Ceramic coating for cars is familiar to most car enthusiasts. This is a form of chemical polymer solution that covers the exterior of a vehicle from damage. It creates an additional layer of hydrophobic protection and is generally applied by hands. Ceramic coating for cars is an alternative to waxing. The main motive of ceramic coating is to protect the surface from dirt, or stain marks from appearing on the paint job.
This process is also known as Nano-Ceramic coating and is a permanent or semi-permanent coating that is purely dependent on the type of polymer used. Due to its chemical composition, it does not break down in extreme atmospheric conditions. Compared to waxing, ceramic coating is more permanent and easier to clean when applied. Some benefits of Ceramic coating are as follows:
Protection from Harmful UV rays:
Sun’s harmful UV rays can cause immense wearing out to your car’s paint job. Hence it is advisable to have a ceramic coating done as it prevents oxidizing and also prevents fading or having a dull look. This is highly critical if the car is parked outside.
Protection from Chemical specks:
Due to the rising pollution, there are chemical or acidic specks present in the air that may be of potential damage to the car. This coating will prevent these contaminants from bonding with the car paint. This can be counted upon and be a huge relief due to the present conditions.
Hydrophobic nature and ease of cleaning:
If you choose to wax your car, the cleaning process becomes a hassle. With this coating, one doesn’t have to worry about the polymer coating wearing off as it not only blends with the car’s paint but also repels water. A quick jet wash does wonders as it makes the car spotless and brand new.
Glossy finish:
All car enthusiasts will definitely look forward to this as it has a fine finish. Similar to a car bra, it gives your car the extra gloss effect and brings depth into your car and the original paint job a better look.
Ceramic Coating: The correct type of hardness
In 1812, Friedrich Mohs found the Mohs scale of mineral hardness as up until then minerals were only judged on the basis of the chemical composition. Hardness is the resistance of a material to distortion or pressure. Mohs scale of hardness is one of the most suitable scales to measure ceramic coating hardness besides other scales like Ridgway’s scale and Wooddell’s scale.
According to the American Society for Testing and Materials, they have made use of a Pencil scale for measuring a ceramic coating’s hardness. The Pencil scale is typically a standard scale for evaluating ceramic coating hardness besides other tests like oxidization, UV resistance, gloss retention, and many other factors which are significant to test the same.
A pencil with a specific hardness is chosen and is placed at an angle of 45° in a small device called a Pencil grade tester which is then placed on the surface. With steady pressure, a line of 2cm is made on the surface. If the pencil scratches the surface, a softer pencil is used until the surface does not get scratched.
The present clear lacquer has a hardness ranging between 1 and 4 on a Mohs’ scale. The ceramic coating increases the hardness to 9H, which means the lacquer becomes as hard as diamonds. This comes with the assumption that no scratch can henceforth be made on the car’s surface once the ceramic coating is applied. But it is not the case as the car is still subjected to scratches.
However, the lasting layer of protection makes it scratch-resistant. In addition, the glossy layer also makes it UV resistant, prevents oxidizing, and makes it easier to wash. The ceramic coating though compared to the shine of a diamond is not as hard as the diamond itself.
Hence the most ideal form of ceramic coating used worldwide is the 9H. There are many service centres that also use the ceramic pro which is blended in with the 9H to give a perfect hardness which gives the Ceramic Pro 9H.
The Ceramic Pro 9H, similar to the regular 9H, is a permanent nano-ceramic coating that provides the same features as the 9H like UV resistance, super glossy finish, hydrophobic surface, chemical resistance except for the difference here is with is the added Thermal resistance and Anti-Graffiti features.
Any Ceramic coating ranged higher than 9H is a hoax and has a high chance of causing damages to the car’s paint job. Hence it is not advisable to do Ceramic coatings such as 10H, 12H, or any other coatings.
The exclusive composition of 9H has made the lacquer multi-layered which means the thickness can be increased by applying multiple coats allowing it to be harder and scratch-resistant. Here at Pitstop, we offer the 9H Ceramic coating which is ideal and best suited for all cars.
How long does Ceramic coating take?
Before the application of the Ceramic coating, the car must be thoroughly cleaned by professionals and only then proceed to apply the coatings. Depending on the number of coats, the Ceramic coating may take from 24 hours to 48 hours to dry if kept under infrared rays, which will cure the coating. Ideally, 3 days should be given for the Ceramic coating to dry evenly.
This is done as Ceramic when combined with the paint releases solvents that should not be exposed to water or sunlight and must be cured properly at a professional garage.
Why is Ceramic Coating better than Teflon Coating?
Teflon, also known as Poly-tetra-fluoro-ethylene, is a form of coating used on cars. Automotive Teflon is more of an affordable option used to protect the car against scuffs or surface swirl marks and is 0.2 microns thick and generally lasts up to 6-8 months. If taken great care of, Teflon coating can last longer.
Teflon coating is favourable when it comes to the protection of the paint job of the car. It protects the car from scratches and shields from road chips, corroding, and other atmospheric conditions. But Teflon does not bond with the paint, instead just acts as an additional protective layer over the paint job.
Once this coating is applied, it reduces swirl marks and adds a glossy touch to the car. The main disadvantage of this coating is durability. When washed off with hard soap or high PH detergents, it can wear off the coating. Also, Teflon coating will wear off in 6 months or less if not maintained with care.
The reason why Ceramic coating proves to be better than Teflon is due to the long-lasting effect and the sturdiness. Ceramic coating also is a protective layer to prevent it from scratches and other degrading factors, but for its second layer, nanotechnology is used which is not visible to the naked eyes that give extra protection.
The particles are so tiny that they can take up space in between the paint molecules. This makes the whole vehicle hydrophobic, corrosion-resistant, UV resistant, prevents oxidation, and scratches. Ceramic coating if applied on a car properly can last up to the lifetime of the car.
But Ceramic Coating is set at a premium price starting at Rs.18,000 and goes up to Rs.70,000. But overall, Ceramic Coating is considered a better option than Teflon coating.
Why should you do it on brand new cars?
A Ceramic coating takes your new car’s protection to a whole new level. It not only looks brand new for a long time but also has the highest level of protection from a number of factors such as oxidizing, corrosion, is UV resistant, and prevents scratches to a great extent.
Since it uses Nanotechnology it deeply penetrates through the paint job, blends into creating a clear coat, and making it sturdier. The Ceramic coating can be applied over and over, which expands the overall protective shield that not only includes the paint job but also the headlights, glass, carbon fibre, and more.
Thus the above factors are the reasons why Ceramic coating is not only attractive but also desirable due to its protective properties and is also a good investment for every car.
Also, read :Own a vintage? Here’s what you need to know.
