BPHORSEGUY

How long after painting can you use a car cover on a car ? I was told that due to gassing the new paint must breathe. Also when can you wax the car for the first time ?

SmokedTires

Great question! My paint is now about a month old and was baked in the paint booth. I bought a new cover for it which states its breathable, but is it enough for new paint? I wasn't planning on waxing until next summer sometime

ButchN

My pal owns a body shop & has told me after every paint job he's done for me that within 48 hrs after the clear is applied it is as hard & cured as it will ever be.
He uses Sikkens.
He also says it's how much hardener is used as well with the properly mixed amount being the 48 hrs.

The day after he applies the clear he gets out the DA & wet sands to get whatever orange peel is there then can "fine tune" from that point on.

He's done 3 Trans Am's, 2 Shelby Chargers, 1 Daytona shelby, my wife's CRV & my Sebring vert (all my cars BTW except for the CRV) & I've never had an issue with one of the paint jobs & using a car cover, waxing, polishing, nothing.

dukeallen

I come from a family of painters (not automotive, but industrial) and we've been told up to 6 months for it to gas out totally, depending on temp and humidity. Less with baking but not overnight!
I'd try the wax in a hard to see spot first.

427basketcase

I always went by the rule, if it still smells like fresh paint, then it is still out gassing.
There are variables depending on what brand, and Type of paint, and of course the temperature it has been in after painting.
I waited about a year before waxing mine, but it lives in a garage.

Easy Mike

Ask you painter. He/she should be able to answer your questions based on the type and brand of paint he/she used.

BPHORSEGUY

I did ,he said don't cover it for a long time. I didn't think his answer made sense he's a painter not a chemist!