Ceramic coating is growing in popularity as a way to protect your new car. It’s stronger, adds beauty to your paint job, and provides a range of other benefits.
Professional-grade ceramic coatings like Ceramic Pro 9H are available to be applied at auto salons. They typically come with a warranty that lasts between two and lifetime.
Protection
The best ceramic coatings are thicker and harder than carnauba waxes and will hold up better to the elements. This means that even if your paint gets damaged by airborne chemicals and pollutants, overspray of any type, bird droppings, road or salt spray or the sun’s UV rays, it will be less likely to penetrate through and damage the clear coat.
The hydrophobic properties of these products, derived from silicon dioxide, also make them easy to clean off your car. Just use a gentle, pH neutral car wash and the two-bucket hand washing technique every other week to keep your vehicle looking its best.
While ceramic coating won’t prevent that boulder from falling off the back of the dump truck in front of you or that ding in your door, it does do wonders for protecting your car from scratching and swirl marks. Whether you opt for the DIY consumer-grade version or a professional application from a certified dealer, the high 9H hardness level of these coatings will resist scratches and other damage.
Shine
One of the biggest selling points of ceramic coating is its ability to make a car look brand new. It’s a spray-on product that locks in your clear coat with hard, tiny particles of silica dioxide, which creates a glass-like layer that protects your paint from contaminants like dirt, salt, road grime, tree sap, bug guts, and brake dust.
It also makes water and other liquids bead up, allowing them to slide off the paint without leaving marks or scuffs behind. This prevents the acidic contaminants in these substances from bonding into your paint and wearing it away.
While some skeptics claim that these coating products are marketed with staged pictures of immaculate cars with flawless paint, most say the product works as advertised. The key to getting the best results is using a high-quality product and proper application techniques. This will ensure you get 2 to 5 years worth of protection from your car’s paint.
Durability
Ceramic coating offers incredible durability that will protect your vehicle against the elements. It is much harder than wax or poly, making it far more resistant to light scratches and swirls (those spiraling curves that can develop in clear coat after years of washing). Ceramic coating also has hydrophobic properties, meaning water literally slides off your car. This reduces the likelihood of mineral deposits and stains, and makes it easier to clean your car.
While there are consumer-grade ceramic coatings that are easier to apply than professional-grade ones, this is still a job best left for professionals. Proper prep work is key for the longest lasting results.
Often, ceramic coatings are rated with numbers like 9H that reference pencil hardness (using a hard graphite pencil to drag across the surface). While this will do jack-shit to stop a boulder from crashing through your windshield and hitting your paint, it will offer some protection against road grime, bird droppings, pollen, tree sap, chemical stains, and other contaminants that can cause damage to your paint.
Time-Saving
When a car is ceramic coated, contaminants like bird droppings, bug splatter, and tree sap no longer have the ability to bond into the paint, allowing them to fall off easily when washed. This allows car owners to wash their vehicles less frequently, saving them time and money.
Ceramic coatings are also designed to prevent UV damage to the paint and glass of a vehicle. This can help protect the investment and increase the resale value when it comes time to sell or trade in the vehicle.
If you are interested in having a ceramic coating applied to your vehicle, make sure to find a reputable detailer who is experienced with the product. A professional understands how to properly apply and buff a ceramic coating, which will ensure that your vehicle gets the best results possible. Using an improper technique can result in unfavorable outcomes for the vehicle’s paint and clear coat. Additionally, a trained technician will be able to answer any questions that you may have regarding the process or how to care for your vehicle after the ceramic coating has been installed.