Best Ceramic Coating Options for Your Car
You might have tried a lot of ways to make your car look classy and neat. Although you maintain it regularly, dirt starts accumulating after every wash. In such cases, you can opt for something that adds more value to your car.
A ceramic coating is a polymer-based chemical solution sprayed onto a vehicle’s exterior to protect the paint. When hand-applied, it mixes with your car’s paint and adds a hydrophobic layer of protection with a glossy look.
The factory paint job remains intact due to the chemical bonding, and a new layer forms on top of it. The basic goal of coating is to keep dirt, filth, and stains off the paint and keep a clear coat.
In brief, the ceramic coat protects your car’s exterior and keeps it looking like new with minimal upkeep. It makes your car more durable and easier to clean. Other benefits include:
- UV/oxidation protection
- Chemical stain and etch resistance
- Cleaning ease
- Glossy look
What Are the Different Types of Car Coating Options?
Polymer
Most ceramic coatings are epoxy or polymer-based, which bond with the factory paint. This bond is permanent as the paint and polymer create one more durable layer.
That’s why you can’t easily wash away this coating unless you use polishing.
Quartz
Liquid quartz is made up of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and other concentrated synthetic components. They are made to harden on a surface and stay as such for a certain time. Ranging from 5% SiO2 to 95–97% SiO2, these compounds are found in ceramic booster sprays, waterless wash solutions, and professional-grade nano-ceramic coating products.
When properly used and cleaned with a microfiber, they help resist scratches, oxidation, UV damage, high temperatures, and other stains.
Hybrid
Quartz and polymers are mixed to obtain hybrid ceramic coatings. This type is designed to be harder and provide a protective shell around the car. But there’s no proof that hybrid coatings are any more protective than traditional ones.
Different Options for Ceramic Coatings
Spray Coating
The ceramic coating spray can be used alone or in combination with other coatings. Many choose the latter since it produces the best outcomes.
Whether you’re applying it alone or over another product, you must first use a clay bar. Otherwise, you risk a spotty finish.
Unfortunately, many car owners believe ceramic spray coatings are expensive and require extensive prep work. Both are demonstrably wrong. It can be a low-cost option that requires little preparation with the right approach.
Nano-Ceramic Coats
A nano-coating is used to provide glossy, long-lasting protection against water, pollutants, and UV radiation when applied to a vehicle’s paintwork. Their function is to retain, protect, and enhance a flawless finish.
They are usually made up of molecular collections of polymers. These polymers cross-link to generate a nanostructure. Nanocoatings bond with the paint’s clear layer, becoming part of the surface. Some of these bindings are so strong that they require machine buffing to dissolve.
Spray Coating Vs. Nano Coating
Nano-ceramic coatings are made up of ceramic particles that are between 1 and 100 nanometers in size, allowing them to penetrate deep into the transparent coat and connect atomically.
Ceramic coating spray is usually in liquid form and takes practice to use properly and is less long-lasting than nano coats. But they are more affordable and retain SiO2, which is commonly suspended in a polymer to secure the paint bond.
Sprays can be less durable but more forgiving and less expensive.
DIY or Hire a Pro
For an excellent finish and extended durability, the expert installation makes sense. But ultimately, it also depends on your level of comfort. If you want to do it yourself, you need to buy high-quality products from trusted sellers.
But remember, it’s pretty difficult to match the quality of a pro without experience. Also, it all boils down to your prep work, application, and hard work. So, you should rather entrust the task to experts with years of experience and the right skills to offer a perfect finish after the coat.
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