Ceramic Coatings: Do You Know What You’re Getting?
In today’s automotive care market, it seems like everything has something labeled as ceramic — from detail sprays, tire dressings, even soap! But not all ceramic products are created equal.
So, when you hear ceramic coating, what are you actually getting?
What is a True Ceramic Coating?
To break this down, let’s first take a step back and explain what a “true ceramic coating” is. A ceramic coating forms a sacrificial barrier between your vehicle’s surfaces and the environment. It chemically bonds with the paint, providing years of protection against elements like bugs, industrial fallout, tree sap and road grime.
However, ceramic coatings aren’t a “set it and forget it” solution. They require maintenance and care, just as your bare paint would. At a minimum, they need two decontamination washes per year (though more is better).
At Sindicate Auto Salon, our decontamination process includes:
• Iron remover
• Tar remover
• Mineral remover
• Acid-based automotive shampoo
These washes remove built up contaminants and keep the coating performing and shining like the day you got it done.
How to Tell a Quality Ceramic Coating from a Gimmick
Red Flag - Do You Need a Topper?
Some “coatings” require yearly or semi-yearly toppers. What is a topper? It’s a sprayable ceramic layer to “boost” longevity. But if a coating needs constant toppers, its durability simply isn’t as strong as advertised and is relying on that topper to give perceived ceramic coating benefits.
That’s the first red flag when separating high-quality coatings from lower-grade ones.
Red Flag - Sprayable Ceramic Coatings
If you’ve ever walked into the detail section at Canadian Tire, you’ve seen countless products labeled "ceramic this" and "ceramic that." These are not true ceramic coatings. They are ceramic-infused products—just like cucumber-infused water, where you get the taste of cucumber but not the full benefit.
How to Spot a True Ceramic Coating
To visually differentiate a ceramic coating versus a ceramic infused product you can ask yourself, what kind of bottle is it in? A real ceramic coating requires a solvent for application, which would eat through a plastic bottle. That’s why true ceramic coatings always come in glass bottles.
SB3 Alpha 5 Year Ceramic Coating
Are Graphene, Lifetime & Self-Healing Coatings a Real Thing?
You’ve probably seen terms like graphene coatings, lifetime coatings or self-healing coatings.
Graphene coatings are just another version of ceramic-infused products, like the cucumber water mentioned above.
Lifetime coatings are simply a marketing gimmick, because if this technology was legitimately available and these coatings were truly lifetime, every brand would be using them. If major paint manufacturers like DuPont, PPG, and BASF haven’t created lifetime-lasting paint, why would a small ceramic coating company suddenly crack the code?
With self-healing coatings, unfortunately they are marketed to be much more self-healing than you’d think. Yes, they can reduce very light swirls, but they will NOT magically remove deeper scratches. For perspective, a ceramic coating is 1-2 mils thick (1 mil = 1/1000 of an inch). For comparison, a hair is 1 mil thick. Now think about how much true self-healing can happen in something so thin.
Types of Ceramic Coatings
Consumer-Grade Coatings
These are true ceramic coatings, but they’re designed for easy DIY application, which means there are some sacrifices. Here’s what you can expect:
✓ Are more forgiving if applied incorrectly
✓ Can be ordered online (Amazon, detailing sites)
✘ Typically don’t have the same durability as professional coatings
Professional-Grade Coatings
These are the real deal when it comes to ceramic coatings. This means:
✓ Harder to apply
✓ Require extensive prep
✓ Often require certification to install
This is where you’ll find the best durability and performance—but only if the vehicle is properly prepped and maintained. No upkeep = failure.
In our years of installing ceramic coatings, we’ve only seen ONE fail, and that was due to the owner not maintaining it with regular washes or decontamination maintenance washes. Just like an engine needs regular oil changes, a ceramic coating needs maintenance. And in both cases, neglect would mean no warranty, either.
What Should a Good Ceramic Coating Cost?
With all these variety of coatings, it’s no surprise to see pricing varying as well, but firstly, be very cautious of low-cost coatings. A high-quality ceramic coating should cost $1,000 to $2,000 for a 2-5 year lifespan.
Low pricing red flags to watch for:
✘ Shops skipping prep work (are they polishing the paint first?)
✘ No maintenance washes included in the price
A legitimate shop should be more than happy to give full transparency on the prep, process and the products used.
With dealerships, you can’t go off price alone. Dealerships are again notorious for overpricing gimmicky coatings to make you think they’re premium. So with this, is important to ask questions.
Questions to Ask Before Getting a Ceramic Coating
Before committing, whether it’s through a shop or dealership, make sure you ask these:
• What brand is it?
• What is the lifespan?
• What maintenance is required?
• Does it require toppers?
• What is the prep process?
• What is the aftercare process?
Now that you know the truth about ceramic coatings, you can be an educated consumer.
Don’t get wrapped up in the gimmicks. Do your research. Ask the right questions.
And when in doubt, reach out to a reputable detail shop—we’re here to help.
