Paint Coatings: Why You Should Give Them a Shot
by Reece @ DI
Photo by Zach McGovern of Attention To Detailing Peoria.
Coatings have been becoming extremely popular the past couple of years. Detailers and weekend warriors have been switching over from waxes and sealants to see what all the buzz is about and from we can see, coatings are here to stay! The look may be different than what you expect to see from a wax or sealant, however there is something about seeing your car in what looks like a coat of glass that just really stands out. Each year new versions come out and coatings just seem to be getting better and better, which brings us to this article.
If you are looking for the deepest, wettest look out there, we here at Detailed Image would highly recommend checking out a coating (i.e. 22ple, Gtechniq, CarPro, etc.). These semi-permanent coatings take more effort and time to apply, but the results are well worth it. They will provide an amazing level of gloss and shine, while protecting your paint for up to 24 months! Like mentioned above, your car looks like it has been coated entirely in glass! Better yet, you can top these coatings (i.e. 22ple VS1 Final Coat, CarPro Reload Spray Sealant, etc.) to add more depth, gloss, and protection to the paint!
As the popularity of coatings grow our Ask-a-Pro detailers have been hard at work testing and using these coatings in their detailing routines. Below are some great articles they have written to help guide you through the process of applying and taking care of a coating:
- The Benefits of a Paint Coating
- Coating Application: How To Reduce Marring
- 22ple Application
- CarPro Cquartz UK Edition: Application Process
- Maintaining Your Paint Coating
We also have some other great product reviews and detailing articles that contain popular coating products. Take a look at these below:
- What does “22ple” Mean?
- 2012 Ferrari FF Paint Correction Featuring 22PLE Coating and Review
- 22ple Signature Glass Coating Product Review
- Product Review: CarPro DLUX Plastic and Wheel Coating
- Harley Davidson Detail | 22PLE VM1 and VR1 Coating
- BMW M5 Paint Correction and 22PLE Glass Coating
- Product Review: CarPro Cquartz UK Edition
- Introducing the 22ple VS1 Final Coat
- Product Review: 22ple VG1 Perfect Vision Window Coat
- Product Review: 22ple VG1 Glass Coat
- Product Review: 22ple VS1 Final Coat (Part 1 & Part 2)
Great article! Watch for SONAX Nano Paint Protect coming in 2015!
Great article Zach! I like that you took the time to link the various articles on coatings in one place. This will make it easier when I inform people and allows them to go to one spot.
Sorry…Reece…LOL!
Great info. I really would like to get a paint coating on my BMW 535i 2014. I live in the Tampa Bay Area, Florida. Can you recommend any detailer here??
Thanks
Our nearest AAP Author is Brian Guy of AOWheels who is located in Orlando. If you are looking for someone closer check out out Find a Professional Detailer Map: https://www.detailedimage.com/Find-a-Detailer/
I’ve read that silica coatings seem to have issues with water-spotting, and CQUK is frequently mentioned to have the potential issue of streaking on certain applications. With that said, for a relative newbie looking to coat a soft paint, would something like Gloss-Coat or possibly PBLDSC or one of the Gyeon or Kamikaze coatings be “better”. I realize there is no “best” coating out there, But for a protective coating (at least 12 months) for overly soft paint (swirls, holograms, etc.), that provides a “wow factor” gloss, and leans more towards sheeting than beading (or are they basically two sides of the same coin), what would you recommend? A coating that does not require monthly maintenance other than washing would be nice too, (with the occasional Reload or Hydro2 two or three times a year if possible) as my area enjoys/suffers from about 7 months of winter where it is too cold to do an outdoor wash. lastly, I see the terms silica/quartz/ceramic and glass thrown around. Are they all just different terms for the same thing? Gloss Coat says theirs is ceramic. CQuartz is obvious, 22ple says silica, etc…
I would recommend the 22ple Pro 2. This coating will last 2-3 years and protects the paint so well. It will also add that extra pop and wow factor to the paint. Just remember that a coating will only enhance the way the paint looks, so make sure the paint is prepped and polished before hand for the best results.
For maintenance, these are unfortunately not cure alls, so you will have to take steps to maintain them. Take a look at this article by Zach McGovern for maintaining tips: https://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/maintaining-your-paint-coating/. Top it with the Reload or HydrO2 to help prolong the life of the coating and fight watermarks.
For the terms, silica is the actual “main” ingredient in coatings. Other terms like ceramic, quartz, etc all relate to glass, but are more marketing terms.
Hi there
Does anyone put wax on top of a coating? Is there any reason why you couldn’t please?
Cheers
Generally speaking a wax or sealant can be applied on top of a coating. I have not come across any issues yet, but I always recommend checking the manufacturers recommendations before applying.
As far as putting wax over a coating, you have to check the manufacturers recommendations. I use Pinnacle Black Lable and they say there is no problem applying wax over their product. I top my car with Pinnacle Souvern Wax to remove the candy coated shine of coatings, but some people prefer that candy shine and therefore see no need to top their coating. For me it is a matter of preference.
Personal preference is key! I find that all the products we carry all are high end and work great, but I seem to always use one product over the rest. Is it better? Not necessarily, I just personally like the way it is applied, smells, looks, etc. If you want to apply a wax on top, there is certainly no issues. I just always recommend contacting the manufacturer first to make sure you will have application issues.
How far will a 50 ml bottle go vs a 30 ml? Are your microfiber towels garbage after using to remove a ceramic coating or is there a special way to clean them?