he debate between Ceramic Coating and Paint Protection Film has been long standing one, both their own cons and pros which makes it difficult to just say which one is better for car paint. In this article we go over each one and hopefully you can make proper decision when it comes to protecting your paint.
What is Ceramic Coating
Is a multi-layer, clear, liquid Nano-ceramic coating. When cured, this technology will transform itself on the surface to a permanent, durable yet flexible glass shield. Ceramic coating can be described as an additional clear coat, with 3 times the hardness and self cleaning properties. It has been extensively tested by SGS – The world’s leading independent testing body.
Once cured, is measured to have hardness above 9H or 10H. The normal clear coat has hardness between 2H and 4H. The increase in the hardness of the coated surface is vast. This makes it the hardest paint coating on the market today. This new glass shield prevents minor scratches to your clear coat and acts as a sacrificial layer.
This preserves the original factory paint. Any surface scratches that happen in the coating are easily removed with light polishing which will not weaken the integrity of the original clear coat. Your paint won’t fade or age due to the UV protection in the glass coating.
Preparation work is often considered the pivotal step in ceramic coating, significantly impacting its durability and performance.
Prep work is somehow similar to PPF. Depending on the brand it can last anywhere from 1 year to 10 years, also some brands offer lifetime warranty with annual maintenance which is needed to keep the ceramic coating and the warranty active.
PPF or Paint Protection Film
It is one of the best types of protection that you can get to protect your car’s paint from scratches, stone chips. It starts from $350 and goes up to $5000, it all depends on the brand and amount of coverage that your need.
Basically the whole car can be wrapped in and be protected , after all you don’t know where you gonna get scratched on your car. It’s one of the best way to prevent damages to your paint , you can say it’s worth the investment.
Commonly called a ‘Clear Bra,’ it’s a self-healing thermoplastic urethane film applied to car surfaces for paint protection.
This film is also used on airplanes, RVs, cell phones, electronics, screens, motorcycles and many other areas. Paint protection film is OEM approved by virtually all car manufacturers.
It’s transparent , not visible if it’s installed properly. Some manufactures install it before customer take delivery of the car but only on high impact areas. This material, crafted from elastic plastic, flexes and molds to curves, stretches, and bends around corners with ease.
It is 10 times thicker than ceramic coating but not as hard as ceramic coating to allow installation on curved panels. Wrapping the entire car in PPF is costly and time-intensive, which justifies the high professional installation charges
Basically its like wrapping your car in plastic and will keep the paint in new condition and preventing deep scratches and stone chips.
What is the difference between ceramic coating and PPF
- Ceramic coating is a transparent liquid, while PPF is a visible plastic film that, when improperly installed, may peel over time.
- Ceramic coating doesn’t change color over time but some PPF can turn yellow and will crack overtime.
- Doesn’t protect the paint against stone chips and deep scratches while PPF protects the against everything.
- Ceramic coating is more cost effective while PPF can be more expensive especially if you go well known brands.
- It makes much easier to clean and keep the car cleaner for a longer time while providing UV protection. While not all PPF’s are hydrophobic which allows the surface to be sleek and dirt wont stick to it.
Conclusion
At the end of the day the protection for your paint is having PPF but since it can be very expensive to have the whole car protected with PPF. Professionals suggest protecting the front of the car with PPF, and using ceramic coating for the rest of the car. Remember having no protection can be really expensive since anything can damage the paint.
MNV Auto Detailing offers additional warranty beyond the product warranty and discounted annual maintenance to help boost your ceramic coating or PPF.
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