Ceramic Coatings! Why Is The Prep Work So Important

 When it comes to getting a ceramic coating on your vehicle, like most coatings, the biggest and most important factor to getting the most and longest lasting protection from your coating is the proper preparation of your vehicles paint before the coating is installed.

Why it's important!

Your vehicle's clear coat painted surface appears to be smooth and level to the human eye. At a microscopic level it is actually very rugged and uneven. This rugged, uneven surface is what causes your vehicle to collect dirt, grime, iron particles, and other contaminants from the air, and roadways we travel everyday.

If all of these contaminants are left on your vehicle and not removed before the coating is applied, it will prevent the coating from bonding properly to your vehicle's painted surface and gives it a high probability of rendering it useless, or prevent it from lasting or protecting as it should. The coating is designed to fill in these valleys and ridges and create a thin invisible smooth and slick layer over top of the painted surface. In turn, this layer of protection literally prevents contaminants from being able to stick, and accumulate on your paint's surface. It also makes the surface very slick to the touch repelling rain, sleet, and snow. You'll notice that water, or rain highly beads and rolls right off of the painted surface. Now you can imagine how Ceramic coatings have gained the popularity of having self-cleaning properties when applied to your vehicle's paint.

At Brian's Detailing, LLC, we do a very extensive decontamination process before applying a ceramic coating, probably more then most of our competitors.

The first step we do is to high pressure rinse the vehicle to remove heavier debris before we begin washing it.

Step #2 is to wash a vehicle using a special formulated stripping concentrate car soap. This soap is designed specifically to aid in removing, previous wax, and/or sealants that have been applied previously, as well as oils, grease, and other surface contaminants that may exist on the paints surface.

Step #3 is to use a special spray on iron remover which melts away any iron particles such as rail dust, fall out, or other iron particles that might be embedded into your vehicle's painted surface. Once applied the solvent turns to a purple color as it melts and breaks down these particles which then are rinsed away.

Step #4 is to clay your vehicles painted surface completely which assures all remaining iron particles, or other contaminants are removed from the surface bringing the surface to a silky smooth finish.

Step #5, is to once again wash the entire vehicle, and rinse it clean.

Step #6 is to dry the vehicle.

Step # 7 is to remove any remaining tar, bugs, or sap with a special chemical solvent.

Step #8 if needed will be to buff any swirls, or light scratches from the paint using a Dual Action polisher and a light duty polish bringing depth, clarity and shine to the painted surface.

Step #9 is using another special formula panel wipe spray to remove any traces of polish or remaining oils left behind from polishing just before the ceramic coating is applied.

Step #10 is to apply the coating.