All about ceramic coatings.

For many years, a traditional Wax was the go-to choice for professionals and weekend warriors alike, to give your paintwork a shine and also to protect it from the great British elements - not to mention bird poo and tree sap!

Today, we have advanced somewhat and we now have ceramic coatings. A far superior and longer lasting form of protection. These liquid coatings (when correctly applied) bond to the paintwork of a vehicle creating what we call a ‘sacrificial layer’ which take the beating on behalf of your vehicles nice paintwork.

So, why should you consider it?

Well, some of the benefits are:

° Protection for 3-7 + years (not 1-3 months like the old school waxes) in a single application.

° The level of gloss that is achieved from a ceramic coating is far superior to that of a wax.

° Unbelievable hydrophobic properties repelling water & dirt from your car making it easier to clean.

BUT WAIT….Before you go and purchase your own ceramic coating and attempt to apply it yourself, beware…. Improperly applied coatings will A) Not provide you with the protection you wanted, and B) Very likely to cause ‘high spots’ whereby the coating is actually visible on your paintwork in the form of permanent oily smears. Not nice...

Applying these finicky coatings takes proper training and knowledge. Luckily, HP Valeting & Detailing have all the necessary skills, expertise and tools to ensure that we apply these coatings properly and in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure you get first class results. We only use premium brand coatings so you can be sure that you will be getting what you pay for.

What CANT a ceramic coating do?

Ceramic coatings aren’t bulletproof. They won’t stop big rock/stone chips on the motorway at 70mph or impact damage in a car accident. They also probably won’t make you famous or give you the winning lottery numbers.

Maintenance is key.

Once your vehicle has been professionally coated by us, it will still need some love in the future. Like anything, the coatings degrade over time (an impressively longer amount of time than an old wax). Proper washing & drying techniques along with coating-boosts will ensure you get the most out of your coating. All of our exterior wash services are ceramic-friendly and we can boost your coating to maintain its effectiveness. For a coated vehicle, we recommend a boost at around a year and then again in the third year (mainly because of our weather!). This is a cost effective way of ensuring the lifespan of your new coating.

Finally,

Prior to any ceramic coating application, we thoroughly inspect the condition of your paintwork. It will almost certainly need some level of correction work (machine polishing) to restore the appearance of the paint, before it’s locked in by the coating. Otherwise, all those swirl marks and imperfections will be sealed under a semi permanent coat of armour.

If you’d like to know more, or you have any questions then get in touch today. We could rattle on for hours so do contact us if you’re unsure on any aspect of ceramic coatings.