Mike, thank you for your detailed explanation!
Over, the last couple of weeks i have been thinking of your statement regarding ceramic coatings will be the longest lasting "one and done" type of product i could use for this cargo trailer with thin paint. The fewest amount of times i have to polish it during it's life time will be best. I, however, have no experience with ceramic coatings.
Totally get it. Thin paint means being proactively extra careful.
Let me take a stab at the below,
Further Questions:
1) How long will Bead Hero Last?
The Dr. Beasley's website states this product can last up to one year. What I always tell people is,
How long ANYTHING from ANY BRAND lasts comes down to how the surface treated is touched.
And by the word touched, I mean the things that normally touch the paint and for most of us, this would include,
- Wash mitts
- Drying towels
- Microfiber wiping towels
And of course, a quality soap of some type. The idea being, there's always very cynical people in the world that when you say a product can last up to a year, they will interpret this to mean,
The finish quality will look, act and perform one year from now, exactly as it looked, acted and performed immediately after application.
But this is nonsense. Nothing looks as good as a just-detailed-vehicle, whatever it is. Then with exposure to the UV rays from the sun, a horrible force for accelerating deterioration to anything outside. Just look at any exterior black plastic cladding on modern cars only a few years old and you'll see this plastic fade and the Zebra Stripes start showing up, this is all from the UV rays from the sun.
When it comes to products like Bead Hero, instead of applying once and then waiting for one year to do something, it's better to wash and re-apply while the finish is still looking good. Don't wait until time has taken its toll and now you need to polish again. Any surface looks better an lasts longer with regular maintenance.
I'm not trying to stop you from using Bead Hero or any similar product, just have realistic expectations. And products like Bead Hero are relatively fast and easy to apply, especially to large, flat surfaces. Just keep in mind, if you get any overspray onto a surface and don't spread it out and then remove the excess, the product will dry hard and solid and then the only way to get it off is to polish it off. This is why in the short video above, I demonstrated spraying the product AWAY from the car. Mist it onto a towel, use this towel to apply and a second, third and if needed a fourth clean, dry towel to remove.
I think that because the majority of the surfaces you need to treat are vertical, there will be less wear-n-tear from everything, unlike horizontal panels exposed full-on to everything.
2) Do you think the black stains that will eventually show up after using Bead Hero will be easier to remove by washing?
I would think so, but you'll have to find out with time. Definitely the better you seal the single stage paint on this trailer, the less able the black streaks will be able to penetrate INTO the single stage paint. For example, the next day, apply a second layer at least to the upper portions of the panels where black streaks show up the most.
3) What would be the ideal polish (with no wax/sealant) to use prior to Bead Hero to remove the black streaks that we spoke of on sides of trailer.
My experience is it don't take much. The type of tool and pad will also be a factor, but I would think that a fine cut, to medium cut polish with a foam "polishing" pad, should remove the black streaks and restore a clean, smooth, shiny surface.
4) What wash soap would you recommend?
A pure pH balanced car wash soap from a reputable brand. Avoid anything that ADDS something, like carnauba wax, or fill-in-the-blank.
I don't like to ever come off as a sales guy because I'm not, I'm a how-to guy, but since working for Dr. Beasley's, they car wash soaps work great. And even though they were not specifically formulated for use in foam cannons or foam guns, the car wash soaps create incredible foam when used with these tools and also plenty of suds when you simply do a normal bucket wash.
You can see the level of foam in the below video.
Like our detailing detergent for washing microfiber towels, these soaps are very concentrated. About an ounce or two, depending upon the wash load size, and our detailing detergent creates a ton of soapy wash suds. I caution everyone in our classes because as the class moves along, I tend to keep laundry going to make sure we always have plenty of clean, dry towels for all the cars we bring in for our classes. For example, my next class will have 8 cars for the students to detail, this means we'll need a LOT of clean, dry towels.
5) Do products like Bead Hero need a topper after washing?
No, but immediately after washing and drying, this is a great time to even do a quicky application. But "no".
I never know if I help much or not, but I do wish you the best of luck in this detailing endeavor.
Mike
