Keeping Your Vehicle At Its Finest
You may have heard of something that’s been trending recently among “car guys”, and that’s ceramic coating. Sure, vehicles are washed, waxed, and treated with all manner of compounds. If you think about it critically, vehicles in the big scheme of things are really in their infancy. The motorized vehicle was only invented in the late eighteen hundreds.
In the public sphere, only about 120 years characterize the history of what has come to be known as the modern automobile. In that time, many new innovations pertaining to engineering, manufacture, augmentation, and care have developed. Washing and waxing derive from these innovations. One that’s recently become prominent is a ceramic coat.
Essentially, a ceramic coat is a step up from wax, and it makes your paint retain its color longer. A ceramic coat will protect your vehicle from chemicals, road debris, and wear and tear—but not totally. Nothing can totally protect your vehicle. The best you can ever do is maximize safety. That said, a ceramic coat can do a lot for you.
You can apply such protective coats yourself, you just have to properly wash the vehicle, properly apply the coat, and let it set for the proscribed amount of time. Depending on what sort of ceramic option you’ve decided to go with, this period of “hardening” could be less or more.
The Science Behind Ceramic Coats
Essentially, what’s going on is that you’re putting on a silica and titanium dioxide layer. Together, these two chemicals repel liquid; they become hydrophobic. Not totally, but in a notable way that protects the vehicle from compounds which would stain or otherwise malign the vehicle. Certain other chemicals like acid can eat through ceramic; but you’ll be more protected with it than without it.
Basically, the bond is “covalent”, and ultimately produces what’s known as a nano-ceramic protective layer that sits on top of whatever coat is beneath; usually a clear coat that is some variety of wax. Because this is a chemical compound, different concentrations are available for use pertaining to your preferences.
Something else a ceramic coat can do is help your vehicle keep from being impacted by minor scratches, scrapes, and other damage. Now if you take a knife and press it firmly into the vehicle, you’re going to damage the exterior finish. But branches on a tree, gravel; things of this nature you would regularly encounter on the road aren’t going to impact you as much.
If you’re interested in figuring out the best way to apply a ceramic coat, and other associated advantages of such vehicular care, you can learn about it here. This is a developing wing of automotive maintenance owing to the science behind chemical application of ceramic coats. As such, there are a number of different products on the market at varying levels of effectiveness.
Using Ceramic Coats On Your Prized Vehicle
Something else you want to think about is that the newness of this protection method makes it so a lot of people get misconceptions, and stick to them doggedly.
On this site you can explore some of the more common myths, and so assure that none of these are impelling you to go the ceramic route. That said, in terms of protection and shine, there is much to recommend them.
What makes sense is shopping around online a bit and doing some research. If you know anyone who has tried a ceramic coat, quiz them down to see if you like what you hear. The bottom line is, yes, a ceramic coat is worth it—if you’re the type who seriously wants to maximize the use of their vehicle, and you’re willing to put the work in.
