Wax Vs. Sealant
While both wax and sealant have their benefits and drawbacks, it ultimately comes down to how you want to use your vehicle. For a daily driver, it's worth it to get something that will last. For your weekend toy, you want something high-performance but doesn't need the durability.
Sealants
Sealants fall on the other side of the spectrum; they are completely synthetic. They are chemically engineered to achieve specific results, the most important of which is providing lasting protection. Sealants can easily be modified, customized, and blended in the lab to meet any number of criteria and performance requirements. Sealants (on average) provide more durability than comparably priced wax products. Sealants give your paint higher resistance to heat, UV rays and detergent abuse. This makes them ideal for your daily driver, a vehicle kept outside full time, and cars where paint protection and low maintenance are essential.
Waxes - The Traditional Way Of Protecting Paint
Waxes are different from sealants because they use natural, typically organic ingredients. There are waxes that use carnauba & beeswax to repel water and provide UV protection. Blending these ingredients with other compounds can help improve their quality.
What's The Difference Between Wax And Sealant?
A sealant is a product that is used to protect and enhance the appearance of a car's paint. It is applied to the surface of the vehicle, which then creates a shield against environmental elements. The sealant can be applied by hand or with an automated machine and it creates an even more protective layer than wax does.
A wax, on the other hand, is a liquid or paste product that when applied to automotive paint. Waxes are often used by people who want to give their cars an extra shine and keep it looking new for longer periods of time. They also offer protection against environmental elements like rain and snow.
While waxes can be applied by hand or with an automated machine, they are usually easier to apply when using an automated machine because they are less viscous than sealants are.
Using Both Sealant & Wax: The Best of Bothe Worlds
Why not do both? Sealants and waxes have different complementary functions, but layering will give you the absolute best of both worlds. Providing a high-quality detail service is a personal goal for many detailers and the reward can be knowing you've done your best. Using sealant and wax together is best for achieving the perfect finish.
The best practice is to start with a sealant and then use a wax, but realistically you don't have to follow the rules. Either way, you will get great performance. Experiment with different combinations of application order to find the best combination for YOU.
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