● Note · Coatings
Ceramic coating, without the hype
Half the cars we coat were brought in because the owner had read three contradictory blog posts on what a ceramic actually is. Here is the version we wish we had to send people instead — honest, with numbers where they help and shrugs where the answer is "depends".
First, what it actually is
A ceramic coating is a liquid that, once cured, becomes a transparent, glass-like layer of silica (SiO2) bonded to your clear-coat. It is not paint. It is not a wax. It is closer to a kitchen tile glaze that has been thinned to brushable consistency and applied panel by panel. Once it cures, it cannot be washed off; the only way to remove it is with abrasion (compound, polish, sandpaper).
The "9H" in marketing copy refers to a pencil hardness scale. A 9H coating resists marks from a pencil rated 9H or softer. It does not mean your car is now impervious to scratches; it means the topmost layer of your car is harder than untreated clear-coat. That distinction matters.
What it really does
- Sheds water. Hydrophobic, with contact angles around 105°. Rain rolls off in beads, taking dust with it.
- Cuts cleaning time roughly in half. Bird droppings, sap and bug bodies sit on top of the coating instead of biting into clear-coat — a contact wash will lift them.
- Adds gloss. A small but visible deepening of the paint colour. Metallics gain particular depth.
- Slows oxidation. The SiO2 layer blocks UV and takes the brunt of UV exposure on the clear-coat's behalf.
What it really does not do
- It does not stop stone chips. That is what paint protection film (PPF) is for.
- It does not stop wash-induced swirls if you use a chain tunnel. The brush is still scratching the coating, just less than it would have scratched bare clear.
- It does not last forever. A good 9H coat lasts three to five years if maintained properly. Anything claiming ten years is either a different chemistry (PPF, glass) or a marketing claim.
How to choose what your car needs
The fork in the road is keep-time. How long do you plan to keep the car?
Under 12 months — sealant
A six-month polymer sealant gives you 80% of the look at 15% of the cost. Topping it up before resale photos is the smart spend.
One to three years — single-layer ceramic
A single 9H layer with a proper paint correction underneath. Two-day job; comes with the same warranty handling we apply to two-layer coats but at a lower price point.
Three years or more — two-layer ceramic
Two layers of 9H on the body, separate hydrophobic coat on glass, rim coat on the wheels. Three-year written warranty, free annual inspection wash. This is the sweet spot for long-term keepers.
Hard-driven daily, lots of highway — PPF over correction
If you commute 200 km a week on the AMJ, the front end is taking sandblasting whether you like it or not. PPF over corrected paint is a better spend than a coating — we will refer you to a partner shop that does film well.
Questions we get every week
"Does it scratch?" Less than bare clear-coat. Not "not at all". You should still hand-wash; you should still avoid drive-through tunnels.
"How do I maintain it?" Two-bucket hand wash with a pH-neutral shampoo. No abrasive polishes. Quick spray sealant top-up every six months if you want to keep beading at week-one levels.
"Can it be done on a new car straight off the dealer lot?" Yes, but only after a careful inspection — we have seen dealer prep marks that need correcting before any coating goes on. We do this for free during the walk-around.
Still unsure if it is the right spend?
WhatsApp us a photo and the keep-time. We will give you a five-minute, no-pitch read on whether to coat or to skip.