Keeping Your Car Clean With Ceramic Coating: Is It Worth It?

Ceramic coating is thought to be the best way to protect your car's paint and keep its value. Ceramic coatings are liquid polymers applied by hand to your vehicle's external surface, creating a semi-permanent bond with your car's paint. The clear coating makes your car's surface easier to clean and protects it from rock chips, tree sap, bird droppings, and other contaminants.

But are car ceramic coatings worth the money? Do they live up to their promises, or is it all hype? The auto detailing experts at Lucent Auto Work will break everything down for you in this post.

What Are Ceramic Coatings for Cars?

Based on NASA's technology, a car ceramic coating is a liquid polymer featuring a composition of silica or silicon dioxide (SiO2). Sounds pretty fancy, right? If you're still wondering whether nanoceramic coatings for cars are a good idea, remember that NASA uses them too.

Silicon dioxide, which comes from quartz crystals and sand, is an important part of the ceramic coating because it combines silicon and oxygen.



They make a strong film when mixed with polysilazane, titanium dioxide, water, and triethanolamine. The dense, liquid coating that forms is what auto detailing experts call ceramic coating. When applied to your car's exterior surface, the ceramic coating forms a protection film that keeps off contaminants from the underlying surface. That keeps your car's finish looking shiny for weeks.

What's the Difference Between Ceramic Coating and Traditional Paint Protection?

If you value your car, you'll want it to always look pristine and shiny, like the day you bought it from the dealership. Of course, you remember that glossy, shiny look out of the showroom that could easily catch the eye on the streets. But can you make it last?

There are several ways to protect the paint on your car and keep it in the best shape.

However, the paint protection product you use will depend on your requirements. These products include:

• Wax

Waxing is a traditional paint protection technique that has been used for decades. The wax is relatively cheap and easy to apply compared to ceramic coating and will leave your car's paint looking great. The wax can be bought from any auto store and applied by any DIYer.

The wax is made of natural products like carnauba wax, which is blended with chemicals to make it easy to adhere to the paintwork. While the wax will make your car's paint look amazing, it's not durable. It will easily wash off or evaporate when your car is exposed to extreme heat. As such, car wax needs reapplication every few months.

• Paint Protection Film

A paint protection film (PPF) is a clear film applied to your car's painted surfaces to protect them from chips, scratches, and other road dents. This film is made from polyurethane and is applied to your vehicle using an adhesive backing. PPF’s are often installed on cars that drive on roads with a lot of debris, like gravel roads.

They're also ideal for cars frequently driven around city traffic, especially in areas with higher risks of getting chipped or scratched by another car. PPF can also be installed on boats and watercraft vehicles to protect the paint from saltwater, UV damage, and other elements.

When Should You Use a Nano-Ceramic Coating?

Despite its many benefits, ceramic paint coating isn't a one-size-fits-all paint protection solution. For some cars, it can be life-changing. You might even start wondering how you ever lived without it, especially after several washes. For some car owners, even the best ceramic coating might feel like a major letdown, especially when you hoped it would make a huge difference. So, will your vehicle benefit from a nano-ceramic coating? Let's find out!

Lucent Auto Work experts believe your vehicle will benefit from a ceramic coating if:

• The paint is kept in near-perfect condition.
• It's driven regularly in different conditions, but it's not neglected.
• Wash on a regular basis with appropriate washing products and techniques.
• May benefit from the ability to wash easily and quickly.

How Much Does a Ceramic Coating Cost?

The price may vary as there are so many professional and DIY ceramic coating options in Tacoma, WA, and surrounding areas. If you want professional-grade car coatings, be prepared to pay anywhere from $500 to $3,000, depending on the condition and size of your car, the dealer's reputation, and the quality of the nanocoating.

Obviously, a new car will be cheaper to ceramic coat than an older, larger car with more paint correction work needed. Also, there might be other hidden costs of taking your vehicle to a ceramic pro, including the prep work.

DIYers can purchase a DIY ceramic spray coating kit for about $20 to $150. Setting up the DIY ceramic coating kit will depend on the size of your vehicle and take approximately 4–8 hours.

However, the DIY ceramic coating work will be worthwhile because it can save you up to $1, 000, though the final results will also be dependent on your preparation work.