Ceramic coatings are the new kid on the block of automotive detailing. Here is an article to help you get acquainted, because they are here to stay.
Being in the automotive industry, we’ve been hearing a lot about ceramic coatings lately, and we’re sure that you have been too. Unbelievable videos and outlandish claims have led to us all wondering things like, “What are ceramic coatings?”, “Are they worth the money?”, and “What do they do?”.
In light of all these questions, we’d like to submit a breakdown of ceramic coatings. Hopefully by looking into the history, technology, and performance contained in these tiny bottles, we can help you dispel some myths and decide if ceramic coatings are right for you and your vehicle.
“Why do ceramic coatings exist?”
Remember the day you drove your car off the dealer’s lot? The way a brand new car looks is stunning, and anyone who’s experienced that feeling wants to hold onto it. Unfortunately, despite painstaking washing and waxing, time takes its toll on the surface of our vehicles. Even if we’re able to protect our cars from damage like dents and paint chips, swirl marks, small scratches, and UV damage start to add up to an ugly finish.
No matter what we do, our vehicles are constantly under attack from environmental factors like road salt, mud, dust, gravel, acid rain, UV rays, swirl marks, break dust, and bird droppings. While washing your car can successfully remove contaminants, it doesn’t prevent that dirt and grit from doing damage before you’re able to scrub it off. And wax is only a temporary solution, requiring reapplication ever few weeks for best results.
This is the point at which ceramic coatings start to make sense.
Ceramic coatings solve these problems by coating every inch of your vehicle’s exterior in a protective layer that is exceptionally durable, hydrophobic, UV blocking, scratch resistant, and invisible.
“What is a ceramic coating?”
To visualize a ceramic coatings (also called a “nano-ceramic coatings” or “nano-coating”), imagine an exceptionally thin shell that coats your entire car, protecting the clear coat.
Ceramic coatings are composed of two parts: tiny (“nano”) ceramic particles that are suspended in a resin. This resin is painted onto a surface and the resin forms a molecular bond with the surface, making it virtually unremovable except through deliberate abrasion. The ceramic particles in the resin is what give ceramic coatings their performance.
You might be wondering, “Exactly how thin is this layer?” Well, to visualize, consider that an entire vehicle can be coated with a single 30mL bottle of the stuff. Even though the coating is so thin, a properly applied layer of ceramic coating will last for years. The hydrophobic nature of ceramic coatings is probably their most prized feature. The hydrophobicity is what makes treated cars so easy to clean.
“What are my options?”
Similar to our lines of window tint and paint protection films, we only carry the best-in-class for ceramic coatings. The coatings made by Edge and autobahn are guaranteed to give you the results you desire at a price that is fair. To help decide which options are right for you and your vehicle, just give us a shout. We are happy to talk about different products, and set you up with a shop from our network of experts that is located in your area.
