Best Practices: Ultima Paint Guard Plus 

-Surface Care Specialist

This is a Q&A with Rick Vaal, Formulator and CEO of Premium Finish Care, regarding Ultima Paint Guard Plus, as discussed on Autogeek.

 

Question 1) What are the ideal temperature and humidity ranges for the correct curing of Ultima Paint Guard Plus? (I have had some difficulty achieving proper flattening and curing to a crystal finish under temperatures of 55 degrees f. The UPGP seems to be more temperature sensitive than many other paint sealants I have worked with, and a proper cure it critical to the end result.)
Answer: Yes, Ultima Paint Guard Plus is sensitive to cooler temperatures (50f or below) as well as a high humidity climate. In some cases for both situations, after 30 minutes you may need to wipe the excess off using a clean dry microfiber towel. Ideal temperatures are between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and no wiping is needed if the correct amount is used. 

Question 2) How can you obtain excellent swirl filling with UPGP?
Answer:  Ulima Paint Guard Plus contains only curable blended polymers which will dry and not leave a smeary film or false appearance. It contains no simple silicones which are in most other brands which do hide swirls but will wash off after first wash and reveal the swirls again. We recommend removing the swirls with Paint Prep Plus using the supplied orange applicator by hand or for best results a dual action polisher (Ultimate Detailing Machine by Porter Cable) equipped with a Sonus Orange SON-SFX-3FP foam pad. All orange pads on the market are not the same as Sonus pad. The Sonus pad is a special closed cell foam which is important to create the needed friction to break down the Ultima Paint Prep Plus properly. The Nano size particles will not break down when the foam cells are too large. The Nano particles will simply embed into the larger cells and not reach the surface and cause a haze or not provide the swirl/light scratch removal.

Question 3) Can UPGP bond to natural or synthetic waxes used to level the paint prior to UPGP application?
Answer: It is best to apply Ultima Paint Guard Plus first before any waxes. Waxes will not level the paint but only hide imperfections. (I have not found your Ultima Paint Prep Plus to be an effective filler of paint blemishes such as swirls or fine clearcoat scratches.) By hand, on hard finishes or deep swirls Ultima Paint Prep Plus may not be effective. But, using a machine as described above you can remove light swirls, holograms or very light scratches. Ultima Paint Prep Plus was not designed for old neglected finishes and was really designed to properly clean the finish of grime, light tar and allow the Ultima Paint Guard Plus to bond to the surface. But we have found by machine some leveling can happen. (Your website animation suggest UPGP will help even/level/fill the surface of clearcoat exposed to the elements. After using UPGP on vehicles from 2-16 years of age, I have not achieved any significant amount of coverage of imperfections. On an older vehicle that cannot endure heavy polishing, a scratch/swirl filling product is necessary to hide damage. From my experience, the crystal clarity and strong reflectance of cured UPGP can actually make certain swirl damage more noticeable when compared to an application of traditional wax.) Yes, Ultima Paint Guard will not hide because it dries completely and clear. Ultima Paint Guard may fill in swirled paints and protect but not hide. We choose to create a product to protect and to completely dry so it as longevity and not attract dust. We never designed it for old neglected finishes that have not been restored first by proper compounds and polishes. (I have found that top coating UPGP with a wax does help reduce minor finish imperfections visible after 3+ layers of UPGP. What do you recommend?) Well, most waxes have silicone in the formula and will hide for a very short time. Again, proper paint correction will remove imperfections then Paint Guard Pluswill do what it has been designed to do. To add shine and protection. 

Question 4) Similarly, are there any classes/categories of glazes or waxes which will not reduce the performance of UPGP if layered above/below UPGP? (In other words, am I defeating the integrity of UPGP if I top coat it with a rich wax and then attempt to recoat it a month later with UPGP? I have found that UPGP does apply evenly over certain other waxes and sealants. It appears that some waxes result in such low surface adhesion or high hydrophobicity that UPGP does not achieve the adhesion required for an even application (it is more difficult to spread over a surface coated with another wax/sealant compared to a surface previously coated with UPGP).)
Answer:I have seen some strong petrolieupetroleumxes/sealants remove some of the Ultima Paint Guard Plus. Especially before it had time to cure. Their strength is also very harmful to the finish itself. I do not recommend another wax below UPGP. Also, I have found many so called glazes (which I do not agree with a glaze because they are just a cover up) have a silicone or large amounts of mineral oils which yes hide imperfections but can also not allow UPGP to bond properly. They of course wash off with the first wash or even in some cases rain itself.. 

Question 5) How many ultra-thin coats of UPGP can be applied with enhanced results (layering capability)? (I have found the reflectance and depth of the finish improves with a second and third consecutive coat of UPGP with proper curing between coats. Does the thickness of the UPGP actually continue to increase with additional coats beyond 3?)
Answer:I have found that after three coats it has no benefit. 

Question 6) Can UPGP be enhanced with Polycharger in a separate spray bottle for faster curing and enhanced durability? 
Answer: No, smearing will ocurr. (I could not find reference to this on your site. The biggest drawback I have found to the application of UPGP is the cure time. It is winter, and I can only heat my garage to about 60f.) Yes this is true, I suggest applying two coats and then after 30 minutes wipe with a clean dry microfiber. (Also, can the Ultima Waterless Wash Plus be enhanced in a detail bottle mixture with additional polycharger?) Yes with the H2O version at one dose. Or by purchasing the Waterless wash concentrate you can make the mixture stronger.