What is the difference between waxing and sealing ?

Since the late 1980s, car manufactures have switched to the three layer paint system with a primer, base and a clear coat.

The clear coat was added as a barrier to protect the base which contains the actual paint color. Being the layer that is exposed to external forces, the clear coat is easily susceptible to all sorts of damages so protecting it with additional barriers has become a must.

This is achieved with the help of a “wax” or a “sealant”.

Although waxing and sealing may seem like very different processes, they are both aimed at protecting the clear coat and giving it that much coveted shine, depth and gloss.

Hence you only need to use either a wax or a sealant. However, the products themselves are very different so the end results are different as well.

Carnauba wax vs sealant

Carnauba wax is a natural substance that occurs on the leaves of a Brazilian palm tree. Polymer sealants are synthetic products as opposed to natural wax.

Carnauba wax is highly functional when it comes to protecting the paint from contaminants and give a great natural shine to the paint.

But it will only last maximum for two months. Polymer sealants can last longer than six months because they chemically bond with the paint.

However, the shine they give the paint is no match for the gloss and depth produced by wax. Despite these differences, both product types are very effective when it comes to protecting the paint.

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