Nick’s unsolicited Zaino Tips & Tricks - Part 1

Nick’s unsolicited Zaino Tips & Tricks
Part One

Disclaimer: I am not a professional detailer nor an expert on paint care. I’m just a charter member of the ARZOA who has a little experience with Zaino, and one of my cars is Jet Black and shows all of my mistakes!

Intro to Zaino:
The Zaino system is made up of a group of synthetic sealant products which replace carnauba as a protectant for your paint. As a general rule the synthetic sealants have longer durability, higher reflectivity, and less depth than carnauba. The Zaino polymers form a cross-linked bond with the underlying surface and this provides excellent durability.

Zaino is more reflective, has more clarity, and gives a harder surface than the other synthetics, but it also does very little to hide underlying paint defects and is very susceptible to marring.

Many detailers seem to be afraid of using Zaino … it’s too complicated, it’s too expensive, it’s too difficult to apply/buff, it’s prone to smearing, it can’t be topped with carnauba, etc. After you have read this and applied a coat or two of Zaino you’ll find that none of these worries are justified!

Paint preparation:
Due to Zaino’s outstanding clarity and it’s lack of oils, fillers, or waxes it will not hide any underlying paint defect. In fact, Zaino will in many cases make them more noticeable! First, and most importantly, properly and thoroughly prepare your paint. Do a dish detergent wash, then a claying, and follow with whatever polishing is needed to remove (not fill) any micro-marring. Finish with a very mild cleaner/polish to obtain the most reflective surface possible. It is desirable, but not necessary, to use a random orbital buffer for the polishing phase. I recommend P21S GEPC, S100 SEC, or Platinum UPP-C. All of these products leave oils on the paint, and the polymers in Zaino will not bond to the paint properly if you do not remove the oils. Do a very careful wash (you don’t want to add any micro-marring to your carefully prepared paint) with Z-7 and carefully dry. Now you’re ready for the Zaino treatment!

A few facts that you should know before starting with Zaino:
Unlike carnauba, Zaino can be applied in direct sunlight. The only problem that I’ve encountered doing it in the sun is that the Z-6 Gloss Enhancer (Zaino’s quick detailer) dries very quickly, so you need to work on smaller areas. If it does dry just apply a little more Z-6 and the stains will come right off with little effort.

Z-1 Polish Lok and ZFX Accelerator perform similar tasks, and one or the other must be used when applying Zaino the first time. They prepare the underlying surface for molecular cross-linking (bonding) with Zaino’s polymers. Since Z-1 is applied first and then topped by Z-2 or Z-5 it takes a little longer to dry than when using ZFX which is mixed with the Z-2 or Z-5. ZFX has the added benefit of greatly reducing the curing (hardening) time, and it also allows you to apply up to three back-to-back layers of Zaino instead of waiting 24 hours before adding another layer.

It is not necessary to use Z-1 or ZFX every time that you apply Zaino. Mr. Z says to use it the first time and every tenth coat thereafter. I use it for the first 3-4 coats and then every fourth or fifth coat. Although I recommend using ZFX primarily, Z-1 is very handy to have when you are doing a spot repair since it’s very difficult to mix a tiny amount of Z-2 or Z-5 and ZFX.

Drying time (bonding) depends on temperature, humidity, and the thickness of your application. On a hot and dry day Zaino can be ready in under ten minutes. On a cold and humid day, or if you didn’t do a thin enough application, it may take as long as an hour or more. In very cold weather you can wait overnight between product application and buffing. I’ve waited as long as 36 hours and had no problems.

Do not wipe of the residue until it can pass the “finger test” or you will be wiping off product that has not yet bonded to the paint. The finger test: make sure that your finger is clean, dry, and oil free. Wipe a one inch long area with your finger. If the product has properly bonded your finger will leave a clean and shiny line. If there is any smudging or smearing, then it’s not ready and you’ll have to wait longer. The cause of an excessively long wait time is most likely a too thick application of the product.

Micro-marring is a problem with polymer sealants; use only a light pressure when applying and buffing! Preferably use microfiber applicators and buffing cloths. Check them frequently for debris pickup! If you didn’t apply an even and thin layer, then you may have trouble wiping it off in some spots. Don’t rub harder! Spritz the problem area with distilled water, not Z-6, and continue wiping gently. It’s not necessary to buff off each and every slightly hazy spot, the finish coat of Z-6 will take care of that.

Zaino is so clear that you can add many layers without any yellowing or other color distortion. I know one person that had 70+ layers before deciding to experiment with other systems. I have had as many as 30+ on my roadster. Each coat added even more reflectivity and a very little depth, but with diminishing reflectivity returns after 6-8 layers. Be cautious; Zaino is addictive!

Contrary to their names, Z-1, Z-2, Z-3, and Z-5 contain no abrasives. They do not polish!

Many people think that Z-2 works best on light colored cars and Z-5 on dark colors. Others think that alternating layers of each product is better. On my black paint I think that a couple of layers of Z-5 topped with a layer of Z-2 gives the best results.

Z-5 takes many layers (maybe 6-8 or more) to hide even the smallest micro-marring.

Zaino can successfully be topped with a good quality carnauba paste to add depth without losing reflectivity. Use very thin layers of the carnauba to preserve the reflectivity. More layers, more depth! You cannot successfully top the carnauba with Zaino as it will not bond! If you want to add more Zaino, then all that needs to me done is to do a dish detergent wash to remove the wax. This will not remove the Zaino. Even a mild polish/cleaner or a QD with alcohol will damage and maybe remove the Zaino. Use Z-6 only.

There seems to be a synergistic effect between the Zaino paint care products. I strongly suggest that you wash with Z-7 Car Wash and use Z-6 as your quick detailer.

Sal Zaino is very friendly and helpful, and he prefers to talk on the phone instead of via email. His number is 732-883-8800.

In part two of Nick’s unsolicited Zaino Tips & Tricks we’ll take a look at the step-by-step procedure.

Nick’s unsolicited Zaino Tips & Tricks
Part Two

Before applying your first layer of Zaino it is very important that you properly and thoroughly prepare your paint. Do a dish detergent wash, then a claying, and follow with whatever polishing is needed to remove, not fill, any micro-marring. Finish with a very mild cleaner/polish to obtain the most reflective surface possible. It is desirable, but not necessary, to use a random orbital buffer for the polishing phase. I recommend P21S GEPC, S100 SEC, or Platinum UPP-C. All of these products leave oils on the paint, and the polymers in Zaino will not bond to the paint properly if you do not remove the oils. Do a very careful wash with Z-7 and carefully dry. If you are applying Zaino on top of previous coats of Zaino, then only the Z-7 wash and dry are needed. Now you’re ready for the Zaino treatment!

Step by Step:
Put one ounce of Z-5 (or Z-2) in a two ounce mixing bottle (several come with your ZFX) and add 4 drops of ZFX. This is enough Z-5/ZFX for two coats on a standard size car. Shake vigorously for 90 seconds. Wait for five minutes and shake the Z-5/ZFX again for 30 seconds.

Lightly spray your applicator with Z-6 before applying the sealant. It lets you get a thinner and more even coat, which in turn makes buffing require less pressure. Remoisten the applicator after each two or three areas as needed.

Especially important: Don’t put the Zaino on the applicator in a small circle as Mr. Z recommends on the Zaino web site, draw a “Z” on the applicator with the Zaino. This is even more important if you’re doing a Z3, Z4, Z8, Z28, or a Nissan Z-car (or if you’re related to Zorro)!

Instead of wiping the entire care with Z-6 before applying Zaino, wipe down each area (1/2 of the hood, a door, etc.) with Z-6 immediately before applying the sealant. It seems to give a slightly higher shine. Speculation: maybe the Z-6 loosens the cross-linking for a short while and aids in bonding.

Lightly spread the Zaino onto your paint very sparingly. Best results are obtained from a very thin and even coat! An excessively thick application wastes product and is difficult to remove. I first apply using a circular movement to ensure complete coverage, then follow with straight line wipes to achieve a thin and even application.

On light colored paint it should be so thin that it is hard to see in bright sunlight so you may want to work in the shade.

Check the applicator frequently for any debris that it may have picked up. You may find that there are some areas on your car that are hard to do using an applicator pad. I use a lightly dampened cotton ball and a small amount of Z-5/ZFX on these areas. After this do the “cotton ball” areas first since the product will likely be a little thicker and doing it first gives it more time to dry. If your application has been thin enough you will have used a little less than half of the product to apply one coat to the entire car. Do the entire car before wiping off the Zaino since it must be allowed to dry thoroughly to permit proper bonding.

Do not wipe of the residue until it can pass the finger test or you will be wiping off product that has not yet bonded. If you need to wait, then this is a good time to work on the interior, or the trunk, or the engine compartment. Do not wipe off the residue until the Zaino has bonded!

When it passes the finger test, wipe off the Z-5/ZFX using only light pressure. Shake out the buffing cloth very frequently and also visually check for debris pickup. I usually use two or three 16”x16” towels wiping off each coat of Z-5/ZFX. If you drop the towel, then stop using it. I prefer white microfiber towels since they make it easier to spot any debris.

If there is an area where you put on too much product, and it doesn’t wipe off easily, don’t start rubbing! Wipe lightly a little more and use a light spritz of distilled water if needed. It’s not necessary to buff off each and every hazy spot, the next coat of Zaino or the finish coat of Z-6 will take care of that.

When you are finished wiping of the residual carries do another application of Z-5/ZFX, again pre-wiping each area with Z-6. This time doing the “cotton ball” areas first. Remember to wait for full bonding before wiping off the residue.

Use the remaining small amount of Zaino to do the bug prone areas including the front lamp covers.

After removing the residue wipe down the entire care with Z-6 and a clean microfiber towel to further enhance the shine!

Now stand back and admire your work! The next time will be easier because you will have learned how to apply thinner layers.

Additional info:
I recommend that in addition to Z-2, Z-5, Z-6, and Z-7 you get a bottle of Z-1. You may want to get two bottles of Z-6 since you will be using it frequently.

Here’s how I deal with the inevitable marring that sooner or later happen:
For scratches that go through the Zaino and into the clear-coat use your usual mar removal methods on that spot. It will remove the Zaino so it’s necessary to redo that area. This where it’s very handy to have a bottle of Z-1 since it’s really hard to mix a tiny amount of Z-5 and ZFX. To use Z-1 just wipe it on the area where you’ve been working and a little beyond and immediately wipe on the Z-2 or Z-5. Do not wait for the Z-1 to dry! The next day repeat the Z-1 and Z-2 or Z-5 application.
For very light scratches that are only in the Zaino I apply 3M Imperial Hand Glaze, which contains no abrasives, to the offending area. Add layers as needed. When you are satisfied with the appearance, then wipe very lightly with a mild Z-6 solution and again very lightly with Z-6. Top with a double layer of Z-1 and Z-2 or Z-5.

If you do top your Zaino with carnauba to gain added depth, remember to use very thin layers and that the wax must be removed before adding more Zaino. As well as adding depth, a topping of carnauba will protect the Zaino from micro-marring and will extend its life.

Some of my methods differ from what you will find on the Zaino web site,for example using microfiber instead of 100% cotton. I’ve done a lot of experimenting with Zaino and tried many methods and techniques, starting with Mr. Z’s recommendations. My hints and tips are the methods and techniques that have worked best for me on my black paint. YMMV!

Good luck and have fun!

I will welcome any corrections, suggestions, improvements, ideas, or differing experiences. If you are a spelling and/or a grammar nazi, then I would also like to hear from you, but please do it via PM or email so as to not clutter this thread. The same goes for flames, by PM or email please.

As some of you may know I’m no longer using Zaino. My change to a different system was not because of any failings with or by Zaino. I changed because I have a compulsion for experimentation. I still highly recommend Zaino as the product of choice for many users!

I have tried several of the available synthetic sealants; Klasse, Blackfire, Platinum, Poorboy’s EX, and Zaino. They are all different in some way, and one or the other may be more suitable for any given application. For example I still use Zaino on my wheels because it gives the hardest surface, and I use Klasse on my door jambs because it is very scratch resistant.

Currently I’m comparing using 3-4 layers of Platinum, or Zaino, or EX as a base for added layers of carnauba. I’m also experimenting in an effort to learn how to be consistently successful with using 3M IHG between layers of carnauba.

Nick, have you tried using foam applicators with Zaino?
I've used both microfiber and cotton applicators with Zaino but had to work very hard to make sure the product was applied evenly and thin. In the past I've always used foam applicators with Klasse (I prefered big Viking ones over regular yellow Meguiars) and liked them better than cotton or microfibers. Both Klasse products seem to be thinner than Zaino so maybe they were easier to work with because of that.

Also I'm very surprised that you have no problems with Zaino bonding on top of Imperial Hand Glaze.
I would also think that solvents in IHG and carnauba waxes used as toppers will reduce durability .

When i was a Zaino user, I used the applicators from Zaino for a while, but switched to foam and found it much easier to apply and it was easier to spread a thinner coat without much waste. It was also much easier to clean out and reuse.

Great, I think I will try foam next.

Originally posted by F1Crazy
I'm very surprised that you have no problems with Zaino bonding on top of Imperial Hand Glaze.
I would also think that solvents in IHG and carnauba waxes used as toppers will reduce durability .

A long time ago, when I’d just begun to use Zaino and didn’t frequent any of the detailing msg boards, I found two sets of four parallel 9” scratches on my hood. A cat had gotten locked in my garage and apparently jumped onto the hood and slid for a bit before jumping off.. The scratches were deep enough that I could feel them with my fingernail, but I didn’t want to buff them out, and not knowing any better I rubbed on 5 or 6 layers of IHG. I had learned that IHG needs to be topped or it will quickly dissipate, so I wiped on some Z-1 and Z-5 and then repeated the Z-1/Z-5. It looked a little better, but still a long way to go.

Since I’m a stay at home “Mr. Mom” and my kids are at school all day I have no set schedule, so 2 to 4 times a day I’d go down to the garage and repeat the IHGx6 and Zx2 sequence. Each sequence took only 15-20 minutes so it wasn’t a big deal, and it gave me a break from whatever else I’d been doing. I didn’t count how many times I repeated that sequence, but for sure it was more than 30 time, maybe a lot more. That would be a minimum of 150-180 ( and a max of maybe 250) layers of IHG. But finally the marring was no longer visible. During that time the whole car had gotten an uncounted number of additional layers of Zaino (maybe 6 or 8) and there was probably more IHG added then, but I don’t remember for sure.

When I started on Roadfly I was told that you can’t successfully top IHG with Zaino, so being an experimenter at heart I immediately went down to the garage and started playing with IHG and Zaino. I’d find one or two micro-scratches and completely fill them with IHG, do a wipe down, and then top with Z-1/Z-5. I found that with no wipe down the marring would reappear in a few days, With only a Z-6 wipe they would sometimes reappear as though they hadn’t been wiped and sometimes last quite a bit longer. Wiping with Z-7 would sometimes make the marring reappear immediately. Eventually found that spritzing with a mild Z-7/water solution followed by a very light wiping with MF would almost always leave the IHG intact, and that a liberal application of Z-6 and light wiping would usually (but not always) give good bonding so that the repair could survive being out in the sun for long periods of time.

It works for me, not 100% consistent, but better than grinding down through multiple layers of Zaino when dealing with very minor marring. If I ever go back to having Zaino as my top coat I’ll most likely play with using a mild polish like GEPC instead of IHG. Might be easier and cetainly more consistent.

F1Crazy also said
Nick, have you tried using foam applicators with Zaino?

No I haven’t. For a long time I stayed away from foam because I thought that it would be more scratch prone than cotton or MF. Recently I did an applicator test - rubbed dry applicators on my carnauba topping with increasing pressure until they started to cause marring. The foam was within a gnat’s a***********ss of being as good as microfiber! YMMV!

I got a 2005 black 325it wagon. Paint job still looks great. My neighborhood has lots of pollen though so the hood and roof are getting a bit dusty. How to clean? Should I just use Z-7 to wash the car? What kinds of mitts or towels do you use to apply the wash? And do you use 100% cotton towels to dry it? Then in a few weeks I plan to wash it again and spray-apply the Z-6 polish to keep the shine. By the way, HOW does one properly buff/dry the Z-6...with what kind of motion/direction? Thank you! (P.S. I am afraid of doing the waxing myself...so in about 6-9 months, I'll try to find a good detailer, that uses Zaino products. But I'd love to be able to keep it clean and shiny in between professional waxes.)

Yellowrose - -
Z-7 is an excellent choice for washing your Zainoed 325it. In my experience most minor marring occurs because of careless washing! I prefer to use a few 16x16 microfiber towels for washing - - mitts don’t allow a feel for the paint surface - - and I just don’t like using cotton towels, although many paint care professionals say that they are better than MF. Use a very light pressure on the towel - not much more than the weight of the wet towel. If anything remains on the paint, then deal with it individually. Rinse the towel in a bucket of clean water after each wipe, and change towels frequently - - I usually use 5 or 6 towels for my roadster. My preference for drying is to use a couple of large waffle weave microfiber towels - - blot, don’t rub!

After every drive I do a fairly quick (20-25 minutes) wipe-down with Z-6. Do this only if the car is NOT dirty! Follow the instructions on the bottle, but use MF towels - even though Mr. Z recommends cotton. Use light pressure and change towels frequently.

Any contact with the paint will cause some minor marring. Using fore-aft motions on the horizontal surfaces and up-down motions on the vertical surfaces will make the marring less visible. Using a circular motion (such as Mr. Miagi’s wax on, wax off method) leaves marring that reflects light from any angle.

Don’t be afraid to do Zaino application! Gain some experience by doing it only on less visible areas of the car - such as the lower sections of a quarter panel or door. Start by following Mr. Z’s directions, then as you gain experience and confidence you can experiment with techniques found on this and other detailing forums. With a little practice you will do a better job than a professional detailer - - after all, it is your car!

Good luck and have fun!

Awesome advice, Nick. Quick question about the MF towels though. I hear they vary dramatically in quality. From cheap imports to really good ones. Should I order them from optimumcare.com? Where do you get yours? My drying mantra will be: "Buff, don't rub!" Thanks so much!

Yellowrose - - -

Microfiber towels have improved greatly in the past few years and I haven’t bought any new ones for at least two years, so it might be best to ask for advice on this or another detailing forum. Stay away from the ultra-cheap “bargains” and the ultra-eaxpensive “luxury” towels. I’ve always been pleased with the towels from http://www.properautocare.com/ - - their “Big Bue” waffle weave is excellent for drying. Buy at least 12 of the 16”x16” towels and 2 of the large waffle weave towels. Wash the towels after each use!

There are many opinions on how to care for your MF towels. Rule one is to not wash or dry them with any other items - - they will attract huge amounts of lint! I wash mine in the washing machine with warm, not hot, water. I use whatever detergent happens to be in the washroom and also an equal amount of Cascade dishwasher detergent. They are designed to attack different kinds of dirt. I also use about half a cup of Clorox bleach. I know that all of the MF distributors say to not use bleach on MF. MF towels gradually lose their absorbency (especially important for drying towels), and washing with bleach will restore their ability to absorb. I did extensive empirical testing and found that bleach does not appreciably shorten the life of the MF, Do a search on Autopia’s detailing forum for more info.

I dry my towels in the dryer using a low heat setting. Do not use fabric softener sheets as they will leave a residue on the towels. Don't use fabric softener in the washer either.

Your mantra for all paint care procedures should be: light wiping only! - - no buffing, no rubbing!

Originally Posted by Nick T.

Yellowrose - - -

Your mantra for all paint care procedures should be: light wiping only! - - no buffing, no rubbing!

Nick, thanks for catching that. My mistake to say "Buff". You said "BLOT...don't rub!" So blotting and light wiping it will be!

I thought I'd add a few things to Nick's already great advice.

I've been a firm believer in the sheepskin wash mit. The idea being that it's so thick (much thicker than Microfiber), that it pulls the dirt away from the surface and into the mit itself. This means less chance for surface scratches. As nick said, always rinse in a clean bucket before re-soaping up, and make sure you have LOTS of suds - don't be afraid to use too much soap. You can also use Meguiars Gold Class car shampoo - which comes highly recommended on bimmerfest. It foams ups well, and it's only 10 dollars per gallon at target/Costco (walmart doesn't usually carry the gallon size). Since it's cheap - you'll be less afraid to use a lot of it.

For drying, check out the Big Blue II waffle weave microfiber towel. I cannot tell you how amazing it is. http://www.properautocare.com/bigbludryint.html
The other secret is: After you've rinsed your car, take the sprayer nozzle off of the hose, and just let the water pour out. Let the water stream over your whole car. The water will sheet off, and pull the majority of the water off (instead of leaving little beads of water everywhere). Then use the waffle weave towel - and the one towel will dry the ENTIRE car. As Nick said - just lie the towel on the car and let it do it's magic. NEVER wipe or rub - that's just asking for scratch marks.

And as he said - things like Clay barring, and applying Zaino are so simple - there's no reason to pay a detailer to do them. In fact, both steps are easier than applying conventional wax in my opinion. If you have questions, feel free to ask anyone around here - or simply do a search as hundreds of bimmerfesters have already done these steps numerous times.

Wow. Thanks so much for all the great advice, Iceman. (Love that name, by the way.) I assume you use the same shampoo on the silver chrome window rims, too. But what do you put on them to keep them shiny...and from rusting?

Hey Nick,

I would also like to thank you for taking the time to share the results of your real-world testing/results.

I noticed that you didn't mention the Z-PC product for removing swirl marks/micro scratches. How come?

I have a new Jet Black car (~300 mi.) and I wanted to give it the Zaino treatment before winter sets in. I was planning on starting w/ the Z-PC to remove the micro scratches, then Z2/Z6 to finish.

I would be extremely grateful for your input.

John

Hey John,

I didn’t mention Z-PC because my original post was written over two years before Z-PC was introduced.

I’ve been perfectly satisfied with 3M’s surface preparation products, but next spring when I do my annual “start from scratch” detailing I intend to give Z-PC a try.

Update on products I currently use:
On my Jet Black Z3 roadster I’ve gone back to using only Zaino products.
My Chili Red/White MINI Cooper S gets the full Klasse treatment topped with Pinnacle Souverän.
I use Klasse on the Z-3's and MINI's wheels.
Both of these cars are garage queens that get wiped down after every drive. The Zaino get Z-6 or Z-8 and the carnauba gets Pinnacle Crystal Mist.
My Scion xB parks outside and gets only normal washes and whatever carnauba paste happens to be handy.

Thanks, Nick. My mistake.

Would you then say that my plan is sound?

P.S. Thanks also for the soft top maintenance post. This is my first "vert" and I had no idea how to take care of it. I do now!

Interested - -
Claybar, then swirl removal, then a few coats of Zaino is always a good plan - - especially on BMW's Jet Black paint.

Good luck and have fun!

Originally Posted by yellowrose

Wow. Thanks so much for all the great advice, Iceman. (Love that name, by the way.) I assume you use the same shampoo on the silver chrome window rims, too. But what do you put on them to keep them shiny...and from rusting?

Well my car has the Performance package (ZHP) so it doesn't have the chrome window trim, but has the shiny black shadowline trim. However, I'm not sure if hte chrome is solid metal, or if it's just a shiny coating put on top of the trim. Either way, I've never seen it rust before. Make sure you clean it well when you clean your car (same shampoo - Z7 or Meguiars Gold class), and then apply Zaino to it for protection. You'll be fine.