If you want to enhance or provide a protective layer for your vehicle’s paint, we need a perfect paint protection solution for car’s paint! This blog will let you know what Ceramic coatings are, how long ceramic coating lasts, and how to preserve ceramic coated vehicles!
What is Ceramic Coating?
Ceramic Coating is a liquid invisible shield applied to the exterior of a vehicle to protect the vehicle’s paintwork from damage caused by the elements. It is typically applied by hand and airbrush or mini HVLP and bonds with your vehicle’s paint, adding a hydrophobic layer of protection.
Ceramic coatings are made usually with Silicon Dioxide (Si02). We use exclusively Bombshell Coatings.
Bombshell Coatings 4 Year ceramic coating is a durable and high gloss multi year coating for your vehicle’s painted surfaces. When properly installed and maintained, it will provide 4+ years of extreme protection on paint and up to a year on glass, wheels and trim.
Bombshell 4 Year ceramic forms a semi-permanent bond to paint and/or gel coat and is chemical and UV resistant with extreme durability and hydrophobic self cleaning properties to keep your vehicle looking great and low maintenance for years to come!
We also offer a 2 year ceramic and 6+ month ceramic at lower price points depending on your budget or how long you plan to keep your vehicle for.
How long do ceramic coatings last?
A Ceramic Coating is a light transparent layer applied to the top layer of a car’s paint. With proper maintenance, a treatment of Bombshell ceramic Coating will keep your vehicle protected from the earth’s elements and shiny for years to come.
What are the features of a Ceramic Coating?
Here are some outstanding characteristics of how a ceramic coating can benefit you:
Hydrophobic Properties
Ceramic coatings are highly hydrophobic, shielding your vehicle from the contaminants found in rain or sprinkler water and from dirt and dust. A ceramic coating forms a semi permanent bond with the paint on your car and provides a durable protective barrier, ensuring that contaminants never directly touch or etch into the clear coat.
Because ceramic coatings have water repellent properties, dirt and contaminants roll off the coated surface. Hydrophobic properties facilitate cleaning and drying. However, while a ceramic coating will prevent permanent damage to the painted surface, proper washing and drying are required.
UV Protection and Gloss
Ceramic coatings protect our vehicle while also giving it a glossy appearance, providing excellent visibility, depth, and UV Protection from the sun.
Chemical Resistance
Another great feature of ceramic coatings is the chemical resistance as well as keeping our car clean for an extended period of time (self cleaning properties). Ceramic coatings are always superior to sealants and waxes due to their long-lasting protection 24/7 and chemical resistance. Wheel acids, All Purpose Cleaners and other degreasers will not remove a coating like they will remove wax or sealants.
Here are some steps to help your Ceramic Coating last longer
Wash your car frequently!
To have good maintenance of our car, we need to start with proper washing and frequent washing of your paint’s exterior using a proper pH balanced car soap such as Atomic Supply Company Auto Wash or a Rinseless Wash solution such as Atomic Supply Company Rinseless Wash.
The Two-Bucket Wash Method
For a long time, the two-bucket method has been widely used in car washing because it is simple to implement. All you need are two buckets, one filled with car wash soap and the other with pure water. Rinse your wash mitt thoroughly in the water bucket before immersing it in your car wash solution bucket. Always wash starting at the top panels first and save the bottom panels for last.
Rinseless Wash Method
The Rinseless Wash method which requires one bucket with a Rinseless Wash solution. This process does not require a hose to rinse the vehicle. You simply mix the Rinseless solution into a 3 to 5 gallon bucket, dip your mitt into the solution and wash one panel at a time. You will need to dip the mitt into the bucket of solution after every panel to shake the dirt off. Once the first panel is washed, you will dry it with a clean and soft microfiber drying towel, then repeat the same wash and dry process on every panel until the entire vehicle is complete. Just as with the two bucket wash method, always wash starting at the top panels first and save the bottom panels for last.
Drying Your Vehicle After Proper Washing
A ceramic coating is NOT a force field! It is still susceptible to water spots, therefore, drying the vehicle after washing is very important. Using a quality microfiber drying towel is crucial to keeping a swirl free and water spot free finish. A drying aid such as Atomic Supply Company’s “Speed Seal” can be used for added protection and lubricity to help protect against swirl marks.
Don’t Wash Your Vehicle In Direct Sunlight.
Do not wash your car in direct sunlight, at high temperatures, or when the paint is hot. Water evaporates quickly due to this and creates water spots as minerals dry on the surface. Without a ceramic coating, these minerals will start to cause permanent damage to your clear coat. With ceramic coatings, it can still leave water spots etched into the coating itself but will be much easier to remove as it will not etch into the vehicle’s clearcoat.
Use The Right Washing Tools
Make sure that you are using the right washing products and tools at all times. To ensure that our Bombshell Ceramic Coating bonds to your vehicle and lasts as long as possible, we should use dedicated car detailing products and the correct wash techniques. We prefer to use Atomic Supply Company products for this as they have been manufactured for professional detailing and ceramic coated vehicles.
What are the differences between Ceramic Coating and traditional wax?
Wax and ceramic coatings are two roads that lead to the same place. They are two different materials that serve the same purpose: to preserve the exterior surfaces of your vehicle. Both offer a protective layer that prevents your car’s surface from sun exposure, and environmental pollution.
Wax is old school and does not provide long term protection. A good guideline for waxing is that it will last 4-6 weeks. They do not hold up to heavy chemicals or detergents (such as degreasers, heavy road grime, acidic chemicals, etc).
Ceramic Coating is a new product, recently improved due to science and will last many years! Ceramic coatings shine in terms of durability and length of protection. Ceramic coatings are chemical resistant meaning they will withstand more abuse against chemicals than a wax or sealant can. Examples of this would be degreasers for bug removal, wheel acid, water spot removal products, heavy road grime and chemical spills, etc.
Will Ceramic Coatings fade?
In reality, car washing, sun, salt, dirt, and other environmental factors are constantly eroding the vehicle’s protection. Nothing lasts forever. The paint beneath the Ceramic Coating is not permanent, neither is a Ceramic Coating. It will also degrade over time due to abrasion, but if you keep the vehicle well maintained, it’s easy to see 2-4 solid years or more of protection using Bombshell Coatings.
Ceramic Coatings are beneficial to car owners and all of the vehicle surfaces such as paint, glass, wheels, trim and interior. If you want to get further information feel free to contact us at Streamline Auto Care to protect your investment today!
