#1 automotive Ceramic Coating Expert for central iowa - Des Moines Auto Detail

Waxes/sealants and ceramic coatings are both used to protect and enhance the extra carriage returns of a car’s exterior surfaces. However, there are some key differences between the two.

Most professional auto detailing companies in the Des Moines/West Des Moines/Ankeny/Urbandale area and across the world have switched to ceramic coatings, or hybrid ceramic coatings. 

One of the main differences is the level of protection they provide. Ceramic coatings are much more durable and long-lasting than wax. Ceramic coating can last for several years (our most popular packages are five and ten-year coatings), while wax typically needs to be reapplied every few months.

Typically, ceramic coatings cannot be removed without a machine polisher (paint correction), whereas waxes and sealants can be removed with stripping agents. 

Finally, ceramic coatings are generally more expensive than wax. The cost of applying a ceramic coating can vary widely depending on the size of the vehicle and the level of protection and shine desired, but it is typically more expensive than wax.

In summary, ceramic coatings offer a higher level of protection and shine than wax, but they are also more expensive and often require a professional application (especially for longer-length coatings). 

So, how do ceramic coating work? Your paint is made out of peaks and valleys. It doesn’t look like it to the naked eye but isn’t a perfectly smooth piece of material. Dirt and other contaminants can get stuck in these peaks and valleys of the paint, making it more difficult to remove and more likely to scratch.

Nano ceramic coating works by attempting to fill many of the peaks and valleys of the paint, smoothing out the surface. When the paint is smoother, it is less likely to trap these contaminants (or pollutants). Smoother paint leads to more water-repellant properties (hydrophobic). 

Importantly, this means that the paint is less likely to hold dirt, making it easier, and safer, to clean. Recalling from our other question/video, the more you have to work to clean paint, the more likely you are to scratch it. This is how ceramic coating (somewhat) protects against scratches. It’s not nearly the same level of protection as a clear bra, but it does add a slight layer.

More importantly, though, you’re not scrubbing the paint and less likely to damage it, with a ceramic coating installed. When your car is easier to clean up, then that means you are more likely to take the time to clean it by hand and not destroy the car’s paint with automated car washes in the Des Moines/West Des Moines/Ankeny/Urbandale area. Today’s Car Wash, Mister Car Wash, and all of those automatic car wash tunnels will cost you thousands of dollars!

What is our process at Des Moines Auto Detail for ceramic coating? If you determine that your vehicle needs a simple polish (for minor swirls) or full paint enhancement package (for more major swirls, such as after visiting an automatic car wash in West Des Moines or Ankeny), we have you covered! 

Depending upon your choice for paint correction/paint enhancement will change the process for the ceramic coating. The primary method for bringing out the gloss in your vehicle is the paint enhancement/polishing, not the ceramic coating itself (the ceramic coating only highlights the paint condition). Even brand-new vehicles from the dealership have swirls from the way they wash cars (some even take them through the automatic car wash), or from poor auto detailing techniques, and they can have iron or other contaminants embedded in the paint from being transported on the rail or road in a trailer.

First, we will wash your car with a foam cannon, clay bar to remove surface contaminants from the paint, and decontaminate the paint with iron and fallout remover.  Then, DMAD will conduct a paint enhancement/paint correction as desired (not required for ceramic coatings, but highly encouraged for optimal gloss enhancement). Lastly, we will apply ceramic coating to all exterior painted surfaces, wheel faces, glass, and plastic trim/headlights.

LONGEVITY AND DURABILITY

The difference between DIY ceramic coating and professional coating is typically the longevity and durability. This comes at the cost of ease of installation, however.

With a professional ceramic coating, the coating may flash quicker, or in some cases, it may not be evident that it is ready to be wiped (no rainbow). Since coatings are semi-permanent (they chemically bond to your car’s paint), this can be an issue. At this point, you would need a polisher and/or paint correction/paint enhancement to remove what we call “high spots” (spots that were excess material not wiped off in time). Notably, we have a climate-controlled shop which increases the amount of time we have to work with a ceramic coating before it flashes, which leads to less rushing and less mistakes. Some coatings, such as Ceramic Pro or System X Max, have incredibly quick flash times in hot/humid weather, and definitely require a professional to install.

EQUIPMENT AND EXPERIENCE

Equipment, experience, and preparedness. DIY ceramic coatings from Amazon are not expensive. However, you start adding up the cost of quality applicators, machine polishers if there are mistakes, or if you want to polish/conduct paint enhancement, before coating, quality surface solvent prep solutions prior to applying the coating, clay bar and clay bar lubrication solutions, good leveling towels, painters tape to tape off areas you don’t want to hit with the polisher – the list goes on and on. A professional has all of these things and uses them regularly.

TIME REQUIRED

Time is money, and time is valuable. Everyone works so much these days, and we sit in traffic going to and from work if we aren’t telecommuting from home in Killeen/Fort Hood or surrounding areas. Could you drop it off to us and pick it up? Many people have attempted to install a “quick” ceramic coating, but realized that due to experience and equipment, it takes all weekend! Your time is valuable, and we can simplify the process.

CERAMIC COATING WARRANTY

Warranty. DMAD will be your point of contact for any issues you might have with your ceramic coating. So if you ever have an issue, you contact us – rather than trying to fix yourself and spend more money. So, while it may be likely that you can do it yourself, if you have any issues, you have someone that can take care of it for you before it becomes a major issue. When you install on your own, you spend time, hassle, and cost, but have no support after the fact.