Category
Ceramic coating and paint protection
Coating and film are the two products people mix up most. They are also where bad advice costs the most. A coating is chemistry. Film is a physical layer. They stop different kinds of damage, and one does not replace the other.
The posts here explain what each one does, how a coating differs from wax or sealant, and how long film lasts. One idea comes up again and again: preparation. Both products are clear and last for years. Whatever is on the paint when they go on stays sealed under them.
Ceramic Coating,
How Long Does Paint Protection Film Last?
Years, not months, but the number on the warranty and the life you actually get depend on things nobody mentions at the quote stage.
Read itCeramic Coating,
Ceramic Coating vs Wax vs Sealant: What Each One Is Worth
Three products sold for the same job, lasting anywhere from six weeks to several years. Here is what separates them.
Read itCeramic Coating,
PPF vs Ceramic Coating: Which Does Your Car Actually Need?
They get sold as alternatives. They are not. One is chemistry and one is a physical barrier, and they stop completely different kinds of damage.
Read it
Coating or film: the short version
A ceramic coating is a hard, clear layer that bonds to the clear coat. Water and dirt stop sticking, so washing is quicker. UV, road salt, bird droppings and sap land on the coating instead of the paint. Our ceramic coating starts at $600. The price depends on how much correction the paint needs first, not on the size of the car.
Paint protection film is a clear urethane sheet about 8 mil thick. That is roughly 0.2mm, about eight times thicker than a coating. The thickness is why film can take a stone chip and a coating cannot. Film is priced by how much of the car you cover, so we quote it after seeing the car.
Plenty of cars get both. Film goes on the front end, where stones hit. The coating goes over the whole car, including on top of the film.
What happens after the work
After a coating, keep the car off wet roads for 24 hours and do not wash it for 7 days. The coating is still hardening.
After film, keep the car dry for 48 hours and do not wash it for 7 days. A light haze under the film in the first 3 to 5 days is normal. It clears as the film cures. A partial front is a 4 to 6 hour job. A full front end takes most of a day.
Keeping it looking right
Hand wash with a pH-neutral shampoo and two buckets. Brush car washes scratch coated paint just as they scratch bare paint. They are also hard on film edges, and so is a pressure washer held close to an edge.
The same coating can go on other surfaces. Glass coating starts at $150, fabric coating at $150, and rim coating at $200. Our ceramic coating warranty is $15 a month. It covers accidental damage to a coating we applied, and you need 6 monthly payments in before a claim.
- Ceramic coating, prep, cure times and add-ons.
- Paint protection film, coverage options and aftercare.
- Maintenance plan, scheduled washes and the $15 a month warranty.
Limited weekly availability
Get a free quote
Send a photo of the vehicle and we will come back with the right package and a straight price. No call-out fee, no pressure.
Booking opens our scheduling system in a new tab.