When Do You Use a Glaze?

I'm new to this, just worked up the courage (with Phil's help) to start using a DA and the results have been great. I like using a sealant and recently added a top coat of wax (AF Illusions which is fantastic) . But when and why do you use a glaze ?

 

Glazes are used to hide imperfections and add gloss and shine. They will fill in swirl marks and hide slight imperfections. I like to use them on a show car after a full detail to give it that extra pop. I probably wouldn't use a glaze on a daily driver or a car parked outside. I use a glaze on my Shelby right before a show.

 

Thanks, do you put a coat of wax before or on top of the glaze?

 

Again, the Glaze is used to hide imperfections, add a little more gloss. So this would be put on after paint correction..

The last step in your process, would be to apply a wax, sealant, etc..

Good luck with your process !
Dan F

 

You use a glaze before a wax/sealant but after polishing. Its like "make-up" to hide any slight defects. But, theoretically, any defects that a glaze could hide would be gone from polishing. A glaze can only hide slight swirls.

A lot of hardcore detail guys won't use glazes, because they only temporarily mask any swirls, and its usually fairly easy to polish them out so they are gone. Unless your detailing for dollars, and that is what the customer wants or can afford.

You also could run into the situation where a paint is to thin to safely polish, then periodic application of a glaze could help mask the defects.

Glazes are also used when a car is newly painted at the body shop. Often time this is used to hide the holograms the painter put into the paint with rotary buffing. After a few rains, the glaze is gone and the holograms are back. Believe it or not, this is fairly common on the re-finishing industry. Most glazes are also safe on fresh paint that shouldn't be waxed or sealed for 30 days.

But not all glazes are the same. Products like Prima Amigo are a glaze/paint cleaner/light polish. This is an awesome product to prep a car with for an LSP with no swirls. Glazes like Wet Glaze 2.0 and Black Hole are often used as "gloss enhancers" as well.

 

That's exactly why I was asking. I bought a beautiful black CPO last year and it looked great when I picked it up, but after a few washes it looked horrendous; swirls, buffer trails, holograms etc. I had Dave Saunders ( Street Dreams Detail - New Jersey's Finest Car Care - Home ) do the paint correction and it was just a miraculous transformation. He told me that just about every dealership uses a glaze to hide the swirls etc which is just as you said too. Recently a friend told me about Black Hole, so that's why I was wondering when and if you use a glaze. I want to keep up the great look that Dave attained on my car, so I've just started doing the basic stuff. Now what is an LSP?

 

" Now what is an LSP? "

I cant believe you had one of the best Detailers on the East Coast work on your car, and you came away not knowing anything?


Dan F

 

http://www.detailingbliss.com/forum/detailing-school/773-detailers-acronym-list.html

LSP: wax, sealant, coating

 

IMO Glazes are for production shops but thats just me.

 

Agreed, but the pure gloss enhancer glazes IMO add a layer of wetness and depth, like WG2.0 or CG EZ Creme.

 

Because Dave detailed my car I should know what LSP means ? Other than being insulting by saying I don't know anything, I don't understand what you mean by that comment.

 

Thanks wheel for answering my question and the link to the acronym list.

 

On donuts..............donuts only.

 

I think glaze even if was applied would be stripped when you do a IPA wipe down before applying a sealant or wax. I don't use them unless the car is a garage kept weekend driver.

 

I used to use Adam's Brilliant Glaze and it looked amazing, but I found it really cut down on the durability of the Americana wax. Now I just use it to clean the flat black stripes on my Charger.

 

I actually love using HD Speed as my "glaze" under either HD Poxy or Nitro Seal, but I personally feel it gives a better base and makes them last longer.

 

Yup, and they are a great source of bringing in mayhem!

 

I don't think he was trying to insult you. He most likely meant it this way: "You had one of the top detailers work on your car, and he didn't teach you anything in terms of basic maintenance and the most common terms/acronyms?!"

To answer the OP question, I don't use glazes. Anything a glaze could hide, I'd rather use a very light polish/swirl remover and fix the issue rather than hide it. In the extremely rare case the car's paint is too thin to polish, even ever so slightly, I tell the owner "what's up" and have them be prepared to paint the car in the coming months/years as the damage is too far gone.

 

I never glazed and never will, in my opinion its just as similar as "throwing a coat of wax" from the big box stores that has a bunch of fillers.