Jun 18, 20232 min read

BENEFITS OF CERAMIC COATING YOUR VEHICLE

Updated: Apr 12

Have you ever considered applying a ceramic coating to your vehicle, but you would like to know the pros and cons?

As we know ceramic coatings are becoming more and more popular with car enthusiasts. However, they have been around for quite some time and can backtrack all the way to the 1900's. It was first used on military vehicles due to its ability to prevent corrosion and wear.

Now that you know a very brief history of ceramic coatings, let's talk about the benefits of ceramic coating and dive into the pros and cons. (Pros and Cons will always differ according to the coating you choose. We recommend asking your detailer what they have available and what the benefits are, as some will have everything in the below-mentioned list and some might not).

Water beads on ceramic coating — Water Beads After Heavy Rainfall

Pros

Reduces drag - Due to the ceramic coating leaving a silky smooth touch, it has the ability to reduce drag which means the vehicle will use less fuel. This is why you will find that many aircraft and boats use ceramic coatings today.
UV Protection - Prevents fading and oxidation on paintwork which can be caused by the sun.
Chemical Resistant - Resistance to bird droppings, acid, etc.
Water Repellent - Water runs off easily (reduces drag on boats when applied to the hull bottom).
Oil Repellent - Rinses off oil easily.
High Gloss - An enhanced gloss that will keep your vehicle in a condition that looks brand new or better!
Stays cleaner for longer - Dirt does not stick to the surfaces as it would with non-ceramic-coated vehicles. Vehicles are also easily dried with a blower instead of using a drying towel.
Extends the lifespan of paintwork and interior.
Enhances and preserves the value of your vehicle.
Maintenance can be done on your ceramic coating to repair, preserve or extend its lifespan.
Scratch resistant - Ceramic coatings are smooth making it scratch resistant, instead of objects grabbing into your paintwork, the coating will cause the object to glide instead. Your ceramic coating layer will act as a barrier to swirls and scratches, meaning the scratch will first have to penetrate through the layer of the ceramic coating before scratching the actual paint. Scratch resistance varies from 7H - 10H Hardness. Although they are not very strong at preventing scratches, they do still offer protection which could reduce/absorb impact.
Ceramic coatings are available for interior, exterior, and PPF (Protection Paint Film)

Cons

Coatings have a curing time of around 24hrs and can go up to 48hrs or more. (can be sped up with infrared lights).
A lot of prep work needs to be done before applying the ceramic coating, such as masking of trims, clay bar, decontamination washing, paint correction, and wiping down with IPA.