DO CAR WAX SEALANTS PROTECT PAINT?

In this article you will learn:

The difference between car waxes and paint sealants

How to choose which product is best for you

The benefits of using a hybrid solution

There are lots of products out there that are designed to protect your delicate paintwork: car wax, paint sealants, professional coatings, car wax sealant sprays. With so many options to choose from, your search can quickly become overwhelming. How do you determine which product is best for you? And what is a car wax sealant, anyway?

The good news is, a lot of these options are just fancy industry terms for the same kind of products. That narrows your options down to two major choices: car waxes and paint sealants. Choosing the one that's best for you depends on how often you maintain your car and what type of benefits you’re looking for.

The Difference Between Waxes and Sealants

The main difference between car waxes and paint sealants is what ingredients they’re made from and how those ingredients work together to protect and/or shine your vehicle. Basically, it’s all in the chemistry.

Traditional car wax products are made of natural ingredients, such as bees wax and carnauba wax, combined with naturally occurring oils like linseed oil and turpentine. This blend of smoothing and shining agents glides effortlessly over the surface of your vehicle to fill in light imperfections and add a warm glow to your painted finish.

Sealants and coatings, on the other hand, use synthetic compounds, such as graphene, silicones and acrylics, which harden and cure to form a tough web of protection around your vehicle. They also contain special solvents and distributing agents help maintain the product’s consistency.

With such a huge different in formula and function, it’s clear that waxes and sealants were made with two distinct purposes in mind: one to protect, and the other to shine your vehicle.

the difference between waxes and sealants

Sealants Are Better For Protection

The synthetic components in professional coatings and sealants add more durable, long-lasting protection to your vehicle. When tested against the world’s toughest waxes, sealant-coated panels showed virtually no signs of wear and tear, and this insane level of protection lasts anywhere from 6-12 months!

Cars that were only coated in a layer of wax still show evidence of scratches, swirls and oxidation, especially if they aren’t routinely washed and waxed by their owners. This makes sealants and coatings perfect for anyone who wants to maintain their car’s resale value without pouring hours into correcting and polishing their finish.

Although sealants are more expensive than waxes, they’re well worth it because of the foolproof, environmental protection they provide. Your car will maintain its depth of color and consistency through rain, extreme heat and harsh, winter storms. Just give car a thorough wash and a once-over with a clay bar before adding a year’s worth of protection in one simple step!

Unfortunately, sealants only add a minimal gloss to your painted finish when compared with the mirror-like shine of most traditional waxes. While your car may be well protected from the sun’s powerful, UV rays, it’s still missing that coveted “wow” factor.

Pro Tip: Use a heavy-duty car wash soap like Turtle Wax Max Power Wash to strip away tough soils and old layers of wax before applying your sealant for the smoothest possible finish!

Waxes Provide Unparalleled Shine

While traditional waxes aren’t as durable as professional coatings or paint sealant, they are responsible for that deeper, high gloss shine that makes your car look fresh off the showroom floor. Carnauba wax, bees wax and naturally occurring oils all contain highly reflective properties, especially when combined. These characteristics make wax an excellent choice for car enthusiasts looking to maintain the pristine condition of their classic show car. All you need is a gentle, microfiber towel and one free afternoon to give your car a luxurious luster.

Most waxes only last for about 6-8 weeks before they need to be reapplied. Car owners who opt for traditional waxes usually wash and wax their car at least once a month, if not even more often. They prefer to use more natural ingredients on their painted finish and enjoy taking the extra time to maintain their car.

If you use wax to protect your vehicle, you should still be prepared for the possibility that an unfortunate mishap will scratch or swirl your glossy finish. Whether it’s flying debris on the highway or a car door scraping yours in the parking lot, wax won’t be able to withstand these occurrences the way paint sealants can. However, they still offer some protection against light scratches, swirls and oxidation.

The Best of Both Worlds

Wouldn't it be great if you could get the exceptional durability of a sealant while also enjoying the eye-popping shine of a car wax? Well, that’s the beauty of car wax sealants.

Car wax sealants are products that contain the traditional, carnauba wax blend along with ceramic, acrylic or graphene polymers to give you the best of both worlds. Not only do they seal and protect your finish from the elements, they also create a crazy, hydrophobic shine that lasts much longer than the average wax.

Since these products perform the role of both a wax and a sealant, we call them Hybrid Solutions!

If you’re new to using a hybrid solution and want to reap the benefits of both a car wax and a sealant, we recommend starting with the Hybrid Solutions Pro Flex Wax. This ceramic wax comes in a spray, so it’s quicker and easier to apply. Plus, it contains graphene, the most durable and advanced component in sealants today!