What is paint glaze, you might be wondering? You may initially look at it and think it’s a form of wax or car polish, but that’s not really true. Whereas wax can enhance and protect a car’s paintwork on top of the existing layers, paint glaze embeds itself on the surface of a car’s paint and corrects small imperfections or visible scratches. It does this by simply filling them in.
If you were to use paint glaze in isolation, it wouldn’t last too long; perhaps several weeks at most. It can easily be removed via exposure to the elements, and in order to prolong the gloss and shine on your paintwork, a layer of wax is applied on top.
But how does it differ from car polish itself? Well, car polish works by carefully removing the top layer of clear coat before then enhancing the paint underneath to bring out a glossy finish. That clear coat is the layer where you see the fine scratches and swirl marks. Paint glaze differs because it’s simply applied on top of the clear coat and doesn’t make an effort to remove it. Glazes contain fillers, levelling agents, and micro-refined oils which help fill in the scratches, swirl marks, and even light scuffs. This effectively hides the scratches that lurk on the clear coat.
The best paint glaze at a glance:
Editor’s pick: Meguiar’s Ultimate Car Polish Pre-Waxing Glaze – Buy from Amazon.
Best paint glaze for dark colours: Autoglym Ultra Deep Shine – Buy from Amazon.
Best paint glaze for regular use: Mothers 08100 California Gold Micro Polishing Glaze – Buy from Amazon.
But what are the best paint glazes out there for touching up minor imperfections? We’ve done some research and found the very best paint glaze products available to help you bring out a better shine to your paintwork. And if you feel like going forward with a full detail, a car polishing kit is also something to consider.
The best paint glaze
Editor's pick
It eliminates any shallow, fine scratches and enriches the colour of your vehicle. Some reviewers have reported that it can dry quite quickly, so it's best to approach the job panel by panel rather than attempt the whole car in one go.
Pros
- Restores a deep, rich shine
- Eliminates fine scratches and swirl marks
- Easy to apply by hand
Cons
- Can dry quickly
- Need to be careful when using a polishing machine
Best paint glaze for beginners
It comes in a 473ml bottle like most other Meguiar's products and can be applied via hand, dual action, or rotary polishers. You are recommended by Meguiar's to apply a layer of wax afterwards to give the paint an extra layer of protection afterwards.
Pros
- Can be applied by hand
- Healthy amount in a bottle
- Gives your car a deep, wet shine
Cons
- Needs wax afterwards to seal the finish
- Requires patience
Best paint glaze for touching-up specific areas
You're not advised to use it as a general all-body car polish. It should only be targeted at specific areas for paint correction before anything else. It's only recommended to apply it by hand as well, so be prepared with some elbow grease.
Pros
- Effective at treating your paint of light scratches and scuffs
- Restores a glossy shine
- Designed to be applied by hand
Cons
- Cannot be applied using machines
- Small capacity
Best paint glaze for regular use
It's suitable for use in both light and dark-coloured cars, and when you use it regularly, it can even protect your vehicle's paint. This is because there is a little bit of wax mixed in, which helps with the process.
Pros
- Enriches the gloss and colour of your paint
- Helps protect your paintwork with regular use
- Eliminates swirls and scratches
Cons
- Protective element isn't as effective as bespoke wax
- Has to be in regular use to have any real effect
Best paint glaze for dark colours
The Ultra Deep Shine is also useful in dealing with light scuff marks. For the best results, you should apply it as you normally would, panel by panel, allow it to dry, and then buff it off immediately without letting it set in.
Pros
- Perfect for darker-coloured cars
- Effective treatment against swirls, scratches, and oxidisation
- Works on both new and old paintwork
Cons
- Cannot be used on lighter-coloured cars
- Needs buffing immediately after drying
Things to remember about paint glaze
At what stage should I apply paint glaze?
A professional detailer would use paint glaze after the washing, clay bar, and polishing stages, but before the waxing and/or sealant stages. Car detailing is a patient and multi-stage skill, but depending on the condition of your paint, you don’t necessarily need to follow all of those steps.
For example, if the condition of your paint is looking rather fresh already, you might want to just skip the polishing stage entirely. You can then essentially treat any light scratches before giving the car a wax coating. If however, the state of your car is looking rather more tired, a full process with cutting compound included would be more beneficial to bringing back a factory finish.
How long does it last?
Not as long as wax. Lots of people will use it to prepare a car for a show, and it usually lasts for several weeks at most. However, this is assuming you skip and polishing stages and look for a quicker, easier way to fill in the scratches and swirls in your paint. A full polishing detail job would make the glaze not only more effective but last longer too. But cost is a factor to consider in all of this. Even a clay bar from Bilt Hamber costs around £15 on its own before you add any other equipment.
Aaron Hussain is a commercial content writer at Bauer Media writing for Parkers and CAR. He is obsessed with classic cars and anything with a fascinating story to tell.
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