WHAT IS A CERAMIC COATING?

An Introduction To Ceramics

You are probably wondering how you will benefit from a ceramic coating being applied on your car.  If you love your car as much as you say you do, you probably wash it on a regular basis. You might be the guy or gal that applies a new layer of wax or DIY sealant every few months. You are pulling your hair out because you still notice those nasty swirls, light scratches, and stains still appearing on your vehicle’s exterior. 

On top of that, dirt, bug impacts, bird droppings, and grime still cling to your car like white on rice. What if there was a product that could change this narrative? A product that would provide protection from environmental hazards and make your car easier to wash.  Something that doesn’t need to be re-applied every week or every month?

Well, we’ve got some good news for you! It’s called a Ceramic Coating (or Nano-Ceramic Coating).  Not only does it protect your vehicle, it also adds substantial value! 

What is a Ceramic Coating and What Does it Do?

A Ceramic Coating is a silica based liquid gel that when applied to your clear coat, creates a chemical bond, adding an extra layer of protection.  Unlike sealants and waxes, a ceramic coating will create a permanent or semi permanent surface that repels water and other hards environmental contaminants. 

WHAT ARE THE THREE MAIN BENEFITS OF A CERAMIC COATING?

Ceramic Coating Myths

NOW THAT WE KNOW THE FACTS OF A CERAMIC COATING, LET'S DEBUNK SOME MYTHS...

A Ceramic Coating is not a miracle, super-cure product that will solve any and every problem for your car. Thus, it is important for you to know what a Ceramic Coating does not do...

Ceramic Coating Myth #1

"YOU WILL NEVER HAVE SCRATCHES, SWIRLS, OR ROCK CHIPS AGAIN!"

The scratch-resistance of a Ceramic Coating is often exaggerated, especially with the term 9h and now 10h. You should actually ignore this completely if anyone tells you that it is scratch resistant.  The hardness level is determined on a pencil scale which is very misleading.  While it is true that light scratches can be repelled by a Ceramic Coating, a coated vehicle will not be protected by scratches or rock chips with high impact. Also, the way you wash and maintain your car is very crucial.  You still want to avoid brush car washes at all costs!

Even if you do not have a ceramic coating, these brushes will ruin any paint, new or old! Proper washing techniques will increase the longevity and integrity of your paint. Understand that a Ceramic Coating is not a substitute for a clear bra, more often than not, they both go hand in hand.  A ceramic coating also does not eliminate the ability to have swirls on your car.  You will still need to use proper methods to prevent swirls.

Ceramic Coating Myth #2

"WATER SPOTS WON’T EVER HAPPEN"

A lot of manufactures will say it prevents water spotting.  This is true to a certain extent, if your car is sitting out in the sun, the water spots are likely to bake into your vehicle causing a water spot.  The benefit of a coating will allow it to bake into the ceramic coating versus your clear coat.  The ceramic coating is acting as a sacrificial layer. 

 It is always recommended to wipe off the water spots when it is first noticed.  Avoid letting your car getting hit with sprinkler water or are other contaminated water.  Another way to prevent water spotting is to never wash your car in direct sunlight.  Prior to washing, feel the surface of your paint, you never want to wash it, if it is too hot to the touch. 

 Finally, to reduce the risk of water spotting, always follow up the drying phase with a quick detail spray or SIGMA KORE’s SWIFT. 

Ceramic Coating Myth #3

"I DON’T NEED TO WASH MY CAR AGAIN"

If this was the case, I am pretty sure whoever created this technology would have been a trillionaire by now…  But you STILL have to wash your car.  I mean, let’s face it, the road is a dirty place. If you are driving your car, it will get dirty, even with a Ceramic Coating, you will still need to wash your car in order to maintain its look. Fortunately, you won’t have to wash it as much.

The benefit of a Ceramic Coating is that the cleaning process will be easier.  Having a ceramic coating will allow you to clean your car without touching it as much as possible.  Disregard the self-serve brushes and the automated brush washes.  You don’t need to worry about scrubbing with a ceramic coating on. 

WHAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE APPLYING A CERAMIC COATING?

A lot of people get the impression that you can slap on a coating and call it a day.  This is completely FALSE.  Every single car out there needs some type of prep work before applying a ceramic coating.  Imagine trying to build a house on land that was not leveled properly or had cracks everywhere.  The integrity of your house will be compromised over time.  This is the same thing with ceramic coatings.  When your car gets shipped or transported, it goes through WAY more than you think.  It can be transported through harsh elements, climates and environments.  It also acquires a lot of rail dust as well if being transported state to state. 

Also, what detailers and ceramic coating installers hate is when a dealership touches a new car.  They literally cause more damage then good.  They cause damage because they have inexperienced detailers that are more concerned in turning volume then producing quality work with greater attention to detail.  For example, they buff cars too quickly, wipe the vehicles down improperly and run them through automated brush car washes.  So even if you have a brand-new car with zero miles on it.  Expect prep work at the very least.

To apply a ceramic coating properly, a full chemical decontamination is a must.  This consists of a thorough hand wash via pressure washer and snow foam bath with iron x remover.  The important piece of this prep work will be the clay bar decontamination as you will have microscopic contaminants on your car’s clear coat that needs to be removed.  Then, the paint is assessed to make sure what level of paint correction is needed. 

Newer cars typically need a single stage paint correction, cars with light to minor defects will need a dual-stage correction, cars with heavy defects and major swirling requires a multi-stage correction. Here is a video explaining the levels of paint correction.. You can definitely see the difference in the quality of finish between the multi-stage correction, dual-stage correction, and single-stage correction. If you are close to your car, take out your phone and shine the flash light over your vehicle.

Now that the vehicle is prepped and ready to go, let the ceramic coating application commence! Finally, on to the biggest question of ceramic coatings…

HOW MUCH DOES A CERAMIC COATING COST?

There is an impression that ceramic coatings are meant for high-end exotics like Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, and Bugatti’s.  Don’t let this cloud your judgement because ALL vehicles matter. 

Remember, the main purpose of a ceramic coating is the ease of cleaning and to preserve your new car finish.  This comes in handy when selling or trading in your vehicle, the dealership respects the fact that you bring a car that virtually looks flawless.

When it comes to shopping for a good quality ceramic coating job, you want to make sure the shop you are going to really knows their stuff.  It isn’t necessarily about how much detailing experience they have, but how much experience they have with installing ceramic coatings.  We all know what a “cheap” job looks like, so don’t compromise price of quality. You will end up paying more in the long run to get it fixed. 

Does it all make sense now? Why your neighbor or friend is raving about his coated vehicle? If you are interested in learning more give us a shout or... 

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