Trim is grey and ashy after Graphene ceramic coating

[Silverbugeye]

I have an F150 with a lot of black plastic trim. I used the Adams trim cleaner prior to the Graphene ceramic coating. Everything looked good until the 1 week mark. The trim beads water like crazy but is all white/grey/ashy colored.

 

mirrors, bed rails , bumper cover, side steps, windshield cowl. Everything that is black

 

The truck has less than 2K miles on it.

 

Black trim was washed, then Adams trim cleaner, then Graphene coating and no wiping. 24 hours plus in a closed garage.

 

Thoughts?

Edited August 7, 2020 by Silverbugeye

[falcaineer]

"...then Graphene Coating and no wiping..."

 

There's your issue. Graphene Ceramic Coating, once applied to trim, has to be leveled or it will cure looking like it does now - pictures would help us all see better what you experienced.

 

Unfortunately, I don't know how to correct it, but maybe others on here have some thoughts. @Chris@Adams @Dan@Adams

 

Here's the excerpt from the Plastic Trim and Headlights section of instructions on the website (instructions are the same for the Spray version, even though not explicitly outlined):

 

3. Once the recently applied product has penetrated, begin leveling the coating, applying minimal pressure to the towel in the process. Wipe down in a similar cross hatch pattern as applied, switching/flipping the towel periodically to use a new face to fully level the coating.

[The Guz]

2 hours ago, redreevos said:

So what has been the correction for this. I just purchased this graphene coating to do a brand new Volvo V90 wagon that has many of these "vinyl/plastic" type surfaces. Looks like I should purchase a different product. Is Adam's going to stay quiet about how to resolve the issue when it occurs?

 

The video, that was pointed out over a year ago, is still on youtube and I watched it before finding this thread. It clearly still states to just leave it on the trim, no need to wipe off. Why is this video still up? Thankfully I found this thread before applying.

 

Regardless of the coating always wipe off and level on trim to avoid issues.  

[Chris@Adams]

Yes that's exactly what happened, on trim you must wipe and level just like on paint.

I did a little test on my truck bumper to see what would happen if I didn't wipe off the Graphene, and yes it turned white-grey too.

I plan on working on it this weekend and will let you know what happens.

 

Here's the instructions from the site.

 

Instructions for Plastic Trim & Headlights:

1. Prepare your plastic trim or headlights by using the supplied 4oz bottle of Adam’s Surface Prep and edgeless utility towel to clean and degrease the surface of any existing protection or residual films. For heavily contaminated plastic trim or headlights, we recommend a deep cleanse with Tire & Rubber Cleaner and an edgeless utility towel.
2. Open the coating bottle and begin by dispensing numerous drops of the liquid onto the supplied Micro Silk applicator to sufficiently wet it. Work the product into the surface, ensuring full coverage over the desired area, using cross hatching motions and overlapping your previous pass by 25-50%. Since the product is being applied to a porous surface, you will not see a rainbow/ flashing effect - the immediate color change of the plastic or trim will reveal where the product has been applied. However, you are also able to utilize the Adam’s UV Flashlight for inspections where desired.
3. Once the recently applied product has penetrated, begin leveling the coating, applying minimal pressure to the towel in the process. Wipe down in a similar cross hatch pattern as applied, switching/flipping the towel periodically to use a new face to fully level the coating.
4. Once fully leveled, allow the coating to fully cure for 24 hours, free from water, elements, or weathering.

[Silverbugeye]

1 hour ago, Chris@Adams said:

Yes that's exactly what happened, on trim you must wipe and level just like on paint.

I did a little test on my truck bumper to see what would happen if I didn't wipe off the Graphene, and yes it turned white-grey too.

I plan on working on it this weekend and will let you know what happens.

 

Here's the instructions from the site.

 

Instructions for Plastic Trim & Headlights:

1. Prepare your plastic trim or headlights by using the supplied 4oz bottle of Adam’s Surface Prep and edgeless utility towel to clean and degrease the surface of any existing protection or residual films. For heavily contaminated plastic trim or headlights, we recommend a deep cleanse with Tire & Rubber Cleaner and an edgeless utility towel.
2. Open the coating bottle and begin by dispensing numerous drops of the liquid onto the supplied Micro Silk applicator to sufficiently wet it. Work the product into the surface, ensuring full coverage over the desired area, using cross hatching motions and overlapping your previous pass by 25-50%. Since the product is being applied to a porous surface, you will not see a rainbow/ flashing effect - the immediate color change of the plastic or trim will reveal where the product has been applied. However, you are also able to utilize the Adam’s UV Flashlight for inspections where desired.
3. Once the recently applied product has penetrated, begin leveling the coating, applying minimal pressure to the towel in the process. Wipe down in a similar cross hatch pattern as applied, switching/flipping the towel periodically to use a new face to fully level the coating.
4. Once fully leveled, allow the coating to fully cure for 24 hours, free from water, elements, or weathering.

Here are the instructions from the kit. Look at #3

[Chris@Adams]

This info (#3) is incorrect and needs change, I have brought it to the teams attention.

 Thank you.

[Silverbugeye]

1 hour ago, Chris@Adams said:

This info (#3) is incorrect and needs change, I have brought it to the teams attention.

 Thank you.

How should I resolve my issue?

[Chris@Adams]

54 minutes ago, Silverbugeye said:

How should I resolve my issue?

I scrubbed my plastic on my bumper for probably a hour. I used APC, Trim Cleaner & dish washing liquid. I used my SK Micro with the brush to do most of the cleaning. 
Good news I got 99% off, be patient it will clean off.

 

[rrmccabe]

Chris, you guys need to pull the videos off YouTube as well or there are going to be a ton of unhappy people.

 

Jump to 12 minute mark in video.

 

 

[makaman]

FYI this is still on youtube....

[Junior]

So does this only apply to the Graphene version of coating and spray coating? Would you need to wipe standard ceramic spray coating after application on plastic?

[Chris@Adams]

To be on the safe side, wipe trim when using all of our coatings.

[Mihir]

Hey everyone,

 

Now i have a problem.  I have coated an entire SUV with 2 coats of adam's graphene ceramic coating.  

 

I have buffed off all the parts including the exterior plastic trims. 

 

However i am facing cloudines/ hazing on the paint and the trim.

 

I have had entire coating leveled, buffed and cured for 7 days without having any water contact. Basically followed all instructions to the T.

 

However post a cyclonic rains( the car is parked in a semi closed garage and the side exposed to the exterior elements) the coating( on paint and the trims) has developed a haziness and clouding as if the coating has caught some kind of moisture. 

 

Please help. 

 

Warm regards, 

Mihir

 

[The Guz]

Have you washed it to see if it goes away?

 

[falcaineer]

10 hours ago, Mihir said:

Hey everyone,

 

Now i have a problem.  I have coated an entire SUV with 2 coats of adam's graphene ceramic coating.  

 

I have buffed off all the parts including the exterior plastic trims. 

 

However i am facing cloudines/ hazing on the paint and the trim.

 

I have had entire coating leveled, buffed and cured for 7 days without having any water contact. Basically followed all instructions to the T.

 

However post a cyclonic rains( the car is parked in a semi closed garage and the side exposed to the exterior elements) the coating( on paint and the trims) has developed a haziness and clouding as if the coating has caught some kind of moisture. 

 

Please help. 

 

Warm regards, 

Mihir

 

 

Any pictures? 

[Mihir]

20 hours ago, The Guz said:

Have you washed it to see if it goes away?

 

Not yet...actually the car belongs to a dear friend. Have told him for snaps

[Sam992]

So I decided to coat my car with Adam's Graphine ceramic coating... went very well actually... had a few high spots as expected and was able to address them with a simple technique ...

Suffice it to say, 2 weeks later I decided to wash the car for the first time... and what do I find after it dries? The black part of my car that I did with their product (following their instructions to the letter) have that crappy wax effect now and even rubbing alcohol doesn't remove it.. Worse yet, the louvers too...which have a lot of difficult to reach areas to properly wash/clean..

I did some google searching and came across this thread which shows I'm not the first guy... and they clearly need to re-do their videos and instructions manual so this doesn't happen again.

What do you all think I should do? I'm going to call them Monday morning, but I'm afraid this will require replacement of these trim parts as this stuff goes on for 7+ years... its' not going to come of with any reasonable amount of washing or even a strong lacquer remover or mineral spirts which could also damage the plastic and extremely hard to reach in the detailed part of my rear louvers... 

 

There needs to be a major re-call or at least a campaign to address this issue.. I had to apply Foruma 303 which I hate to do on my black trim just so I can stand to look at it... but if I wash the car, it comes right off and it goes back to the same old ugly white look...

 

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Sam992

[Chris@Adams]

Did you level the coating on your trim after applying same as your paint?

[Sam992]

1 minute ago, Chris@Adams said:

Did you level the coating on your trim after applying same as your paint?

 

of course not... the instructions said no need, as did your own video!  I followed the direction to the T...  I leveled the paint, and glass, and metal... looks great!  The rest of the car (thankfully I didn't do the front bumper) looks like crap! 

 

strangely it looked great until I washed it some two weeks later! 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Sam992

[Sam992]

No streaking appeared... matter of fact it looked great when I applied it and it remained so until the wash.., 

[Chris@Adams]

Yes the first instructions said no need to level, but I thought they changed & updated the instructions.

I wish you could have read my earlier post in this thread were I told everyone to always level to be on the safe side. Believe me I feel for you, at first I did the same thing with similar results.
 

[Sam992]

Just now, Chris@Adams said:

Yes the first instructions said no need to level, but I thought they changed & updated the instructions.

I wish you could have read my earlier post in this thread were I told everyone to always level to be on the safe side. Believe me I feel for you, at first I did the same thing with similar results.
 

 

I only came across this thread after this happened as a result of a google search...   I'm not new to this sort of thing... I've done ceramic coatings on other cars I own...  I deliberately watched the videos (including yours) and read the instructions carefully... 

 

I will be calling in tomorrow and need to talk to a manager about a solution for this mess.. 

[The Guz]

Always level down any coating on trim regardless of what the directions say to avoid things such as this.  There is another popular coating brand that had the same issue with their trim coating.  

 

You have a couple options.  A magic eraser with undiluted all purpose cleaner.  The other is finding a polish that does not stain trim and use a microfiber towel or applicator.  Patience when doing either method.  

[Sam992]

Just got off the phone with the rep that answered, and it took a good bit of effect to explain the situation, as he initially thought I was referring to the paint having high spots, and he didn't seem to understand that I completely followed the instructions 100% ... kept referring to installation errors..  anyway, he is sending me Adam's Black Trim Restorer and Black trim cleaner which he says will fix this...  I am not at all looking forward to doing the louvers especially .. all those tiny spaces. I think maybe a tooth brush will help?  

 

But it upsets me the way he was deflecting the issue to me though as some sort of error .... 

 

Let's hope this fixes this fiasco .. if not, I will escalate this somehow. 

 

 

[Brewder]

I look forward to you posting your results...  I have exactly the same issue after ceramic coating my car..  I'm very unhappy with the "ash" color of my window trim, cowl, and mud flaps...  all areas I either purposely coated, or bumped in the application process.  NOTHING has fixed it for me....  I know the Adams trim restorer is a "stain" so be careful with it and definitely keep us posted!

[Sam992]

12 minutes ago, Brewder said:

I look forward to you posting your results...  I have exactly the same issue after ceramic coating my car..  I'm very unhappy with the "ash" color of my window trim, cowl, and mud flaps...  all areas I either purposely coated, or bumped in the application process.  NOTHING has fixed it for me....  I know the Adams trim restorer is a "stain" so be careful with it and definitely keep us posted!

I have no intention of applying any sort of stain on this car... it's practically brand new...  I will use the cleaner .. but if the restore is a stain, it will come no where near my car.. The idea is to remove the error, not to pile on to it..

 

I might be tempted to use the stain on the kkckboards, but no chance of it getting on my louvers ..