The Ultimate Guide to Ceramic Coating: What is it and What are Its Benefits?
Are you a car enthusiast? Do you want your car to look vibrant and keep the best shine all its life? Car lovers always desire to see their car in the best of its glow, they put all their effort to keep the car protected from anything that would degrade its shine and good looks. Washing and cleaning is a regular marvel to keep your car away from dust and dirt. You also try a new coat of wax, maybe once after every few months: all these efforts are put in to keep the desire of car vibrance alive and make your car glow all the time.
But, no matter the efforts you put in to maintain the good looks of your car, the exterior of your car starts getting invaded by swirl marks, stains, and chips after some time. Besides all these, gradually you start observing dirt, dust, water spots, and grime clasping onto your car after every wash. So, to retain your car’s shine and good looks you start thinking about an alternative.
Have you ever thought about applying a ceramic coating to keep your car protected against swirl marks, stains, chips, and other possible environmental hazards? Would you prefer ceramic coating over waxing, polishing, or PPF (Paint Protection Film) to preserve your car’s paint?
Does ceramic coating really make an alternative to allow you an easier way to wash your car? And, above everything, is ceramic coating really worth it, considering its price tag?
Let us dig deeper to understand what ceramic coating is, how does it work; what benefits does it offer to save your car from environmental hazards like rust, swirl marks, stains, etc.
What is a Ceramic Coating?
A ceramic coating, also known as Nano-Ceramic Coating is a chemical polymer solution that is applied to the exterior of a vehicle to protect it from external paint damage. The nano-ceramic coating typically applied by hand gets blended with the existing paint of your car and makes an additional hydrophobic layer of protection. The vehicle’s factory paint remains intact and unaffected because of the chemical bonding and the creation of a new layer with ceramic coating.
Ceramic coatings are nano-sized particles that create an extremely thin layer on the external paint of your vehicle and are invisible to the naked eye. These ceramic coating particles being enormously small fill the pores of your car’s paintwork thereby making a water-repellant surface. In addition, they provide easy to clean properties and incomparable UV resistance as well as chemical resistance.
A Ceramic coating applied to the exterior of your car forms a permanent or semi-permanent bond with your car’s factory paint. Your vehicle does not require repeated application of ceramic coating because it does not wash away or break down in normal weather conditions due to its intrinsic properties. Many car enthusiasts are of the opinion that a ceramic coating is an alternative to a clear bra (PPF) whereas it is indeed an alternative to waxing.
How Do Ceramic Coatings Work?
Most car buyers today are aware of ceramic coatings. A ceramic coating is a vibrant coat that contains a liquid polymer and when applied to your car’s body, it forms a chemical bonding with the factory paint.
Like any other buoyant solution that contains chemical compounds, ceramic coatings are permanent and easier to clean once applied to the exterior of your vehicle. A ceramic coating gives your vehicle’s exterior extra protection and helps you to fulfill the desire of keeping your car in the best shine and looks with relatively minimal maintenance.
Here are a few more reasons and benefits why you should apply a ceramic coating over your car’s factory paint:
Protection from Chemical Stains and Etching
Chemical stains caused by acidic contaminants present in the air can potentially damage your car. Applying a ceramic coating on the exterior of your car can prevent these contaminants from bonding into the paint.
A nano-ceramic coating will make your vehicle more resistant to staining and etching, provided such acidic contaminants are removed timely from your car’s exterior. Under the current circumstances when the air pollution rate is rising throughout, applying a ceramic coating can offer a massive relief.
Protection from Oxidation/UV Damage
The harmful UV rays of the sun can do a lot of damage to your car’s paint job. Have you ever thought that the dulled and faded paint of your car is mainly because your vehicle is regularly exposed to ultraviolet rays of the sun? Applying a ceramic coating will protect your car’s paint from oxidization caused due to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. A ceramic coating protects your car from fading and wearing a dull look and can help keep its natural radiant finish.
Ceramic coatings are a blend of versatility and durability, formulated to be unchanging up to 2,000 F and super-hydrophobic, making them ideal for all weather conditions. Due to the advanced chemical resistance ceramic coatings are proven to prevent corrosion and oxidation. Despite the strength of this impermeable armor, ceramic coatings are invisible to the naked eye and their high-gloss finish will make your new paintwork look flawless.
Enhanced Gloss
A ceramic coating will give your car a glossy look because a quality ceramic coating increases the reflective properties of the original paint job and clear coat of your car. The ceramic coating enhances the overall gloss and original radiance of your vehicle’s paint and this is what all car enthusiasts will love.
Ease of Cleaning
It is noteworthy to mention that ceramic coatings are hydrophobic in nature and do not retain water on them. This feature of ceramic coating ensures water is repelled from the exterior surface of your vehicle. When your vehicle has a hydrophobic ceramic coating, water will more easily drip and slide off from the surface of the vehicle. So, the mud and grime cannot easily bond to paint. With a quick-jet wash, the contaminants can more easily be wiped off from the exterior surface of your car and you have a spotless car.
The above-detailed understanding has discovered all those benefits that ceramic coatings offer for car lovers. Recent years have shown a rise in the usage of ceramic coatings.
Things That Ceramic Coating Don’t Promise To Do
Having all the benefits to offer, from preserving your car’s exterior to reducing the burden of ongoing maintenance to helping ease your car washing, and more, ceramic coatings have certain limitations too. More so, there are certain myths and incorrect information influencing around when we talk of this advanced protection.
Let us try to find out the things that ceramic coating does not promise to do:
Elimination of Scratches, Swirl Marks, or Rock Chips
Despite its blending properties, the ceramic coating cannot safeguard your car from the usual threats of scratches, swirl marks, and rock chips. Some detailers and manufacturers often overstate the scratch-resistance of a ceramic coating. A ceramic coating cannot work as a wonder product, that will protect your car’s exterior from any and every problem.
Although ceramic coating blends with the paint, it still retains the natural characteristics of the paint of your vehicle. This is why your vehicle is always at a risk of scratches, swirl marks, parking lot scratches, or rock chips, although some minor scratches can be repelled by ceramic coating.
It is vital to understand that ceramic coating cannot be a substitute for Paint Protection Film (clear bra), nor does it guarantee to prevent swirl marks on your vehicle’s surface.
Diminishing the Risk of Water Spotting on the Exterior of Your Vehicle
The hydrophobic character of the ceramic coating cannot completely eliminate water spots, because water drops have a certain amount of dirt or minerals. Water-based contaminants will drip on your car’s exterior surface and ultimately slide off. But the natural minerals and soluble particles of the water drops will still stay after the water has evaporated thereby creating chances of visible spots.
Eradicating the Need to Wash Your Vehicle
Ceramic coating is no miracle or super-power arrangement that guarantees the auto-cleaning of your car. Applying a layer of ceramic coating surely gives you relief from waxing your vehicle every few months and also eliminates a major portion of maintaining the exterior of your car.
However, you need to understand well that a ceramic coating does not make your vehicle maintenance-free. So, to keep your vehicle good-looking, you will still need to wash it regularly by employing appropriate car washing techniques.
Is ceramic coating worth it considering its price tag?
Looking into the benefits ceramic coating offers, it greatly adds to your car value over a longer period of time. You invest lesser time in cleaning and maintaining your car and you enjoy the lively looks of your car while driving it. So, the answer is yes ceramic coating is worth it.
But worth mentioning here, a layer of ceramic coating cannot be the ultimate solution to your car’s exterior problems. No product can warrant a deal to ensure a complete fortification of your car.
How Long Does Ceramic Coating Last?
Earlier waxing used to be the means of giving that extra shine to cars but waxing has its limitation of not being permanent and will eventually wear off. Ceramic coating, if done correctly, will last the lifetime of the car and cannot be removed by any chemicals but only by abrasion.
Although, both waxing and ceramic coating are time-consuming and take a significant amount of time to apply to the exterior of the car. But ceramic coating is better when compared to waxing the car. This is due to its vibrant finish and long life thereby indirectly making it much cost-effective and you get much better looks at your car.
Vital Tips On Ceramic Coating Application
By now, we have a lot of understanding about ceramic coatings; what they are, how do they work, what benefits and limitations they have, and so on. But it is vital to have some tips on ceramic coating application to have complete know-how about them. Let us dive right into them:
Ceramic coatings, though, available in many colors need extra care during the process of color mixing. If mixed poorly, you end up having variations in the dry coating finish, particularly in glossiness, texture, and smoothness all across the coated part of your car’s exterior.
The ceramic coating must be undertaken with the desired techniques. The professionals should be well versed with the particular techniques to regulate the pattern of spraying and coating thickness constantly. Correct application of a ceramic coating to your car’s exterior will present a vivacious look to last for the lifetime of your car.
Poor techniques employed will ultimately end up in blister formation, holes, or unwanted stains and spots in the dry coating. But if applied correctly, a ceramic coating presents an attractive long-lasting look to your car.
Ceramic coating takes time! Whenever you plan a ceramic coating, be prepared to leave your car at the shop for at least three days.
The Final Thought
Retaining the beauty of your car demands your attention and regular maintenance. If you are passionate about your car, want it to look amazing through its entire life, and are swayed about the benefits of ceramic coating, you should opt for it right away.