Applying a Ceramic Coating to Cars in Ottawa is the Ideal Protection. But Why?

Ceramic coatings for your car are not new but you may not have heard of them or know how to compare them to wax. No doubt, if you’ve ever looked at the option of getting your car coated, you’ll remember seeing that it was a special treatment, expensive and maybe confusing. 

 

What is it and what’s the difference?

 

The simplest way of understanding the major difference between a ceramic coating and other, more traditional, forms of paint protection and wax is to consider cooking eggs in the morning. 

 

Yeah, stay with me for just a second.

 

Wax on a car is more like putting butter in your pan before cooking. It works great, does it’s job very well and helps you clean the pan after you’re finished by preventing the food from sticking. I cannot tell you if a wax will make your car taste better, though. Let me know if you try...

 

After cooking and washing however, the butter is also washed away and the pan is bare again. Waxes and sealants are similar in that they too wash away after some time. Maybe a week or a month, but usually not much longer than that. 

 

Compare that to a cooking pan that’s been coating with a non-stick coating. Easy to cook and clean with and stay attached to the surface for years with proper care. 

 

This is the ceramic coating option for cars. After cleaning the factory paint down to be free from all previous waxes or contamination, a ceramic coating is applied. This lasts for years and makes future cleaning much easier!

 

How is that achieved? Well, like the butter vs. non-stick pan, a coating has an ability to create a much stronger chemical bond to the paint below as well as to itself. 

 

That way, no matter what cleaners, soaps, pollution, bird dropping and Ottawa weather we throw at your car, the coating will last through it all and make washing a breeze. 

 

The Technical Jargon. 

 

Hardness rating, contact angle, hydrophobicity, pH resistance, silicone carbide titanium graphene unicorn tears. All these terms do mean something, but probably not to you.

 

The bottom line is that coatings are “harder” than wax or sealant as they cure and bond to your paint. So we can expect better than average protecting against gentle abrasion from regular washing and drying. 

A lot of the other terminology is fun to geek-out about for people like me, and please feel free to ask when booking. But again, the longevity, look and feel of most quality coatings will exceed most people’s expectations without having to compare hardness ratings. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there anything a ceramic coating CAN’T do?!

 

One important thing to remember is that a coating is not going to prevent scratches, or stone chips. It will not stop rust that comes from beneath the paint and it does not remove any swirls or scratches that are already in your paint. 

 

Finally, although it gives you the best shot at maintaining your vehicle’s appearance for a long time, it is still recommended to have your car washed and detailed on a regular basis. 

 

The Process of Ceramic Coating a Car in Ottawa. 

 

Getting a coating always begins with a Full Exterior Detail. Click to see that process, but the short version is that we need to make sure the paint is 100% clean and ready to accept the coating. 

 

We also perform at least a single stage of Paint Correction. As you’ve noticed from above, it’s clear that a coating is meant to go on top of your paint and STAY there for  a long time. That means that any imperfections that are in your paint now will be sealed under the coating unless we remove them first. 

 

We always discuss with you, the driver, what level of perfection meets your needs. Sometimes it’s ok to accept a few minor imperfections when they aren’t obvious. In most cases however, we want to polish away as much as we can. 

 

Depending on the size of the vehicle and other services needed, the car may need a few days to complete. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you excited by the idea of a ceramic coating?

 

Give us a call and tell us you’re interested in a coating. Once you have all your questions answered, we’ll book you in and get it done. 

 

Typical Pricing

 

Typically, pricing will start at $1100 for a coating service on a small vehicle. Remember that the process begins with a Complete Exterior Detail and polishing steps as required. 

 

Your car will be among the best looking in Ottawa and easier than ever to maintain.