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  1. #1
    Mike Phillips
    Guest

    What are Ceramic Paint Coatings?

    What are Ceramic Paint Coatings?






    What are Ceramic Paint Coatings?
    Ceramic paint coatings are defined as any paint protection product that contains man-made or synthetic protection ingredients, usually some nano particles size form of SiO2 or Silicon Dioxide that are intended to permanently bond to the paint to both provide a barrier-coating of protection as well as create a clear, high gloss finish. Silica (Quartz) is chemical compound silicon dioxide SiO2. Silica is often found in nature as sand (non coastal), usually in the form of quartz. The most common form of manufactured silica is glass.

    The products available in this category are considered permanent coatings because like your car's paint, they cannot be removed unless you purposefully remove them or you purposefully neglect them. Currently there are multiple materials being used to create paint coatings and the only way to stay up to date with the most recent introductions is to be online and continually doing research on this topic. My strong recommendation when choosing a ceramic paint coating is to choose a brand you trust.


    How big or small is a nanometer?
    A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. A human hair is about 75 microns in diameter or 75um. To translate that to nanometers the human hair would be 75,000nm in diameter. In other words, nano particles of silicon dioxide used to make ceramic paint coatings are very, very tiny.




    Ceramic coatings have reached the Tipping Point, for any of you that have read the classic book The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, you now what I'm talking about. That is, ceramic coatings have gone mainstream.

    While your dad and your grandpa know this to be the product used to protect your car's paint,





    The masses have finally caught up with pro detailers and serious car detailing enthusiasts, and now understand today's car wax comes in small glass vials.




    And the clear, thin liquid inside these small glass vials easily out protects and outlasts traditional car waxes and synthetic paint sealants.


    3 Categories of Protection Products

    1. Ceramic Paint Coatings
    2. Synthetic Paint Sealants
    3. Traditional Carnauba Paste Waxes


    The key difference between ceramic paint coatings and the other two categories of paint protection products, car waxes and synthetic paint sealants, is the prep work you must perform to the paint in order for the ceramic coating to form a proper bond to the paint surface. If you do not do the paint prep steps correctly all your time, money and efforts are simply nullified to a form of exercise. In this article, I will go over the proper steps to correct and prep your car's paint for the application of a ceramic paint coating.



    Coating Lingo

    First - Let's talk about the new lingo that has evolved with ceramic paint coatings. Below are some traditional words used when talking about "waxing a car" and their new replacements when talking about "coating a car".


    We use say compounding and polishing - now it's paint correction

    We use to say applying a coat of wax, now it's installing a ceramic coating

    We use to say wiping off a coat of wax, now it's giving the panel a final buff

    We use to say, removing wax smears, now it's removing high spots



    In reality, the action of doing any of the above for coatings is the same action when working with waxes, the only thing that has changed is the product and now the lingo.

    And when you start using the new lingo around the un-initiated, they are going to look at you as though you are from Mars!



    Can you dig it?







    Why use a ceramic coating?

    Great question! Let me break it down into 3 answers, targeting two distinct groups.


    Benefits for your customers


    1. Longer lasting protection – coatings won’t wear off like waxes and sealants.
    2. Helps prevent swirls, scratches and marring.
    3. Vehicles stay cleaner longer.
    4. Faster, easier and safer washing.
    5. Faster, easier and safer drying.
    6. Pride of ownership as you car will look showroom new longer.





    Benefits to coatings

    1. Self-cleaning effect – vehicles stay cleaner longer.
    2. Dirt and road-film resistance – exterior is less prone to staining.
    3. Maintains factory finish which maintains resale or trade-in value.
    4. Creates a glassy look, more gloss than waxes and sealants.
    5. Dramatically outlasts both car waxes and synthetic sealants.





    Benefits to your business --> Profitability

    Coatings can be very profitable

    Example

    Paint Prep with = 30 minutes.

    Coating install = 1 to 2 hours depending upon the size of the vehicle.

    Total Time = 2.5 Hours.

    Average Retail Price = $600.00

    That's approximately $200.00 per hour. Where else in car detailing business are you making $200.00 per Hour?




    When?
    The best time to apply a ceramic paint coating is when a car is brand new, before any damage has occurred, (swirls and scratches are damage), and before the paint gets a build-up of road film or water spots. If you detail cars professionally then your best bet for coating customers are people that have just purchased a brand new car, truck or suv. The paint is or at least should be in excellent condition, requiring the least amount of time and labor to correct, polish or clean before chemically stripping.

    And most important, at the time of purchase, the owner is most concerned about protecting their new [major] investment.


    If you like this article click on the Like button!




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  3. #2
    Super Member FUNX650's Avatar
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    Re: What are Ceramic Paint Coatings?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Phillips View Post
    If you like this article click on the Like button!
    Gotta be honest:
    I’m not going click the Like button.


    Raison d'être?
    •It’s not that I don’t think that this
    article doesn’t meet the high standards
    that have always been your forte...
    Believe me: It does, in spades!

    •It’s just that it boils down to my having
    such a struggle coming to grips with the
    below listed profitability aspect—that is,
    when looking through my Consumer’s lens.

    (And this example doesn’t even take into
    account the additional amount ($$$) that’ll
    surely be charged for any correction steps.)

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Phillips View Post
    Benefits to your business --> Profitability

    Coatings can be very profitable

    Example

    Paint Prep with = 30 minutes.

    Coating install = 1 to 2 hours depending upon the size of the vehicle.

    Total Time = 2.5 Hours.

    Average Retail Price = $600.00

    That's approximately $200.00 per hour. Where else in car detailing business are you making $200.00 per Hour?



    Bob
    "Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk."
    ~Joaquin de Setanti

  4. #3
    Mike Phillips
    Guest

    Re: What are Ceramic Paint Coatings?

    Quote Originally Posted by FUNX650 View Post
    Gotta be honest:
    I’m not going click the Like button.


    Raison d'être?
    •It’s not that I don’t think that this
    article doesn’t meet the high standards
    that have always been your forte...
    Believe me: It does, in spades!

    •It’s just that it boils down to my having
    such a struggle coming to grips with the
    below listed profitability aspect—that is,
    when looking through my Consumer’s lens.

    (And this example doesn’t even take into
    account the additional amount ($$$) that’ll
    surely be charged for any correction steps.)






    Bob
    Those are simply some numbers I plugged-in after seeing what some Detailers are getting for their coating packages. Some folks are higher and some guys will be lower - depends on a persons reputation and marketing ability.

    I borrowed that section out of a PowerPoint presentation I used at Mobile Tech Aexpo for a few years.

    The bigger picture is that installing ceramic coatings has been a profitable add-on for a lot of Detailers as it does require more,

    Knowledge.
    Skill.
    Training.
    Experience.
    Pro quality tools, products and even towels.
    As well as time!

    After compounding and polishing it is SO MUCH faster to simply machine apply a wax or sealant but neither will last as long as a correctly applied pro quality ceramic paint coating.

    But I hear ya!


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