issues, and since CB was going over this I wouldn't think the a detail spray would affect the last layer of protection. Is HGG the same as the liquid paint sealant just with the ease of spraying on?

 

Would using CB as a drying aid on a non ceramic coated car prove effective  as on a coated car?

 

As Ray said, mixing product families, in this case acylic polymer sealants and silica-based products, isn't recommended. I recommend you use HGG with the PS. HGG is an acrylic polymer resin designed for use with PS; not the same, but similar and compliment each other very well. CB is a silica-infused product designed more for ceramic products.

 

The streaks are likely one of two things: you have version 1.0 (which would also explain the difficulty removing from glass; check the label directions to see if glass use is discouraged, v1.0, or allowed, v2.0), and/or you used too much.

 

CB can be used as a stand-alone protective layer, whether it's coated or not.