What is the Difference Between a Ceramic Coating and Paint Sealant?

When it comes to protecting your car, you have many options like ceramic coatings, graphene coatings, paint sealants, and waxes. What are the differences and what is best for your car?

The biggest difference between a coating and paint sealant is the way it bonds to the surface of the car. Ceramic coatings use nanoparticle technology to create a super hard, thin layer bonded to your car’s paint. Paint sealants use a blend of synthetic polymers and wax to create a hard layer covering your paint.

Paint sealants are easy to apply, but only last a few months depending on the product. Ceramic coatings on the other hand will last years.

Ceramic Coating requires careful application and should be done after a paint correction or when the car is brand new off the lot (even these might require a paint correction). Depending on the ceramic coating the car should be out of the elements for up to 12 hours.

Which Option Should You Go With?

Cost is a big consideration when choosing which option you should choose. Due to the prep, time of application, and product cost of ceramic coatings they will cost a lot more. Paint sealants have a much cheaper product cost and don’t require as much prep work before an application.

If you are not interested in the prep work, preferably a paint correction, then we would recommend just going with a paint sealant over a ceramic coating.

Both paint sealants and ceramic coatings need regular maintenance washes to keep the car clean and help the protection last longer.

What Can Be Coated with a Ceramic Coating?

There are various types of ceramic coatings for trim, paint, windshield, wheels, fabric, and interior plastics. Ceramic coatings are excellent ways to add lasting protection on various surfaces.

Two spots that ceramic coatings really shine over other options are the windshield and wheels. You have probably used RainX before on your windshields only for it to stop working within a few weeks. Ceramic coating on your windshield can last up to 2 years with rain beading off the surface at 30 mph. This gives you better visibility every time.

Wheels take a beating. From brake dust to super high temperatures, wheels if left unprotected can be hard to clean and can have caked on brake dust. Ceramic coatings for wheels are designed to hold up to high temperatures keeping your wheels protected from brake dust and other elements making a regular maintenance wash easy to clean off any dirt or grime.

What Coatings Do We Use?

We use Gtechniq’s Ceramic Coatings due to their longevity and great results. They have many specialty options for paint, wheels, trim, fabric, and windshield. Like many other professional shops, we have found that they hold up the best and protect your car’s paint and plastics from the harsh conditions.

Interested in a Ceramic Coating or a Paint Sealant?

Our Exterior Detail and Clean or Full Detail both use our double layer system of paint sealants. This system will protect your paint for up to 6 months. If you are interested in a ceramic coating, we would recommend our Full Detail & Ceramic Coating Package. This gives you coatings on your paint, wheels, and windshield keeping your car protected for years.