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How long should you wait to buff a car after painting it?
How long do I need to wait to buff my car after painting it? I just finished a sweet paint job on my Mercedes. I want to buff it, but don't know how long I need to wait for the paint to completely dry.
Joshua Levy · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
“I’m sure your car looks great after its new paint job! It can be hard to say how long you should wait to buff a newly painted car as different types of paints and clearcoats might take longer to dry than others. Here are the most common car paints on the market, along with their ideal drying times:
- Urethane should dry for at least 24 hours before buffing.
- Acrylic Enamel will be dry to the touch after 20 minutes but needs about 24 hours to dry completely.
- Acrylic Lacquer takes 20 minutes to start drying and needs about 24 hours to finish.
- Acrylic Urethane should dry completely within 24 hours but may need longer for the hardener to cure.
Overall, it seems like it’s safest to wait at least a day before buffing your car. However, you’ll be best off reading your specific paint manufacturer’s recommendation.
Remember,
car insurance
will only cover paint damage if it’s from an insured incident, so make sure to apply a strong clearcoat. If you want to make sure your paint job is covered, consider
comprehensive coverage
. Comprehensive covers non-collision incidents, like hail or windstorm damage. If you don’t currently have comprehensive insurance, try
Jerry
. The Jerry app can help you find and compare customized quotes from the top insurance companies in minutes!”View full answer
- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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