Ceramic coating is a hugely popular product that has become widely available from both online and in-person retailers. It is touted to be a much better alternative to car waxes and sealants and will protect paint, glass, chrome and plastic from damage. It’s also supposed to give your vehicle a more vibrant, glossy look than normal.
It is true that ceramic coating for cars does make a big difference in the appearance of your vehicle, but you should be aware that it is not a magic cure-all. Regardless of what anyone tells you, it cannot hide faded paint, swirl marks, scratches or obscenities scribbled in permanent marker.
What it can do, however, is greatly reduce the amount of time and effort it takes to clean your vehicle. It is because of the hard surface that ceramic coating creates on a car’s paint that it can resist the accumulation of road grime, bird droppings, bug splatters, mud and other contaminants.
The coating works on a molecular level to fill in the tiny pores and crevices that usually attract dirt and other debris. As a result, your car will require fewer trips to the drive-through car wash and will be far easier to keep clean.
This type of coating is also very heat resistant. Conventional ceramics can withstand temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it perfect for protecting your car against the sun’s damaging UV rays. It is this heat resistance that also helps to reduce the risk of oxidation and discoloration on your paint job.
In addition to all of this, the ceramic material used in most consumer-grade coatings is extremely hydrophobic. Whenever moisture comes into contact with the coating, it will bead up and slide off instead of sticking like it normally would. This is what gives ceramic coated cars that amazingly shiny and smooth look that is so enviable.
Obviously, a car with a ceramic coating will still need to be cleaned regularly, but it will be far less time consuming and labor intensive than if it did not have the protective layer. It is recommended that you use a pH-neutral shampoo on your car that does not contain any silicones or other ingredients that can break down the hydrophobic properties of the ceramic coating.
If you follow the tips and advice in this article, your ceramic coating will last longer and provide better protection for your vehicle than a typical wax or sealant. However, eventually all coatings will need to be replaced. When that day arrives, a quick call to the experts at Glasslife ATL will have you safely removing your old ceramic coating and replacing it with a top-tier product.