Ceramic Coatings, also referred to as Glass Coatings or Quartz Coatings, are the highest form of protection from UV and Chemical Damage available for vehicles today . The chemical composition that provides the protection is SiO2, or Silicon Dioxide. A solvent carrier is used to apply the SiO2 to the paint and other surfaces, by hand. The solvent evaporates out and leaves the SiO2 behind to cure and bond to the surface.

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Conceptually, think of Ceramic Coatings like a wax or sealant, but with 3 key differences.

 

1. The Coating is a high gloss layer that bonds to the surface underneath (vehicle paint) for a matter of years, where we see a few months out of most waxes or sealants.

2. The chemical composition of the Ceramic Coating is able to withstand penetration of UV and harmful environmental contaminants to help keep your paint's finish from degrading over time due to exposure.

3. The Coating produces a highly repellent surface, where dirt and contaminant is rejected instead of absorbed in to the surface. This keeps the surfaces cleaner longer and makes regular wash maintenance very easy and safe.

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The immense wave of popularity that Ceramic Coatings have seen have led to some irresponsible marketing in the Coating world. Champion has been installing Ceramic Coatings for over 5 years, and have tested/applied almost every major coating brand on the market.  Our years of experience have taught us, firmly, what Coatings will do and will not do.  If you're considering a professionally applied coating, and the detail shop is 'selling' you on a Coating's scratch resistance, hardness, warranty, or outrageous durability, you are being set up for disappointment.

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Coatings are not thick enough nor hard enough to withstand scratches from a dirty wash mitt, a key, or a rock chip. They do produce a slightly harder surface than the paint itself, but not enough to withstand this type of damage. The 9H or 10H Hardness measure that is used describes a Coating’s “vertical hardness”, refers to its ability to withstand penetration from UV and chemical damage and to keep it from reaching the paint's finish. That is what we are asking of a Ceramic Coating. We coat cars so that they still look good years down the road, and do not suffer from the slow roll of UV and environmental contamination that degrades the finish. Where a Coating can play in to scratch resistance is by producing and extremely repellent and slick surface, so that the surface releases loose dirt that you would otherwise drag across the paint when washing. This will help to minimize the friction between the dirt, your wash mitt, and the paint.

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The durability of any Ceramic Coating is directly related to two things:

• First and foremost, the maintenance program the car enjoys will be the primary determinant. All Ceramic Paint Coatings require regular maintenance.  They are not a 'magic pill' that mean you never have to wash the car again. If the car is kept clean such that dirt and contamination is not allowed to build up on the surface over many weeks or months and the Coating is kept healthy, then we will see extended durability.  Conversely, if the car is left to sit outside in the elements for long periods of time without attention, washed only every couple of months, and not cared for as prescribed, a coating can sustain damage in a relatively short amount of time compared to its expected useful life.

• The second determinant is how and where the subject lives its life. Is it a San Diego car that sees perfect weather or a Buffalo car that will see extended periods of harsh weather? Is it a weekend toy or is it a daily driver? Where the car lives and how it is used will play heavily into any Coatings durability. The more intense the environment it is exposed to, and the more miles that are clocked on a car, we can expect to see an impact to the durability. The kinder the environment the more durability we can expect. There are no decade long, or lifetime coatings, despite what you may hear.