What is the best sealant or wax to use on mid-tone metallic/pearlescent colours?

Compared to their lighter counterparts, mid-tone metallic/pearlescent colours have enough additional colour depth to give them a significantly greater degree of reflectivity. Not only does this make it far easier to achieve a finish with much greater clarity and depth, but it also enhances how wet the paint looks, as more highlights are shown up in the finish. Consequently, it is not difficult to achieve an excellent finish on such colours, and most last step products will produce good results. However, we believe it is always better to work with the characteristics of the paint rather than against them, and for this reason we recommend using a synthetic sealant instead of a natural carnauba wax as the last step product on mid-tone metallic/pearlescent colours. This is because sealants tend to lay down an exceptionally smooth, highly dense surface coating that minimises any scattering of light caused by micro-structures in the surface of the paint, meaning that metallic and pearlescent flakes receive more transmitted light and thus appear to stand out more from the base colour (a phenomenon commonly referred to as flake pop). Moreover, the same smoothing properties also ensure that light is reflected far more efficiently than would be the case with a microscopically rougher, less dense natural carnauba wax coating, meaning that reflections are afforded much greater clarity and depth.

Out of the various synthetic polymer sealant systems we stock, we favour either the Werkstat Acrylic Kit or the Blackfire Wet Diamond Kit for optimal results on mid-tone metallic/pearlescent colours. The Werkstat Acrylic Kit delivers an incredible level of reflectivity characterised by amazing clarity and depth, and makes metallic and pearlescent flakes stand out from the base colour more than any other product we have used. Indeed, on some mid-tone metallic colours we have worked on, it has literally made the flake appear to explode out of the surface of the paint when viewed in direct sunlight. Further benefits afforded by the Werkstat Acrylic Kit include terrific ease of use, even in cold and damp conditions, and excellent durability, with a single application of the three component system typically lasting for around three months on a daily driver, although this can be extended almost indefinitely if regular quick detailing is undertaken. Alternatively, the Blackfire Wet Diamond Kit delivers an equally outstanding finish, characterised by slightly less flake pop but greater jetting and outright gloss. Further benefits afforded by the Blackfire Wet Diamond Kit include terrific ease of use and excellent durability, with a single application typically lasting for around three months on a daily driver, although this can be extended almost indefinitely if regular quick detailing is undertaken.


Results produced by the Werkstat Acrylic Kit on a mid-tone metallic blue...

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Results produced by the Werkstat Acrylic Kit on a mid-tone metallic blue...

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Results produced by the Werkstat Acrylic Kit on a mid-tone metallic blue...

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