What is the difference between coating wax and regular wax?
3 Answers
Coating wax is generally in a milky form, similar to professional coating agents. The advantages of coating wax include excellent brightness and much better durability compared to regular car wax. Wax containing petroleum distillates can be harmful to both human health and the environment, whereas coating wax, being free of petroleum distillates, is non-greasy and can be used on car paint, leather, rubber, and plastic. Waxing, on the other hand, achieves a shiny effect by polishing out minor scratches on the car's paint surface through abrasion. Additional information: Coating wax is typically categorized into solid wax or liquid wax. Solid wax is commonly known as abrasive wax, while liquid wax is referred to as a brightener or glaze. The advantages of car waxing lie in its low cost and short application time, with some car owners even able to do it themselves. However, the downside is that the coating wax used can have a certain corrosive effect on the car's paint. Moreover, long-term waxing will inevitably thin out the paint layer, thereby reducing its protective effect on the car body.
The difference between coating wax and regular wax is quite significant. Regular wax is primarily made of natural waxes, such as carnauba wax, and applying it is like adding a thin layer of grease to the car's paint. It can repel some dust and keep the car shiny for a few days, but it generally wears off in two to three weeks due to exposure to wind and sunlight. Coating wax, on the other hand, is essentially a synthetic silica polymer. When applied, it forms a glass-like hard shell on the paint surface, providing waterproofing and UV protection, similar to the lotus effect, causing water to bead up and roll off. Regular wax lasts at most a month, while coating wax can endure for at least three to four months, with particularly noticeable effects during rainy seasons. Additionally, coating wax can fill in minor scratches, whereas regular wax merely polishes the paint.
Regular wax is like applying a soft screen protector to your phone, while coating wax is more akin to a tempered glass protector. After applying regular wax, the surface feels greasy to the touch, with mediocre water beading effects—dust and mud can still gradually stick to it. In contrast, after applying coating wax, the paint gains a cold, glass-like texture, with a water contact angle exceeding 110 degrees, making it nearly impossible for rainwater to cling and dirt to adhere. The most critical difference lies in UV protection: regular wax blocks less than 30% of UV rays, leaving the paint prone to yellowing and fading over time, whereas the silicon dioxide in coating wax shields over 90% of UV radiation, essentially dressing the paint in sunscreen. Additionally, coating wax enhances the reflective depth of darker paint colors, creating a more three-dimensional shine.
