Ceramic coatings have been marketed to fastidious car owners looking for the “best” way to protect their car.
But is this method really the best way of safeguarding paintwork?
CERAMIC COATINGS – WHAT ARE THEY?
Let’s not delve into chemistry here.
Ceramic coats are made of inorganic ingredients that bond with your paintwork when applied.
After it cures (dries and bonds to paintwork), a ceramic coating will harden and become a semi-permanent sealant.
Compared to waxes (both natural and synthetic) ceramic coatings are very, very hard.
On a mineral hardness scale, they can go up to 9H.
And although these coatings are not permanent, they last much, much longer than waxes.
THE PROS
When properly applied and left to cure, a ceramic coat will make your car look extremely shiny.
The coating is also very hydrophobic.
So, washing and rinsing your car is usually enough to restore its glossiness.
And because it is very hard, a ceramic coating has some degree of scratch resistance, too.
Imagine going through rain, mud and contaminants without these nasties sticking to your paint.
All you have to do is just wash your car and presto, the paint looks like new again.
There is no need to polish or wax your vehicle.
THE CONS
Although they can be awesome, ceramic coatings have downsides, too.
Firstly, you will need a professional detailer to apply it to your car.
If you are inexperienced, do not attempt to DIY! This is because once the coatings harden, they will be very tough to remove.
Imagine putting too much and ending up with thick uneven layers of coatings.
It will take polishing, and perhaps even wet sanding to correct!
Secondly, ceramic coatings cannot be immediately applied to paintwork.
An experienced professional will first assess your paint’s condition.
If there are scratches, ceramic coatings will not remove or hide them!
So, the paintwork has to be corrected/perfected before the coating can be applied.
Lastly, most ceramic coatings can also take up to 24 hours to fully cure.
Coupled with the paint prep time, you may have to go car-less for at least two days.
