08 May The truth about Ceramic Coating
Introduction
Ceramic coating can be somewhat confusing, throughout this blog, we provide our industry expertise to make it somewhat easier.
You want your vehicle to look as good as it did the day you bought it and spend countless hours carefully washing it on a regular basis and doing your very best. But despite your efforts, swirl marks, chips, and stains start to build up over time on your vehicle’s exterior. Not only that, water spots, dirt, and grime start clinging to your car the day after you give it a thorough wash.
What if there was a product that could prevent this from happening, and one that would provide protection from environmental hazards and make your car easier to clean, while not requiring repeated application? Good news! There is.
Ceramic Coating
It’s called a Ceramic Coating (or Nano-Ceramic Coating), and it could offer substantial benefits to your vehicle.
But before you go reaching for your hard-earned cash, it’s important to arm yourself with some basic information regarding what a ceramic coating will and won’t do.
If you have read anything online about Ceramic Coatings, you will have heard both manufacturers and some detailers making outrageous promises about the performance of the Ceramic Coating they use.
A Ceramic Coating is a liquid that is applied by hand to the exterior of a vehicle, which then chemically bonds with the vehicle’s factory paint, creating a layer of protection.
A Ceramic Coating is not to be confused with paint protection film, which provides a much higher level of protection.
Think of it as a traditional form of wax, but one that creates a permanent bond with a vehicle’s paint, meaning that it does not wash away or break down and does not require repeated application every few months.
In short, a coating adds additional protection to your car’s exterior and helps keep it looking like new with comparatively simple maintenance.
Ford Mustang Bullitt: A combination of Xpel Ultimate Plus paint protection film and Ceramic Pro 9h, offers superb protection and a 10-year warranty
Benefits of Ceramic Coatings
PROTECTION FROM UV DAMAGE / OXIDIZATION
If a vehicle is often exposed to the sun, its paint can begin to go dull.
A layer of Ceramic Coating protects a vehicle’s paint from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, thereby reducing the amount of damage that is inflicted.
PROTECTION FROM STAINING
Another danger for your car is chemical staining from naturally acidic contaminants such as bird poo, bugs and tree sap.
The presence of a ceramic coating gives your vehicle a level of resistance to staining and etching, much higher than the original paintwork alone.
EASE OF CLEANING
One of the most significant features of a Ceramic Coating is that it is hydrophobic, which is a fancy way of saying it repels water.
When a vehicle has a hydrophobic Ceramic Coating, any water will just slide right off, which also makes it more difficult for dirt to stick to the vehicle.
ENHANCED GLOSS
A good coating enhances the reflective properties of your car’s paint and clear coat, adding to the depth and clarity of your paint.
What does a ceramic coating not do?
However, despite the claims of some manufacturers and detailers, a Ceramic Coating is not a miracle, super-cure product that will solve any and every problem for your car.
Therefore, it is important for you to know what a Ceramic Coating does not do.
ELIMINATE THE DANGER OF SCRATCHES, SWIRL MARKS, OR STONE CHIPS
Though some small scratches can be repelled by a Ceramic Coating, a coated vehicle will not be completely resistant to the risk of stone chips or most scratches.
The scratch-resistance of a Ceramic Coating is often highly exaggerated, and if avoiding these is your primary concern, then you should look into paint protection film instead.
ELIMINATE THE RISK OF WATER SPOTTING
A normal drop of water contains a certain amount of dirt or minerals, and when water evaporates on your vehicle’s surface, the minerals are left behind, creating visible spots.
If you live in a hard water area, it is important to discuss this with your chosen detailer, so you can pick the right product and maintenance options to avoid this problem.
ELIMINATE THE NEED TO WASH
This is by far the biggest myth regarding ceramic coatings, and one that I hope any sensible person could see through very quickly.
While ceramic coatings will can help keep a vehicle cleaner for longer, you should treat it just like any unprotected vehicle and wash it regularly.
Additional Links
Interested in our previous blog ‘DSJ detailing, an employees perspective’, click here.
Do you want to meet our team and understand what services we offer in further detail if so visit our blog here.
If you would like to know more about how to protect your car’s paint, check out a previous blog here.
Alternatively, book your car in for the signature DSJ detail here.
More information on how to protect your car with ceramic coating can be found here.