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Frequently Asked Questions about Ceramic Coating for Cars in 2024

Ceramic coating service is currently a popular way to protect car paint, thanks to its ability to
resist dirt and make the car's paint extremely glossy. However, doubts about the quality,
application, and durability of the Ceramic layer still make many car owners hesitate before
choosing.
In this article, Vietnam Car Care will fully answer the most frequently asked questions about
ceramic coating for cars that many people often misunderstand.
Summary of 25+ Frequently Asked Questions about Ceramic Coating for Cars
Although the Ceramic layer is very thin, it brings obvious benefits to the car's paint layer,
protecting it from harmful external impacts such as harmful UV rays, acid rain, hard water, etc.
However, not everyone understands it well and always doubts its capabilities. Is it really worth
the money to invest in?
To clarify this, below are the top 25 most common questions people searched last year about
"ceramic coating for cars":
1. What is a Ceramic coating?
This is a question that any car owner who first hears the term "ceramic coating" also looks up.
Ceramic coating for cars is known as a method to enhance glossiness and minimize swirl
marks, water spots, yellow stains on paint, etc.
Ceramic is known as a type of liquid polymer created from SiO2 or TiO2, which is directly
applied on the surface of materials (car paint, glass, mirrors, plastics, etc.) to increase gloss and
prevent surface contamination.
2. What is the lotus effect of the Ceramic layer?
The lotus effect is the super hydrophobic property of the ceramic coating, making most liquids
unable to adhere to the surface. When water comes into contact with a ceramic coated surface,
it beads up into droplets, rolls smoothly over the surface, then drops off easily without sticking.
Therefore, the Ceramic's ability prevents dirt, rainwater and even bird droppings from bonding
with the car's paint, causing water stains or corrosion. It also reduces discoloration from
environmental exposure.
3. Benefits after ceramic coating for cars?
As one of the best current paint protection layers for cars, ceramic coating provides many long-
lasting benefits:
Provides excellent and lasting gloss for cars, much better than other paint protection methods.
Enhances heat resistance, protects against harmful UV rays that cause yellowing of paint,
glass, etc.
Resists chemicals, contaminants, harmful agents affecting material surfaces.
Lotus effect, resists dirt adhesion.
Minimizes swirl marks caused by improper car washing (which paint sealants or waxes cannot
do).
Maintains car paint color over time.
4. What is the protective effect of the Ceramic layer?
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As mentioned above about the benefits, we will briefly explain the operating principle of the
Ceramic layer. This will help you understand why they can protect the car's surface from swirl
marks caused by improper washing so effectively.
In essence, the liquid Ceramic mixture refined from Silica Dioxide (SiO2) and Titanium Dioxide
(TiO2) particles is a collection of very small particles. Thanks to their tight bonding, they create a
surface hardness of up to 9H (on the pencil scale), very effectively protecting against swirl
marks caused by improper washing during the car wash process.
Although the surface protection capability is quite good, Ceramic coatings still cannot protect
against scratches as well as car PPF films. Ceramic coatings are very susceptible to stain
removers, highly acidic car wash solutions. Over time, they wear out and their surface protection
effect decreases.
5. Does the Ceramic layer exist permanently on the surface?
No paint protection method exists permanently over time, and the Ceramic layer is semi-
permanent, with a lifespan of up to 10 years (depending on brand, technology). After this period,
the Ceramic coating wears out gradually, loses its gloss but does not damage the car's paint
layer underneath.
If you regularly maintain and service the Ceramic coating, the car paint will still be kept glossy
and beautiful over a long period of time without experiencing uneven "glossy here, dull there"
patches.
If you want to learn more about the factors affecting the lifespan of the Ceramic layer, check out
our article "How Long Does a Ceramic Coating Last?". Very detailed and easy to understand!
Additionally, editor Ryan has compiled a ranking of Ceramic coating lifespans and tips to
prolong it.
6. What are the most popular ceramic coating brands today?
You can easily come across article titles on Google searching like "Why You Should Ceramic
Coat With Brand (A) - The #1 Ceramic Coating Today", or "Cheap and Durable Ceramic
Coating Service from..." or "Ceramic Coating for Cars and Vehicles: Detailed Price List";
"Consulting the TOP 1 Ceramic Coating Currently",...
Given such promotional pitches, you should be careful to thoroughly research because each
ceramic brand has its own characteristics. Some types are suitable for Vietnam's environmental
conditions, while others are not. If you ceramic coat without proper research, "money wasting"
situations can easily occur from using them without long-term durability.
That's why the experts at Vietnam Car Care have researched and studied the products carefully
before providing the following list of the most popular ceramic coating brands today:
IGL Coatings
Gyeon Ceramic
Carpro CQuartz Ceramic
System-X Ceramic
GTECHNIQ Ceramic
Ceramic Pro
Why we chose these brands:
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Products suitable for the Vietnamese market.
Premium product lines, worth the investment.
Highly rated by many experts and major newspapers worldwide.
Evaluated based on real-life experiences of Vietnam Car Care experts; with international IDA
Detailing certifications and over 15 years of experience.
Regarding the pros and cons of each ceramic coating brand's products above, you should look
into our article "WHICH IS THE BEST CERAMIC COATING?" by Vietnam Car Care. Very
detailed, comparative, with clear ceramic coating service prices for easy selection.
7. How many ceramic coating layers should be applied on the car paint surface?
Did you know a quality ceramic coating layer on a car has a corresponding thickness of 0.0057
cm - 0.0076 cm? And there are 3-5 such layers successively stacked to create a hard but still
perfectly glossy surface for the car.
Studies on the number of ceramic coating layers by many Detailing experts and scientists
worldwide recommend using 3-5 ceramic layers on the surface for best results. This number of
coating layers helps increase gloss while not reducing surface bonding. Too many ceramic
layers (>5) will hinder their capabilities.
Our team of editors at VietnamCarCare also has a detailed article on the topic "How Many
Ceramic Coating Layers Do You Need?" which discusses this protective layer's capabilities.
Check it out for more thorough understanding!
8. Does ceramic coating help remove existing scratches?
Obviously, before ceramic coating, you will have the car thoroughly cleaned and prepared,
including paint correction, by the technician. So in an indirect way, ceramic coating will help
remove pre-existing scratches through the paint correction polishing process by the technician.
9. Does the Ceramic layer protect against scratches?
Although the Ceramic hardness reaches 10H, this is still just an outer liquid coating layer so it is
very difficult for them to protect against large scratches caused by rocks, trees, scraping, etc.
Ceramic cannot self-heal scratches like paint protection films (PPF).
10. Does polishing remove the ceramic coating?
Clearly, since the polishing process wears down the surface to make the paint uniform
(smooth), this step will remove the ceramic coating. If your car is ceramic coated, consider
limiting paint correction polishing to the car's paint layer.
The advice from Vietnam Car Care experts is that you should maintain the ceramic coating
more frequently instead, by reapplying ceramic solutions to faded, dull areas. If the car's paint
needs extensive correction polishing due to heavy scratching, you should redo the whole car's
ceramic coating after that.
Additionally, if you still wonder about the issue "Can you polish a car after ceramic coating?",
please check out the article we discussed next to it, thanks!
11. What is the optimal temperature to ceramic coat?
It depends on the ceramic type, the optimal coating temperature will be different. Additionally,
the standard of the coating room is also very important. A quality coating room facility helps the
Ceramic cure faster, reducing vehicle downtime.
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Each Ceramic product is created with a specific formulation so they can work in different
temperature conditions. Some ceramic coatings work well in low temperatures, while others can
only be applied in certain (higher temp) conditions to ensure proper bonding to the paint surface
and correct hardening.
Vietnam Car Care's editorial team will basically cover the average temperature range for fastest
ceramic curing, at 5-25°C. Within that, 20°C is the optimal temperature that most ceramic
coatings on the market today can meet.
If you want to learn more specifically, we also list out the temperature range of the most popular
ceramic coating brands today in the article: "Best Temperature for Ceramic Coating". If you're a
new Detailing technician looking to understand the standard temps for the ceramic coating
process, the mentioned article will be very helpful.
12. How long does it take for the Ceramic layer to fully cure on the surface?
The curing process for each ceramic coating will differ in duration. The ceramic curing
timeframe is not disclosed in detail by manufacturers as it is affected by different application
environment factors.
Starting the timer after applying ceramic, the car cannot be used and must be left idle in an
enclosed room for 12-24 hours after.
It takes about 3-7 days for the ceramic coating to fully cure and harden. Also within 1-2 days of
ceramic application, you can use the car normally but avoid washing it.
13. Should I choose ceramic coating or wax for my car?
Both methods are beneficial for cars, enhancing gloss. Each has its own strengths:
Wax: Quickly makes the car shiny, saves time, suitable for busy people, cheap.
Ceramic coating: Super glossy layer, eliminates previous scratches through paint correction,
resists chemicals, doesn't wash off, durable, resists dirt adhesion, etc.
However, these are just the basic main pros of the two paint protection methods above.
Regarding limitations, you can learn more in our comparative article, right here: "Ceramic
Coating or Car Wax? Which is Better?".
From years of caring for many cars, you should invest in ceramic coating for the long run, or do
ceramic coating then add a layer of wax on top. The ceramic coating's durability will be
enhanced further, without needing frequent reapplications like wax.
14. Should I choose ceramic coating or paint sealant for my car?
Many car owners confuse Ceramic Coating and Paint Sealant, don't understand the differences
between them or can't decide which to choose, etc. Basically, both ceramic coatings and paint
sealants create a transparent ultra-thin protective layer right on the car's paint surface.
However, sealants can be sprayed on and applied more directly/quickly compared to ceramic
coatings.
Overall, ceramic coating will always be the wise long-term choice to "armour-up" your beloved
ride. Due to the high lifespan and durability of ceramic, up to 5 years, compared to max 18
months for spray sealants before the thin layer fades away. However, the cost of spray sealants
is much cheaper than ceramic coating and doesn't take much application time.
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According to almost 10 years of experience in the Detailing industry by Vietnam Car Care, most
customers owning mid-range vehicles and up tend to favor ceramic coating over spray sealants.
We explain the reasons in detail in the article: "Ceramic Coating or Paint Sealant for Cars?".
VCC editor Ryan also clearly shows the differences between the 2 methods in a comparative
table.
15. Should I choose ceramic coating or graphene coating for my car?
Graphene or ceramic coating? The question that gives every car owner a headache, because
both are great paint protection methods worth investing in for your car. Despite being an
emerging technology in recent times, Graphene has shown many positive qualities. However,
graphene coating is quite expensive and very few centers in Ho Chi Minh City distribute it (due
to unpopularity with consumers).
In contrast, Ceramic is always a "hot seller" service at car care centers, cheaper but delivers
clear results, with capabilities proven over many years. We often joke together that: "If you're
the 'play it safe' type, ceramic coating service is the best solution for cars, helps increase gloss
and save costs. If you like new tech, try graphene coating right away, super glossy layer with
higher hardness."
16. Should I get PPF or ceramic coating for my car?
Paint protection film (PPF) and ceramic coating are both very effective ways to protect a car's
paint nowadays. Deciding between these two services also poses difficulties for many car
owners today. Some people who don't use cars much and drive carefully lean towards ceramic
coating over PPF. In contrast, owners of expensive vehicles who use them frequently find that
PPF films save them a lot of paint repair costs annually.
PPF has better mechanical durability, withstands strong impacts, is flexible and has excellent
scratch resistance/self-healing compared to ceramic coatings. However, the ceramic layer has
better resistance against dirt, water and corrosion agents than PPF films. In addition, the paint
gloss after ceramic coating is also many times higher than PPF. PPF installation is usually more
expensive and harder to install than ceramic coatings.
Therefore, you should consider the strengths and weaknesses of the two paint protection
methods above to choose appropriately based on your car usage conditions. You can also
consider Vietnam Car Care's personal opinion in the article "Should I Get PPF or Ceramic
Coating?".
17. Does clay barring remove the ceramic coating?
Unlike polishing and paint correction, using clay bars does not wear away the ceramic coating.
This product quickly removes tree sap, water spots, paint overspray, deeply stuck iron particles
from the surface without needing to use highly acidic stain removing chemicals.
18. Does frequent car washing remove the ceramic coating?
No, frequently washing the car does not affect or fade the ceramic coating because:
Ceramic is created with modern technology, not quickly affected or damaged by normal water or
washing.
The ceramic coating layer does not dissolve in water.
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Frequently washing the car, multiple times a week, will still somewhat affect the ceramic over
time. If you use a pH-neutral car wash soap (low on paint stripping agents) to wash the car, the
ceramic layer will be less impacted, harder to fade compared to highly alkaline car wash
solutions. Avoid heavy scrubbing on the surface to gradually wear down the Ceramic layers.
19. Can you ceramic coat over paint protection film (PPF)?
You absolutely can ceramic coat over a surface already installled with PPF. However, do not
ceramic coat before installing PPF because the PPF film will not adhere well to the car's paint.
If the PPF film does not provide enough gloss for your liking, you can additionally apply a quality
ceramic coating (IGL Ceramic Coatings - the best top coat currently) over it. Detailing experts
worldwide also encourage doing this.
20. Can you ceramic coat a car's interior?
Inside the car's cabin, you definitely can ceramic coat areas like the android screen, dashboard,
gauge cluster area, chrome trim pieces, windshield, inside mirrors, etc.
21. Can you ceramic coat at home?
You should not DIY ceramic coat at home. Because this process requires a lot of specialized
equipment, machinery and expertise so you cannot do it properly at home. You should bring the
car to reputable professional car care centers to be worked on by skilled technicians, ensuring
safety and coating quality as well as long warranty periods.
22. How soon can you wash the car after ceramic coating?
For a newly ceramic coated car, you should not wash it for the first 7 days. After 7 days, you can
use a high-pressure water car wash to wash the ceramic coated car.
23. Why does the car still get dirty after ceramic coating?
Some reasons the car still attracts dirt after ceramic coating:
The ceramic coating did not have enough standard curing time to achieve full effect.
Washed incorrectly, leaving some tough stains from before.
Low quality ceramic coating, insufficient layers or thickness as recommended.
Surface not properly polished/corrected before application.
Did not follow proper