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| Roadfly Official Time: Feb 9, 2010 10:23am EST |
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Water Beading: What most people attribute to a film surface protection being functional is the visual indicator of water beading on the paint film surface. However, you cannot equate a products beading ability to protection and durability, if an applied product continues to `bead' water, one wash after another, then that would prove it's durability (in that whatever it is that is causing high surface tension is not washing off) but durability and protection are two different things. If your goal is maximum protection, don't use water beading as an indicator; while its true that it is a visual indicator that a wax / sealant previously applied is still present it does not guarantee that its actually providing protection.(See also Durability) Durability: [: able to exist for a long time without significant deterioration] 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 protection, don't use water beading/sheeting as an indicator; while its 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. a) Surface tension- water has a property called surface tension; it’s caused by the attraction between the molecules of the liquid, due to various intermolecular forces. In the bulk of the liquid each molecule is pulled equally in all directions by neighbouring liquid molecules, resulting in a net force of zero. This tension causes water to bead up on surfaces, you can see surface tension at work by placing a drop of water onto a clean surface that has no wax / sealant, and the water drop (bead) will hold its shape and will not spread. b)Water beading- [: convex beads that have a small, tight symmetrical shape due to cohesion] although you cannot equate a products beading ability to protection and durability, if an applied product continues to `bead' water, one wash after another, then that would prove that whatever it is that is causing high surface tension is not washing off. Surface tension can be compromised mechanically by dirt breaching the sphere and causing it to loose its shape; this does not necessarily mean that the surface protection has diminished. c) Indications that the products durability may be diminishing- when the water beads become noticeably larger in diameter with a flat, concave or an irregular shape usually indicate that the surface tension of the wax or sealant is diminishing. Or when dust, dirt or bug residue becomes more difficult to wipe off with a quick detailing spray are indications that it may be time to renew the protection d) Slickness- slide a micro fibre towel across a horizontal surface to see how much resistance there is, if there has been a significant reduction from what you experienced previously the durability is probably diminishing e) Sheeting or water beading- there are some synthetics that are formulated with active surface agents or surfactants that reduce surface tension and cause water to ‘sheet’ as opposed to ‘beading’. But if a product beads on initial application and after a period of time starts to sheet water (and visa versa) it is normally indicative that the wax/sealant protection has diminished. f) Water beading is indicative but not conclusive proof of protection | ||||
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