What Is A Ceramic Coating?

What is a Ceramic Coating?

The question we all have in the beginning, when it comes to paint protection, is what the heck is a ceramic coating? Let's break it down so at the end of this article you understand exactly what we mean when we say ceramic coating.

First and foremost, ceramic coatings are an advanced form of paint protection compared to something like a traditional wax or sealant.

The exterior surfaces of your car including the paint, the plastic the rubber trim, the glass, and the wheels are all exposed to the weather elements like the sun, rain, snow, salt, along with things like bird poop, bug guts and road debris. The surface of your vehicle will break down every day depending on the weather conditions of where you drive, if you drive a lot vs mainly parking your vehicle, or how properly you maintain it.

Traditionally, products like carnauba waxes and paint sealants would act as a sacrificial layer on the surface of your vehicle, but as technology has advanced, the new superior option are ceramic coatings.

A ceramic coating can combat the breakdown of the surface like waxes and sealants but can last for years while also providing other benefits.

Definition Of Ceramic Coating

A ceramic coating is a liquid polymer that is applied to the exterior surface of your vehicle and then chemically bonds with the vehicle’s factory paint, creating a layer of protection.

How Does A Ceramic Coating Work?

When you apply a ceramic coating, you are basically adding more layers on top of your vehicle's surfaces, but unlike most surfaces, these layers won't have micropores that trap dirt and debris.

The ceramic coating starts as a liquid and will fill the pores of the surface. After the pores are filled, it then will start to create its own layer. This additional layer is much smoother than the original.
After the ceramic coating cures, it will harden like a glass and become semi-premiant allowing it to last for many years when maintained properly! This new ceramic layer does an excellent job of rejecting anything that tries to get on it. Products like carnauba waxes and paint sealants attempt to create a layer like ceramic coatings do, but they are much thinner and can easily be removed.

Ceramic coatings are very thick and have a strong chemical makeup so they do not easily break down whereas a wax or sealant can actually get washed off. The only way to remove a ceramic coating is with strong abrasion, like using sand paper or heavy cutting/polishing.

A Ceramic Coating Is Resistant To UV Rays, Chemicals And Liquids

UV rays penetrate your vehicles clear coats, which leads to fading and oxidation. They also can cause plastics to fade. Ceramic Coatings block and reflect UV rays, keeping them from getting into your paint and causing oxidation or fading.

They are also chemical and animal byproduct resistant, so the surface is well protected from etching that may otherwise be caused by leaving hard water spots or bird poop sitting on the surface too long.

 They also are "hydrophobic" or able to repel water, mud and other liquids. So when liquids touch the surface, they are more likely to stay together in little balls or beads and "roll" right off the surface.

Easy Maintenance

Since a ceramic coating adds a super slick finish, it makes it harder for dirt to stick and makes it easier to remove. This acts as a self-cleaning property, so even wind while driving can simply blow away contaminants keeping the vehicle cleaner for longer periods. Combing that with its hydrophobic property, water and dirt likes to "bounce off" the surface, cutting your maintenance time dramatically.

A Killer Finish

Because a ceramic coating will create a new glass-like layer, this layer has an almost crystal look which amplifies the shine and luster of paint. It also makes matte finishes on plastic trim appear deep and rich, and allows alloy and chrome wheels to pop. Since ceramic coatings can last so long, you won't ever have to worry about waxing your car! You'll just want to properly maintain it every so often so it gets a good refresh!

A Summary Of What They Do

Getting a ceramic coating is a long-lasting way to protect your vehicle. In some cases, it can save you from a costly repaint in the future, or needing to replace ruined plastics.

What can we expect with a ceramic coating?

• A Sacrificial Layer
• UV Protection
• Chemical and Animal Byproduct Resistance
• Easy Maintenance
• Clean or High Gloss Finish
• Can Last For Years
• No More Waxing

Can Anyone Apply A Ceramic Coating?

A professional ceramic coating is not applied like a traditionally wax or paint sealant. It doesn't just spray on and wipe off. A ceramic coating requires extensive surface prep. It is hand applied with applicators and has precise curing times. If done improperly, you can mess up the application and it will not perform properly. You could also potentially leave imperfections. We only use professional grade coatings that require you to be certified to install as these professional or "industrial" grade coatings out perform what consumers can buy online.

Paint Correction Before A Ceramic Coating?

Paint correction goes hand in hand with getting a ceramic coating. Since a professional ceramic coating is going to last for years, we want to make sure the condition of the paint, before we cover it with a coating, is in good condition. With the process of paint correction, we can remove many of the imperfections in the paint before we layer on a ceramic coating. This process is very labor heavy and usually is a big factor in the final cost of installing a ceramic coating.

There's A Detail Spray With Ceramic Coating In The Title?

Unfortunately, the word ceramic coating has been used improperly and causes much confusion. Just because it has "ceramic" in the title doesn't mean it's an actual ceramic coating. Most detail sprays in today's market have the term ceramic in them and these are what we call "ceramic infused". While these are great maintenance sprays, these are not actual ceramic coatings and will wear off in weeks or even just days.

Are Ceramic Coatings Scratch Proof?

Now, a Ceramic Coating isn't perfect, since you can still scratch the surface of the coating. Luckily, the coating is tougher than the clear coat on your car so it won't scratch as easily, but you still must take good care not to scratch it.

If you are concerned about scratching, then a Revivify coating might be a better option since you get all the benefits of a ceramic coating but also a self-healing property that can fight scratches.

What About Ceramic Coatings Compared To Paint Protection Film?

Paint protection film is a transparent film that can be installed on your vehicle's painted surfaces, usually towards the front of the vehicle. It also gives you all the protection benefits that you would see with a ceramic coating, but it also can protect against rock chips. Not every vehicle needs Clear Bra. It's more of a case-by-case basis since sometimes it's more adequate to use a protective coating. Depending on how you drive your car, we may recommend using both clear bra and a ceramic coating in combination! If you are someone who already has Clear Bra, we can install ceramic coating to the areas you don't have it along with applying it on top of the Clear Bra film.

Do I Still Have To Wash My Car?

While a ceramic coating does a great job at keeping dirt from sticking to it, eventually dirt will stick. Once some dirt sticks, then the surface is even more likely to collect more dirt and other contaminants. But a good wash will clean the surface and get it back too normal. Usually when people complain about the ceramic coating appearing to not be hydrophobic anymore or not feel as slick, it's because they let it get too dirty and it just needs a good decontamination wash to refresh it back to normal.

How Much Does A Ceramic Coating Cost?

Now you are interested in one, but how much does a ceramic coating cost? Now it can be costly, but remember a ceramic coating is going to save the condition of your paint, and saves you time maintaining the vehicle, so the benefits will outweigh the cost if this is something you are interested in. And again, remember this isn't a wax that you can go pick up at your local auto parts store and wipe on your vehicle. There is a lot of prep work and labor time that goes into this. Plus, we offer paint correction, which is a way to remove scratches prior to the ceramic coating install. You could see a price from $900 to even $2500. The best way for us to give you a price is to have you fill out one of our quote request forms or just call us at (513) 310-6259 since every vehicle is different.

Another Shop Said They Would Do It For $500

If someone is offering to give you a ceramic coating for $500, you need to make sure you are asking them a lot of questions. We have 25+ years of experience in the industry and we know proper pricing. If they are charging you this low, they may be using a ceramic detailer spray that's not an actual coating and will wear off. They may even skip all the prep work. Many new installers with not much experience might be finding a way to make a quick buck, so you must be weary. You could be wasting money in the long run, especially if they don't use a professional grade ceramic coating. Don't waste your money, find an installer you know has the experience. It may cost you a little more, but you know you are getting the real deal.

Don't Shop By Price, Shop By Quality

Here at CarZmedics, we have the knowledge and experience to get you the best possible results, using proper techniques when installing ceramic coatings, that others may not use. Have peace of mind knowing that we do a professional ceramic coating install with industrial grade products without cutting corners. We work on cars with a standard that's higher than normal to provide the highest quality install possible for our customers so they know they get their money's worth!

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