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Gaining popularity among both professional detailers and car enthusiasts alike, ceramic coatings offer a transformative solution to rejuvenate worn and lackluster finishes. However, like any car care product, ceramic coatings can’t work miracles on severely flawed surfaces. To achieve optimal results, it’s important to start with a clean finish, possibly even requiring paint correction. Nevertheless, once you’ve established a solid foundation, ceramic coatings will work their magic. Premium Weather-Resistant Outdoor Wall Paint
The ceramic coatings we’ve selected fall into two categories. The more budget-friendly option comes in the form of a spray, delivering solid performance surpassing traditional spray waxes. On the other hand, the pricier ceramic coatings are meticulously crafted compounds found in compact bottles, requiring a meticulous application process. These coatings demand the same level of attention and time as a traditional wax job, as any oversight can lead to streaky results. Patience is key, as these coatings require several hours to cure.
It’s worth noting that some of the products featured here approach or match professional-grade quality. Indeed, it’s the labor and expertise involved that justifies the hundreds to thousands of dollars typically spent on ceramic coatings at a professional paint shop.
However, the consumer-grade options featured here come at a fraction of the price, albeit with a shorter lifespan and the requirement of your personal time and effort during application. If you’re budget-conscious and comfortable with DIY car care, these are our top recommendations.
CERAKOTE Rapid Ceramic Paint Sealant Kit
Lasts for months, inorganic ceramic technology, repels road grime
CERAKOTE Rapid Ceramic Paint Sealant Kit
Coating can last for up to 6 months, Contains 2% of SiO2 (Liquid Ceramic silicone), VOC compliant, Bio-degradable, 3-in-1 - wash, coat and shine
1.92 x 4.13 x 10.4 inches; 16 fl. oz.
12-month coating life, contains SiO2 polymers, sweet fruity fragrance, reduces water spots and contaminant deposits
Adam’s UV Ceramic Paint Coating Kit
Adam’s UV Ceramic coating is rated at 9H on the Moh scale of mineral hardness. The scale range rates from one to 10, making the 9H rating extremely durable in even the harshest conditions. Normal clear coat typically rates between 2H and 4H. As an added bonus, the infused patent-pending Ceramic Glow Technology works as an application aide and allows you to see where the coating has been applied.
A little goes a long way–the included 50-ml bottle will coat two full-size vehicles, or you can layer two coats on one car for an even more intense shine. A 4.0-oz bottle of surface prep is included along with ceramic boost spray for maintenance. High-quality micro silk applicators, plush towels and a pair of gloves will help you be the master of your detailing craft.
With Nasiol ZR53 ceramic coating, there’s no need to take extra time to apply multiple layers. Just one coat can last up to three years with regular washing. Unlike other competitors, ZR53 has a two-layer coating system that features a softer bottom layer under the hard top layer to ensure maximum resistance and elasticity.
The product begins to harden as quick as 20 seconds after coating which allows for quick application time but also poses a challenge. If you do not work in small sections and buff the treated area quickly, you may have to polish it out and re-apply.
This heavy-duty coating is formulated using Ceramic Coating Nanotechnology similar to the thicker professional 9H Ceramic Coatings. It repels water, dirt, bird droppings and other contaminants and protects paint from sun exposure. Application is as simple as spraying the product on a microfiber sponge and buffing the paint to a shine. It also reportedly wipes off easier than competing ceramic spray products.
Customers report a tendency for this coating to leave streaks behind, but prep work and application environment could be a factor in those flaws. Users also complain of a lack of spray nozzle quality, and a handful report the nozzle having arrived broken. It may be beneficial to have a secondary sprayer handy until the packaging is improved. Unsatisfied buyers have 60 days to contact Torque Detail for a refund.
Best Value Spray Ceramic Coating Kit
Best Value Spray Ceramic Coating Kit
PROJE’ Ceramic Complete Care Kit
The PROJE’ Ceramic Complete Care Kit bundles the company’s ceramic coating product with a prep spray to remove old wax and grime and a quick coat waterless wash spray for a boost in shine and protection between treatments. PROJE’s Nano SiO2 ceramic coating levels out minor scratches and creates a glass-like shield over your vehicle’s paint to protect it from UV rays, weather and contaminants.
The included silicon dioxide spray keeps the coating looking fresh with a quick wipe. This ceramic coating can also be used on exterior glass, windshield and headlights. The company claims that one treatment can last up to six to 12 months, however several reviews state otherwise, particularly in sunnier states. Using a clay bar to prep the surface before coating will ensure the ceramic coating bonds to the paint.
This coating is also wax-safe and adding an additional quick spray wax coating will lengthen the treatment’s lifespan.
Reviewers laud the glass shine of Migliore, a small Connecticut shop that hand-pours each bottle of wax and ceramic coating before shipping. According to reviewers, it doesn’t stain plastic and is forgiving for first-timers to apply. While Migliore doesn’t claim an “H” rating, Strata claims protection lasts for one year. It cures within a few hours and then wipes off easily. The bottle is very small but the quality is high.
Best Value Ceramic Coating Kit
Best Value Ceramic Coating Kit
Nano Bond Ceramic Coating 9H Pro
Nano Bond PRO Ceramic Coating, is a groundbreaking formulation that not only enhances strength but also delivers unparalleled durability. This cutting-edge coating goes above and beyond, safeguarding your vehicle’s paint from an array of threats, including scratches, fading, and those pesky water streaks.
Nano Bond Ceramic Coating boasts an exceptional superhydrophobic quality that transforms your vehicle’s surface into a water-repelling wonderland. Imagine water effortlessly beading up and gliding away, leaving your car’s finish looking pristine and untouched. It’s not just protection; it’s a spectacle of technology at work, ensuring your vehicle stays looking its absolute best. This kit provides all you require for a comprehensive ceramic coating experience: one PRO Liquid Ceramic Coating, sponge, microfiber towel, upgraded microsuede applicator, and gloves.
The wash, polish and wax process has for decades been the gold standard of caring for automotive finishes. Time-consuming and laborious to apply, the shiny and protective results generally have a shelf life of just a few months.
Ceramic coatings add a new wrinkle to that formula. Sometimes referred to as nano-ceramic coating, ceramic coatings are a chemical compound solution primarily composed of silica and titanium dioxide. The two substances form a bond at the atomic level and the combined result has extremely hydrophobic properties, meaning water cannot penetrate it. Though it does not bond chemically with the paint, it doesn’t wash away like a wax.
It does deteriorate over time, but the hydrophobic properties repel water, protect the surface underneath, and enhance the paint’s depth and clarity for a longer period than traditional wax. Comparatively easy to apply, they provide superior protection and last much longer, with many manufacturers claiming an effective life of over twelve months.
Ceramic coatings are a high-tech solution to keeping your car’s finish looking good as new, but there are a vast array of different products in this space. (Not all of which, by the way, are actually the Silicon-based nano coatings that have made the technology famous.) Some products are concentrated silicon dioxide or graphene-based coatings meant for careful (and time-consuming) application that might last for years, but others are quick D-I-Y sprays and blends of Teflon, wax products and other sealants, which do not last as long.
Through testing and research, we evaluate ceramic coating products based on these weighted metrics:
Ceramic coating provides a longer-lasting, more durable and more protective layer than any standard car wax. Routine washings are still required after treatment, but a ceramic finish will prevent dust buildup and make shampooing the exterior a simple procedure with minimum water spots.
Ceramic coatings also provide significant labor and time savings. The traditional polishing and waxing process is a laborious and time-consuming process and requires frequent reapplication to ensure the best paint protection. Ceramics also provide superior protection, locking away the paint’s surface with a closer bond than wax.
Professionally-applied coatings can last two to five years with proper care and maintenance, although the exact length varies by environment and driving frequency. If you live in a place with frequent snowstorms and your car is a daily driver, it won’t last as long as a sparely-driven, garaged classic in Albuquerque. But these coatings are much thicker and more difficult to apply than the consumer products we’ve rated, and for that reason, the consumer products only tend to last up to one year.
Consumer ceramic coatings and kits are not particularly expensive. Light-duty sprays cost less than $20 and even the most expensive items on our list, full kits with supplies, preparation solutions and cleaning implements, run under $120. A higher-quality ceramic coating job done by a paint shop can be quite expensive, running from the $350 range all the way to $2,000 or more for a multi-stage, high-quality paint correction and coating. Prices also vary by geographic location.
Preserving the ceramic coating on your vehicle is as easy as maintaining a routine washing schedule with your choice of automotive soap. A cadence of every two weeks is recommended. Otherwise, if contaminants are allowed to rest on the coating its hydrophobic qualities will diminish.
Wash, dry, and then use a clay bar to remove any remaining contaminants and stuck-on debris. The paint surface must be as clean and dirt-free as possible, including fingerprints, or else the ceramic coating will trap what’s on the surface—and for a much longer time than wax.
You certainly can apply conventional waxes on top of a ceramic coating. They will improve the lifespan of the coating a little, but wax degrades in a matter of months and then requires further application. If you’ve done a thorough job on your ceramic coating, there’s really no need for wax. One thing you don’t want to do, however, is polish your car after a ceramic coating. Polish will remove that coating as surely as it removes imperfections in the paint. So remember, wax yes, polish no.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all routine for maintaining ceramic coatings as each product may have a different formulation. However, there are some basic rules.
Never take your car through an automated brush car wash. This will definitely degrade and damage the coating.
Routine washes should always be done with a pH-neutral shampoo or gentle-wash soap that’s optimized for applying over nano-coating. Many manufacturers make a companion wash ideally formulated to complement the coating.
Use two buckets when washing, one for your shampoo/soap solution and one filled with water and lined with a grit guard so you can regularly wash off debris from your wash pad. Any debris or dirt that gets dragged along the coating while you’re washing the car could damage it or scratch the paint.
Be gentle. The hydrophobic properties of the coating will help the water bead up, so there’s no need to be too aggressive with the washing pad. If the water isn’t beading up, the coating has deteriorated to the point where another application may be necessary.
Tara Hurlin is a freelance automotive writer and photographer. She's a car nut immersed in the automotive hobby, and she enjoys driving and wrenching on her custom 1961 Cadillac, 1963 Dodge 400 race wagon, 1988 Mazda RX-7 and 2018 Tacoma TRD Off-Road with Escapade trailer.
Acrylic Based Coating Michael is a lifelong automotive enthusiast and founded the production company Venn Creative Media in 2018 which focuses primarily on clients in the automotive community. Michael is a writer, director, producer, cinematographer and award-winning documentary filmmaker. His films have been screened on television, streaming platforms and film festivals nationwide. He was nominated for a Boston/New England regional Emmy and won the New Hampshire Filmmaker of the Year award in 2017. He is on Instagram @venncreativemedia.