Flashing: How To Look For It When Coating Your Car

If you’re planning to use our Nano-Resin Kit or another ceramic coating on your car, you’ve likely encountered the word “flashing”. While the directions may explain what “flashing” is and what to look for, it can still be difficult to know exactly when flashing has occurred. In this blog post, we will take a look at what flashing is, why it’s part of the coating process, how to know when flashing is happening, and what to do if you still can’t detect any flashing.

What Is Flashing, And Why Does It Matter?

Let’s tackle the big question right out the gate – what exactly is flashing? Well, to understand flashing, you need to first know what a coating is made of. Coatings contain what are known as “carriers”, which do just that – carry the coating across your car’s surface. Some carriers are made of water, while others are made of a solvent. In the case of Nano-Resin, the carrier is a solvent. Now, in order for the Nano-Resin to properly bond, the solvent carrier must evaporate.  Flashing refers to the visual effect this evaporation gives off – the applied surface will begin to look iridescent, almost like an oil slick. Once the Nano-Resin’s solvent has flashed, you know that it is safe to wipe the panel down with a micofiber towel and move on to the next panel. This timing maximizes the application of the coating while keeping it easy to wipe off – wait too long and you could be dealing with some caked-on residue. This mechanic applies to other types of coatings that involve solvents as well, but in this case we are referring solely to the Nano-Resin coating. 

How Do I Know When The Nano-Resin Carrier Has Flashed?

Now time for the question that inspired this blog post in the first place – how do I know when the carrier solvent has flashed? First, make sure you’re following the right directions. Prep your car’s surface for coating (clay, polish, and apply the Paint Coating Prep) and begin applying the Nano-Resin to a single panel using the suede cloth-wrapped foam block applicator. This is where flashing comes into play. After you’ve covered an entire panel, take a step back and wait. After a short amount of time (more or less depending on the temperature of the room) you will begin to see the applied Nano-Resin shimmer slightly. This means your Nano-Resin’s solvent has started to evaporate and is ready to be wiped off the panel. This can be difficult to recognize, so please take a look at the video below to make sure you know what to look for. 

 

I Followed The Directions And I’m Still Not Seeing Any Flashing. What Gives? 

There are a few possible reasons: 1.) You didn’t actually follow the instructions  2.) You didn’t wait long enough  3.) It did flash and you just couldn’t tell Chances are the reason is number two or number three. Think about the temperature/humidity you’re applying the Nano-Resin in. Is it under 65-70 degrees and humid? You may need to wait longer – flashing takes longer to occur in colder temperatures/high humidity. Pretty sure you’ve waited long enough? Then it could be reason 3. Once again, flashing can be a very subtle effect, especially in poor lighting conditions. Make sure you have a good deal of light in the room you’re using to coat your car and take a minute to re-watch our video on flashing so you know what to look for. If you’re positive you’ve considered reasons 2 and 3, then it could be an error was made in the application of the Nano-Resin, like applying too little to the suede cloth. Flashing is a vital component of the Nano-Resin coating process and should never be overlooked. Make sure you’ve done your research before you begin to use the Nano-Resin so you know when to look for flashing and what to look for. Be prepared and you’ll know exactly when your panel is ready to be wiped down, making you one step closer to a beautiful ceramic coating.   

3 thoughts on “Flashing: How To Look For It When Coating Your Car

  1. blacklabelpa says:

    Nice write up, i have been using nano resin since last year, in my country Panama, Central America, we tried to apply it below 30C , 85% humidity, any recommendation for applcation, does scangrip lights work to see the flashing?

    • Dr. Beasley's says:

      Thank you! No specific recommendations for application beyond what we recommend in the instructions. And yes, a Scangrip light may make it easier to see the flashing if you don’t already have adequate lighting.

  2. Ron says:

    Great write up. After about 2 hours of searching and reading references to “flashing”, but not seeing anything that actually explained the process nor showed it in action, I found this link and will definitely bookmark it. Great g-dsend, thank you. By the way, I have a “flashing” issue with a mineral spirit solvent-based oil finish, in which it gets that “oil-slick” appearance after being left on too long before wiping, usually when the ambient temperature is well above 75 and moderately high humidity. I also found a few references to this issue with interior painting, where when looking at an angle at a flat wall an area of lighter colored reflectiveness (“flashing”) shows in the paint (often throught to be due to poor quality primer). Thanks again!

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