What is Ceramic Coating ?

What is ceramic coating and why you should do it?

Are you confused about what ceramic coating is? I don’t blame you, the amount of contradictory and rather confusing information on it is quite staggering. But don’t fear, you have come to the right place; by the end of this article, you will know exactly what ceramic coating is, how long ceramic coatings last and you’ll be itching to get it done once you find out what the advantages to it are.

What is ceramic coating?

So, to kick things off, what is ceramic coating?

Ceramic coating is the application of a polymer coating to the exterior of a vehicle, forming a hydrophobic layer of protection for your paintwork. It prevents a variety of different dirt and grime from staining your paintwork - from mud and road grit all the way to acid rain and industrial fallout. In other words, nothing is getting to that sweet paintwork of yours, ensuring that your car turns heads for years to come.

How does the ceramic coating process work?

Okay so now you know what ceramic coating is but how does it work?

To begin the process, we must set ceramic coating aside for now and begin with some paintwork detailing. Why? Because what is the point of protecting your paintwork if it looks dull and devoid of life; we must first make sure your paintwork is looking great. On a sidenote, if you would like to find out more about paintwork detailing, read our blog about it here.

Now that your paintwork is turning heads let’s make sure those heads stay turning for the next few years by slapping on a ceramic coating. The vehicle is thoroughly cleaned and prepared before a single-stage machine polish is performed as a minimum. This ensures that the ceramic coating bonds correctly and has maximum adhesion with the paintwork. Next, the IGL ceramic coating solution is applied and left to cure overnight.

Types of ceramic coatings

PPM carcare offers three types of IGL ceramic coatings:

1. IGL Poly - this formulation will amplify the shine and gloss of your car, protecting it from everyday toxins and dirt. It substantially reduces marring and light scratching over time. It lasts for up to one year.

1. IGL Quartz - this formulation is three times harder than the average vehicle paint firmness coming in at 9H on the pencil hardness scale. It enhances the vehicle’s paintwork resulting in an increase in the paint’s reflectivity and resistance against harsh chemicals, micro marring, and dullness. It lasts for up to two years.

1. IGL Quartz+ - this is the Muhammad Ali of ceramic coats. It’s a hybrid 9H rated dual system ceramic coating that combines two ceramic coatings with different attributes to provide the ultimate layer of protection and an excellent finish for almost all types of paint surfaces. It has enhanced durability, upgraded hydrophobicity, increased water spot & chemical resistance, improved slip for efficient cleaning, and superb clarity & gloss. It lasts up to four years.

Advantages of ceramic coating:

Ceramic coating has a tonne of advantages to it, they are as follows:

● It protects from literally everything under the sun. No, seriously, it protects against harmful UV rays which may cause your car’s paint to oxidize and fade.

● It gives your car a glossy finish. So, if heads are already turning at the sight of your paintwork, your car may lead to some neck injuries once you slap a ceramic coating on it.

● It protects your paintwork from the inevitable dirt and debris thrown up whilst on the road and from chemical stains resulting from acid rain for example.

● If you’re not already sold on ceramic coating, this one will get you. Unlike waxing and other types of detailing, ceramic coats won’t come off when you wash your car making the weekly carwash a breeze.

How much does ceramic coating cost?

Different IGL coatings are available ranging from £125 for the IGL Poly package to £275 for the IGL Quartz+ application.

How long does ceramic coating take?

The application of the coats takes no time but the pesky prep work does. For the IGL Poly and Quartz packages, it takes 1 - 1 ½ hours whilst the IGL Quartz+ package takes longer as it consists of 2 coats and a 4 hour wait in between - bringing it up to 6-7 hours.

All the coats also need 12-24 hours to cure up enough before leaving the workshop. So, overall, all the ceramic coating packages require an overnight stay in our workshop.

Is it worth it?

Ceramic coating is one of the finest car paintwork protection services available today. With the level of protection it offers, you’d be mad not to have it done on your car.