Let’s be real: the only reason you even know what a ceramic coating is has to do with a social media post by some guy you don’t even really know. It’s flashy, it’s cool, it’s the latest craze in car care that everyone, and no one, is talking about. It’s hype, it’s marketing, it’s…are you sure you know?
If you’re like us, your curiosity was piqued by that mysterious, often pricey fluid that comes in a cute little bottle and is apparently not made of plates (we checked). What ceramic coating actually is is “a long-term nanoscopic exterior automotive paint treatment and protectant that is applied in a liquid form and cures to form a hard layer on top of the paint. Essentially, it's the candy shell that protects the paint's delicious chocolate center.”
As for how it’s applied to your car’s somewhat shabby paint, never fear as The Drive’s fabulous house of How-To is here to help.
Estimated Time Needed: 4 hours to apply, 24 hours to cure
Skill Level: Intermediate
Vehicle System: Exterior
Ceramic coatings are cool, but breathing them in is not. Also, you probably want to protect the rest of your body from dirt and chemicals as well. Here’s a rough idea of what you’ll want and why.
There’s nothing worse than attempting to start a project without everything you need. Make sure you’ve at least got this stuff.
Tool List
Parts List
Surface preparation varies depending on how new/well you’ve taken care of your paint. And this is arguably the most important step, as a ceramic coating on a poor finish will only seal in the imperfections. This is why you usually see articles like “Here’s the 862-step Paint Correction and Ceramic Coating Method” when other people talk about applying a ceramic coating. You simply are going to get the best results if you start with the best foundation. Think about how important foundations are for buildings! I should know, I went to architecture school! Yes, I’m in therapy.
Anyway, this is why we’re saying that the skill level is a bit more than beginner level. If you don’t know much about car detailing, you’re gonna want to go through some of that first. Go do that if you need to and come back. We promise we’ll wait.
You’re back! Great, we missed you. Now, the end results are pretty much a “you get out what you put in” situation, so you decide how far you wanna take this. Bare minimum, you’ll want to use a surface preparation solution to remove anything that will get in between the paint and the ceramic coating. A product such as Mother’s CMX Surface Prep is great for removing unwanted surface contaminants. If you don’t prep the surface, you might end up sealing in some of the nasty stuff. We’d hate to see you do that! If you wanna go all the way, you’ll want to take a machine polisher to the surface to get it all smooth and glossy.
Once all that is done, and before you get started with the ceramic coating application, make sure you have a well-ventilated workspace. Seriously, don’t breathe in this stuff, it’s not air and it smells bad! A covered, well-ventilated, shaded workspace is ideal.
Alright, let’s party.
Read the instructions that came with your kit, as they can vary. Here’s a general guide
You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.
A: Yes. God, yes. You won’t mess up the paint, but ceramic coatings are much harder to remove than wax. Take your time with the application process and do it right.
A: Everyone has their proprietary formulation, but the main ingredient is silica dioxide (SiO2).
A: With proper prep, application, and a quality coating formula, a ceramic coating could last 2-5 years.
A: Technically yes, but just don’t. The short story is that the ceramic coating itself is much better at repelling water and other contaminants than the wax, which will sit on top of the coating. Just keep the car clean and use a ceramic booster spray product every so often.
A: Everything needs maintenance! Keeping your car washed will help the coating perform at its best.
A: The general consensus is that you should wait at least seven days before washing your car or driving in the rain, as the coating will still be curing after the initial 24-hour period.
