Ceramic Coating: Best Protection From Milwaukee Weather
What’s a Ceramic Coating?
At one point in time, wax was the top shelf choice to enhance your vehicle’s shine while also protecting your paint from external elements like rain, bird poo, dirt, etc…
Fast forward 20 years, a bunch of scientists work their magic, and we now have an unmatched alternative for paint protection: ceramic coatings.
Unlike Mr. Miyagi, this is not a “wax-on-wax-off” type of application. The ceramic coating is a semi-permanent layer to the vehicle. It is commonly referred to as a “sacrificial” layer of protection as it’ll absorb the weather elements like rain, dirt, and snow to better protect the paint underneath.
As a quick analogy: The wax is like a tent protecting you in a forest. The ceramic coating is like a brick house in the forest. Both offer protection from rain and dust, but one is nothing like the other.
The Benefits of a Ceramic Coating
- Produces the most durable protection that lasts between 5 – 7 years
- Creates a deep level of gloss that’s incomparable to other forms of protection like a wax
- Provides unmatched hydrophobic and self-cleaning properties that keeps your car cleaner and makes it easier to wash
- Capable of resisting very light swirls and scratches (this does not make the car invincible)
- You only need to apply it once (and not every 3 months like other forms of protection)
Before the coating is installed, the vehicle must first be properly prepped and corrected with our paint correction services.
If you apply the coating without the proper prep work, you’re not able to get all the benefits from the coating.
That’s the difference of a professional ceramic coating installer. Additionally, if it’s not properly installed, you won’t get the actual benefits and you’ll see a ton of smudges across your vehicle.
This is what we consider “high spots”. You’ll see this when the coating was not properly applied and it was left to dry for too long without wiping off.
There’s many variables that must be considered during the application process. Regardless if the weather is hot, humid, cold, or a mixture of any of those together, which Wisconsin is very well-known to do, it will impact the way we install the coating at our shop.
Common Myths About Ceramic Coatings
Yes, coatings are long-lasting, durable, and create a crazy gloss on your finish, but that does not mean you can do whatever you want with your vehicle and think the coating will protect it.
It has its limitations and it’s important to understand what you get and what you don’t get from a coating. Too many times we hear customers overshoot the protection aspect of the coating and are then disappointed when something happens to the finish.
The coating will not make your paint scratch-proof. When we say the coating will resist light swirls and scratches, we genuinely mean light swirls and scratches that might be induced well driving down the road or washing your vehicle.
The coating will not protect your paint from rock chips. The only real option that can actually protect your paint from rock chips will be paint protection film (PPF).
The coating still requires maintenance to keep it strong. Just like many other things of value, if you don’t care for the coating, it will degrade overtime and not last it’s intended lifespan.
You have to properly wash, dry, and boost the coating for maximum durability. A coating that was meant to last for 6 years can start to break down at year 3 if not cared for properly.
Starting Prices
These are general prices. Price will change based on size.
R1 (5-7 Year Coating)
Small: $400
Medium: $550
Large: $675
Ceramic Coatings FAQs
Do you have a shop?
Yes! We offer all our paint correction and ceramic coating services at our shop location. Depending on the level of work, it can take 2 to 7 days to complete the service (since it has to be paired with our paint correction or paint polishing service).
Can I wash my car after the coating is installed?
Once the coating is applied, the vehicle should not get wet for the first 48 hours so it can fully cure. After that, we advise our customers to not wash their vehicle for the first two weeks. The first wash after we apply the ceramic coating is free to you so we can check how the coating is holding up.
Can the ceramic coating replace my clear coat?
If your paint is chipping and fading due to clear coat failure, the only option to fix that is a repaint. A ceramic coating will not be able to help.
Can I just get the coating installed without the prep work or paint correction?
We do not apply coatings to vehicles that have not gone through the proper prep and correction as you will not reap the benefits of a coating without it.