Tight Water Beading!

[imported_Luster]

Tight beading is one sure sign of good wax or sealant protection on your paint.

A well-sealed vehicle in the rain, will have nice tight small beads of water, "standing proud"!!!:thumbup:

Slightly larger beads indicate less paint protection, and "sheeting" in the rain, indicates little or no protection.

Paint that is oxidized actually holds water because it is rough in texture and will hold water like a sponge!

Here is an example of "TIGHT BEADING". Two coats of Blackfire WD.







This is "Large Beading", indicating some protection: Could use a coat of sealant or wax.



This is "Water Sheeting", indication Very little protection: Needs sealant or wax.





Sheeting may also occur when rinsing your car using the "Flooding" method. Not the same. I am referring to rain water for this discussion.

There are 2 exceptions:
1. A brand new paint job will bead with no wax or sealant on it.
2. A just-polished vehicle will also bead with no wax or sealant.

The reason? There are oils in the paint and the polish that promote beading. But it won`t last long.

Your comments are welcome!

[imported_Luster]

Here`s a good example of "Sheeting" vs. "Beading".

[Old Pirate]

Thanks for the write-up Bill, It was my pleasure to talk to you today:thumbup:

[Tuck91]

cool pictures.
I noticed that even cars with the large beading still seem to have extremly little wax on them like you pointed out.

and when the water just absorbs into the finish of the car it dries itself even after you wash it.

[Todd@RUPES]

From my understanding, in talking with chemists and formulators, is that the water beading itself isn`t the litmus test in which protection can be judged. Water beading is generally a function of surface tension, we have heard this repeated over and over. But what does it mean?

Surface tension is a property of the liquid and not of the surface. For example, if the the liquid has a high surface tension (think of liquid mercury) then it will bead, even on unwaxed paint (I`m not recommending anybody try this)! Or think of a water faucet that dripping water. As the mass of the water increases, the droplet elongates, with the biggest part stretching away from the faucet. At some point the water stretches so far that the surface tension binding it to the faucet is broken.

So how does wax and or a sealant promote surface tension? Since surface tension, in layman`s terms, is how strongly a liquid is attracted to itself, if water is added on top of a surface that water isn`t attracted to, it will bead up. Simply the attraction that water has to itself is greater then the attraction water has to the sealant or wax.

If no beading occurs and the water lays flat, the water, for a number of reasons, it is more attracted to surface then itself.

So water beading has very little effect on how well your paint is protected. To prove this lets look at extremes. Say we have a wax that promotes very tight beading but has no ingredients designed for protection. Even if this wax beads for 6 months, it has done nothing to protect the paint. By the same extreme token, let`s say we have a wax that has amazing protection but is more attractive to water. We get little water beading for 6 months, but the paint has been sealed.

However changes in water beading through out the life cycle of the wax or sealant may be an more indicative indicator of the performance. If a product beads water well for two weeks, and then begins to loose it`s initial beading, then something has changed on the surface. It could be something as simple as a dirty surface or contamination, which increases the surface area. If the surface is clean then `something` on the surface itself has changed. In terms of a wax or sealant, this likely means that some of the protective film (the part that reduced the attraction of water) is gone. This could suggest that the wax or sealant is beginning to wear away.

However if a wax or sealant shows little changes in its initial water beading characteristics (whatever they may be) then this could be a strong indicator that much of the original film is still intact.

[imported_Luster]

So, Todd, are you stating, that, even if water is sheeting (in the rain, not when flooding with a hose), that the paint surface may still be protected and not be in need of wax or sealant?

I`ve never known that to be true. In all cases that I`ve witnessed, extreme beading occurs immediately after sealing/waxing, and sheeting occurs when that protection begins to wear off.

[Todd@RUPES]

So, Todd, are you stating, that, even if water is sheeting (in the rain, not when flooding with a hose), that the paint surface may still be protected and not be in need of wax or sealant?

What I am stating is simply that a change in the initial beading pattern could suggest a change in the initial protection. Too many times people get caught up on the exact tightness of the beads, as in x`s products beading higher and taller then y`s products. This initial beading pattern itself has little to nothing to do with how well protected the paint is. It is the degradation of initial pattern (or as you state it, sheeting) that may represent a degradation of the amount of product remaining on the paint.

[/QUOTE]I`ve never known that to be true. In all cases that I`ve witnessed, extreme beading occurs immediately after sealing/waxing, and sheeting occurs when that protection begins to wear off.[/QUOTE]

I agree. The initial pattern of water beading is not as important as it`s degradation.

[imported_Luster]

What I am stating is simply that a change in the initial beading pattern could suggest a change in the initial protection. Too many times people get caught up on the exact tightness of the beads, as in x`s products beading higher and taller then y`s products. This initial beading pattern itself has little to nothing to do with how well protected the paint is. It is the degradation of initial pattern (or as you state it, sheeting) that may represent a degradation of the amount of product remaining on the paint.

I agree. The initial pattern of water beading is not as important as it`s degradation.

Agreed. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

[EclecTech]

So water beading has very little effect on how well your paint is protected. To prove this lets look at extremes. Say we have a wax that promotes very tight beading but has no ingredients designed for protection. Even if this wax beads for 6 months, it has done nothing to protect the paint. By the same extreme token, let`s say we have a wax that has amazing protection but is more attractive to water. We get little water beading for 6 months, but the paint has been sealed.

Perhaps this is a loaded question, but how can I gauge how well the paint is protected? This type of thread keep`s me coming back :notworthy:. Thanks!

Jack

[imported_Luster]

Perhaps this is a loaded question, but how can I gauge how well the paint is protected? This type of thread keep`s me coming back :notworthy:. Thanks!

Jack

That was the purpose of this thread... I always judged the amount of protection by the beading intensity. More beading = better protection. Of course, this is based on "visual" examination only. Is there a better method?

Looking at this photo, isn`t it obvious which side is protected?



If there is a more scientific way to judge paint protection, I would like to have that knowledge.

[supercharged]

the tightest beading action I`ve seen from inexpensive waxes is from CG Pete`s 53. CG 5050 water beading isn`t even close to it, although 5050 is very nice wax...I still haven`t really checked beading action of BF Midnight Sun...

[TOGWT]

Nearly all wax and sealant products exhibit water beading or sheeting initially (in fact so does a clean paint surface without an applied protection) this is due solely to surface tension, once the protection breaks down (abrasion from water, road dirt/grime and other airborne pollutants) it will cause a reduction in the surface tension and the beading will revert to its former level

If your goal is maximum paint surface protection - don`t use water beading/sheeting as an indicator; while it?s true that it is a visual indicator that a wax / sealant previously applied is still present it does not guarantee that it?s actually providing protection. Beading on a paint surface is aesthetically pleasant, and many people equate beading with protection; there is a long standing myth ?that as long as a paint surface maintains beading it?s being protected from the elements?

Sheeting or water beading- almost any product can be reformulated by a Chemist with active surface agents (surfactants) either ionic (?sheeting?) or non-ionic (?beading?) that alters the surface tension and causes water to ?sheet? or ?bead? to satisfy consumer demand. But if a product beads on initial application and after a period of time starts to sheet water (or visa versa) it is normally indicative that the wax/sealant protection has diminished.

An extract from one of a series of in-depth detailing articles ? TOGWT ? Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all rights reserved

[TOGWT]

[If there is a more scientific way to judge paint protection, I would like to have that knowledge.]

Scientific explanation

?Water is a polar molecule, composed of two hydrogen atoms bonded to a single oxygen atom. Water molecules adhere to each other, this is called cohesion.

?Water molecules also can be attracted to other substances, such as metal or dirt, especially if they have some static charge on them, this is called adhesion.

?Some substances are not attracted to water, and even repel it. These include oils, fats and waxes; these are called non-polar substances.
When water falls on an un-waxed paint surface, the forces of adhesion and cohesion are almost in equalibrium, and the water spreads out

A wax or sealant, when applied properly to a clean paint surface, fills in the larger surface fissures and layers the whole car. The chemical structure of the wax prevents water from penetrating to the surface of the car. Because the wax itself is hydrophobic (literally repels water), the forces of adhesion are much less than the forces of cohesion. So, water is more likely to bead higher and rounder than on a surface without wax / sealant


Not scientific, but the best explanations I`ve seen-

1.If the paint surface feels dry (your hand or a cloth drags), it?s an indication that there?s nothing left between you and the paint finish. Glazes, waxes and polymer?s create a finish with less friction (surface tension) than the paint itself.

2.A suggestion from a polymer product manufacturer -

[To test your wax / sealant you must measure the water beading of your paint (height, contact angle and diameter) without any polish/wax applied.

Next, measure the water beading of your paint (height, contact angle and diameter) within 24 hours after initially applying your polish/wax. This is your starting point. This will also be the gauge for determining the water beading (longevity, duration and changes) for that specific product.

As the water beads start to diminish (get wider and shallower and loses contact angle), the polish/wax and its film protection factor is going away, Once the water beading is the same as before you apply your product, the polish/wax and its protection are gone] [Sal Zaino]

Conclusion- water beading is indicative but not conclusive proof of protection

Note - durability can fluctuate dependent upon environmental conditions and the products used between waxing/sealing (quick detailer (QD) car wash concentrate, Spray Wax, etc)

An extract from one of a series of in-depth detailing articles ? TOGWT ? Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all rights reserved

[EclecTech]

I think I`ve got it now... purchase quality products from a reputable distributor who takes the time to work with the manufacturers and trust that the paint is protected. Reapply as indicated by the relative water beading (or for the sheer enjoyment) as necessary.

No doubt about it, I`d rather keep my paint beading like the example given on the right. Thanks for the info.

Jack

[Todd@RUPES]

I think I`ve got it now... purchase quality products from a reputable distributor who takes the time to work with the manufacturers and trust that the paint is protected. Reapply as indicated by the relative water beading (or for the sheer enjoyment) as necessary.

No doubt about it, I`d rather keep my paint beading like the example given on the right. Thanks for the info.

Jack

That`s about it Jack!