Gtechniq: How to Prepare Paint for a Ceramic Coating
by Kris Wheeler
To ensure proper application of any ceramic coating, the surface preparation is the most important factor. The prep process includes a full decontamination of the paint surface, using a Multi-Purpose Cleaner (W5) , Iron Fall Out Remover (W6), Ph neutral shampoo with no additives (G Wash or W4), followed by a clay bar or towel.
I personally like using the chemicals at the same time as the clay so that a physical decontamination and chemical decon can be done in 1 step. After a quick wash to remove any left over chemicals, use a Gtechniq MF4 Diamond Sandwich Microfibre Towel to dry the vehicle extremely well and remove drips from anywhere including mirrors and door jams. At this time you would start your paint correction process, using your favorite combo of polish and compound to bring the paint to a satisfactory level before coating. Once your paint correction is done you would then use your Gtechniq Panel Wipe by spraying onto the MF1 microfiber cloth and wiping each panel down to remove any residues/oils left behind from the paint correction process.
I would recommend going around the car twice with panel wipe to be sure the surface is fully prepped. Once done with the second round of panel wipe you are ready to start your application process.
I really want to know if anyone can do a ceramic coatings paint or really need to pay. A fortune to a professional detailer?
Yea anyone can do it as long as u know how to cut and polish and prep surface its easy to apply just follow directions
Yes possibly, like all things detailing, if you are willing to learn and apply the concepts and instructions given you should be able to duplicate much of the work professionals do.
I think it is important to clarify and break down the cost of the kind of service mentioned. When you pay someone for a service you are paying to have a car detailed which happens to be protected by a ceramic coating. It is not a putting a ceramic coating service cost this much . You would not see a professional walk up to a car with spray wax, wipe the car, and be done. There is more to all things detailing. Then you factor in the product used is more expensive, that starts to paint a clearer picture of the price.
I say this because, realistically detailing in general is a more economical way to take care of your car at a high level. To answer the can you aspect, we have a ton of articles on all aspects (including ceramic coatings) to guide most people. But do you have a shelter, are you willing to invest the resources to get the job is a question only you can answer.
Pedro – Anyone can apply a coating and many of the options we carry make is fairly easy. You just want to make sure you prep your paint correctly before application and the steps listed in this article are great. I would also recommend checking out our Detailing Guide and the Coatings section (https://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/Coatings/) will help walk you through this process as well. Along with linking over to some more coating related Ask-a-Pro Articles.
As always, if you have any questions along the way please do not hesitate to reach out (https://www.detailedimage.com/Contact/).
Anyone’can’ apply a ceramic coating but if you have no experience in proper, complete paint preparation it will likely be done wrong. It’s not rocket science and all steps can be learned. What you’re paying for are the Detailer’s time, knowledge, expertise, tools and chemicals.
I personally would not recommend anyone doing a coating without quite a bit of practice or some training
Pedro – Years ago this was the case, but coating technology has evolved and there are many products on the market that are fairly easy to apply. As long as you have applied a sealant or wax, there are some options that will provide you with great results, even for beginners. However, these coating options generally only last a year, when other more in depth coating applications will last anywhere from 3-5 years, sometimes more. With these coatings we do recommend some practice in application to avoid issues.
Can one use HD Speed as a polish or does that interfere with the bonding. If not which is better a fine polish like Rupes Ultra Pure or a primer polish with Si02?
I want to be clear in the distinction between can and should. To answer your question of can, I will say yes in terms of it is possible. Should you, I would say absolutely not.
To clarify when you are detailing with the final intention of applying DURABLE protection, a major goal of the detailing process is to create a surgically clean surface for the protection. This is especially important for a ceramic coating. When you use HD Speed (an all in one product) you are doing all of that work to go backwards reapplying protection (fresh protection!). Now you have to remove all over again what Speed essentially left behind. A dedicated polish would be recommended, especially from a coating manufacturer.
What’s the best way to remove my Gyeon One coating from last year & begin new again with another Ceramic?
Victor – If the coating is pretty much gone, a simply Isopropyl Alcohol wipe down should work great. Otherwise, you will have to polish the surface to remove an left over coating layer.
so many coatings out there how do you know witch one to get
Mario – Just like waxes and sealants, the options for coatings can certainly seem overwhelming. We strive to carry only high-quality items, so we do have many options for you. If you find yourself confused, reach out to us here (https://www.detailedimage.com/Contact/) and a rep can help asap!
Wow! Nice blog. Thanks for posting
Nice blog. Thanks for this one.
Ok so I was correcting my paint for Carpro Lite. Using an orange hdo lake country pad and Adams orange polish I ended up with little or no swirl removal. But when I then applied Gyeon primer polish with a Rupes white pad the swirls and scratches were almost completely gone. This doesnt make sense to me. I have tried this om soft Mazda paint and Ford Escape paint. Shouldn’t the orange step have cleaned up most of the imperfections? Someone said the Gyeon had fillers which covered the swirls but everything I read says no fillers.
This can be anything from the pads used, the polishes used, or even the combination of both. You want to control the variables, so use the same pad, but different polishes, to see if the polish is the culprit or if it was the pad used. Remember, not all paint is the same, so not all products will react the same. From the information provided, I would say it was either the Rupes White Pad and the Gyeon Primer combo, or the Sio2 protection the Primer leaves behind filling in some imperfections, or a combination of both. Without isolating some of the variables though it is hard to say 100% for sure.
Thanks