The 411 on ceramic coating

WHAT IS CERAMIC COATING?

Ceramic coating is made up of silica. Silica is what glass is made up of. It is a compound found in sand quartz that is extracted and turned into liquid. Once the product is applied to its principal surface and meets the air it hardens to create a glass like barrier. It not only protects your cars exterior from contamination, industrial fall out, light surface scratches, the sun's rays, and outside elements. It provides a long-lasting durable shine for up to 3 years. 

HOW DO YOU CARE FOR CERAMIC COATING?

To ensure you are not wasting your time, or your money please ensure to keep up with the maintenance for ceramic coating. Maintaining a ceramic coated car is much easier than without it and here is why, contamination does not stick to the exterior of the paint as easy as clear coat on the car. This makes washing your car so much easier. As a professional detailer we recommend washing your vehicle at least once a week if not bi-weekly this ensures the elements do not have time to stick or contaminate the ceramic coating on the car. (we will talk about this later). A proper maintenance booster should be applied every 6 months to a year by a professional detailer. Do not drive your car through a tunnel wash as the brushes can still cause swirl marks and the soap will dull the ceramic coating. 

WHY WOULD YOU GET CERAMIC COATING 

For starters you would get ceramic coating on your car to protect your investment. Ceramic coating is like adding a sacrificial hardened layer of clear coat to your paint. Cars coming out of factory today have minimal clear coat on them to protect your cars paint. If you are looking for an easy way to maintain your car. Once ceramic coating is applied to your vehicle it makes it much easier to clean because debris does not stick to it as easily. It creates a hydrophobic barrier that deflects a lot of the outdoor elements. You are looking for the ULTIMATE protection. Ceramic coating offers better protection than other wax or sealant. Outlasting either of those other products for years. Ceramic Coating can last anywhere from 3-5 with proper maintenance in between. Depth in color and shine Ceramic coating offers an insane amount of depth in color and shine. Because it bonds with your paint it provides a glass like finish. After every wash it will look like it just came off the show room floor. 

You don't want swirl marks, let's be honest. Ceramic coating is NOT bullet proof, however it is definitely harder to penetrate than the clear coat that is on your car. As long as you properly wash your ceramic coated car and maintain the ceramic coating you will find that you have a very clear surface. If you ever happen to notice light surface scratches or swirl marks a detailer can correct them rather quickly and not damage the original clear coat that is on your car. 

HOW DO THE ELEMENTS AFFECT MY CERAMIC COATING?

• THE SUNS RAYS- After you get a nice shiny added layer of ceramic coating to your paints surface it is as smooth and silky as can be; this allows the sun's rays to hit your cars surface and bounce directly off in the same direction. If we add some layers of dirt, acid rain, industrial fall out, or any other contamination the sun is not able to directly bounce off and is now deterred by the elements on your car creating almost a bouncing effect of rays on your cars paint.  These bouncing rays can cause almost like hairline fractures in the ceramic coating, none of which you can see but over time will eat away at the ceramic coating. This is why proper washes and maintenance is required. 

• ACID RAIN- So if you are under the impression that ceramic coating protects you from the elements please remove that thought process. A clean surface provides a hydrophobic surface. Meaning it literally makes acid rain, mud, and hard water just bead up and slide off the surface. A contaminated surface reverses the hydrophobicity and makes cleaning your car harder to maintain. Again why proper washing is important. 

WHY DOES CERAMIC COATING COST SO MUCH?

The answer to this question is generalized in a few different parts. 

• The product by itself ranges from $100.00 to $500.00 and there is not only training, but experience needed to be able to apply this product. 

• There are many hours that go into not only prepping the car but applying the product. The product also needs about 12 hours to sit and harden. 

• What costs more than the ceramic coating is the paint correction needed before applying. (a blog on paint correction coming soon). However with that said if you are happy with the way your cars paint looks we do not need to do any paint correction, however it is recommended to apply ceramic coating to a clean, flat surface. We offer different types of paint correction ranging from 50%-95%, and free estimates are available. 

WHO SHOULD GET CERAMIC COATING?

• If you care about the appearance of your car and want to maintain the value of your car than ceramic coating is right for you. 

• If you want to make washing your car more easier and protect your car from the elements along with a durable shine after a simple wash than ceramic coating is right for you. 

• If you just had your car repainted and want to maintain your cars new clear coat and correct any imperfections in the cars paint than ceramic coating is right for you!

• If you don’t want to deal with exterior details every 6 months or once a year, but still want that glossy finish after washing your car than ceramic coating is for you.

WHAT PRODUCTS DOES ULTIMATE AUTO DETAILING USE?

Ultimate Auto detailing uses a variety of products; we have been in the detailing industry for over 20 years and have tried and even tested hundreds of different products. The majority of the products that we use are by Gliptone, trusted, and recommended. 

• Ceramic coating- We use Gliptone GT Quartz

• ​Car Soap- Gliptone Foam Blizzard

• Spray Wax- Gliptone Body Gloss

• Ceramic Coating Extender- GT Ceramic Coating Extender