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Converting to Ceramic Spray Coating

RayS

By RayS
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RayS

RayS

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This write up will provide the products and steps taken to convert my 2017 Chevy Colorado Daily Driver from Ceramic Paste Wax to Ceramic Spray Coating.   The truck's last major detail was June 9, 2019 which means that the CPW has been on the vehicle for 111 days.  The CPW was in near perfect condition and there is not a single negative statement I could make toward CPW.  If you want a high end paste wax, I would absolutely recommend CPW.  It is on and for the foreseeable will remain on several of my vehicles.

 

Total time spent:  9 hours 30 minutes

 

Prior to starting the conversion, I planned the steps and made sure I had the necessary products.  After the first cup of coffee, I start getting everything ready (5:30 AM).   The items that were readied for action and put on the Detail Cart:

3 Buckets:  3.5 gallon wheel bucket, 5 gallon rinse bucket and 5 gallon soap bucket. Step Stool Platform

Foam Gun, Tire Brush, Wheel Woolie, Wheel Well Brush, Microfiber Wash Mitt, 4 microfiber applicators, revive applicator

Towels: 8 borderless gray, 6 single soft, 6 double soft, ultra drying towel, Green Glass Towel

Tire & Rubber Cleaner, Eco APC, Eco Wheel Cleaner, Strip Wash, Glass Cleaner, Revive Hand Polish, Clay

Surface Prep and Ceramic Spray Coating were left in the climate controlled room

Swirl Killer, 4 White Pads - more on this below.   Finishing polish

1 Gallon Meyers Lemonade - gotta keep hydrated and Music, classic Rock to be precise

 

The tires, wheels and wheel wells are always first.  Tire & Rubber cleaner is the first product along with a good tire brush.  After the tires, I do the wheels and on the Colorado the wheels clean very well with Eco Wheel Cleaner.  The wheels had been maintained with Ceramic Boost which really helped keep them clean.  The wheel wells were next and the Colorado has fabric and Eco APC along with the wheel well brush cleans them up nicely.  Then they are just rinsed off with a hose and I've found the Eco APC does not foam as much as the regular APC.

 

Next up was the strip wash, 4 ounces in the foam gun and a healthy squirt into the soap bucket.  I covered the truck and let it sit for a few minutes and then covered the truck again.  At this point the weather was perfect, it was about 10 minutes before sun up and 70 degrees.   My routine for washing is starting with the passenger side top, hood, drivers side top, drivers side front fender and then go around the vehicle one panel at a time.  I do not do the underside of wheel wells, door jams, fuel cover or front lower valance until everything else is done to prevent grit, sand or other grime from getting on the wash pad. 

 

The strip wash was very effective in removing the CPW  on the body and CB from the wheels, but it did not affect the CSC that I had previously put on the black parts of the truck and tonneau cover.  The first picture shows the water being pushed away with a gray towel.   Once the truck was dry, it was into the garage to start the real work.  The baggie test was performed along with a visual inspection for any issues. The body was smooth, given that it had just been done and was well protected.  I was fully expecting to be able go with Finishing Polish and nothing else.  Unfortunately, someone (to remain nameless) did a rather poor job on the roof and it needed a bit more attention, so back to the cool room, grab the correcting polish and an Orange pad.  

 

I worked the roof with the correcting polish and was rather happy, so I switched to the white pad and finishing polish and WOW.  It is probably important to know that this is the first time the Swirl Killer ever touched the truck, the previous corrections were with an extremely old polisher.  On to the hood with with finishing polish and I realized the roof looked better than the hood, so I decided to step back and work the entire truck with correcting polish.  I grabbed three more Orange pads and went at it, followed by the white pads and finishing polish.   My process for changing pads and/towels is always in pairs.  If the pad needs to be changed, then change the towel, if the towel needs to be changed, then change the pad.    While the recommended method is to do a 2x2 area at a time, I like following body lines when possible.  The doors on the Colorado have a big center section , maybe 2x3 and two small sections maybe 1x3 and I do each of them as separate panels, no tape required. 

 

I used Revive on the Tail Lights since I really like how it brings out the clarity of the lenses.

 

After the correcting and finishing polish, it was lunch time followed by another inspection of the truck and then it was ready for Surface Prep, followed by another inspection and then out came the CSC.  I grabbed a MicroFiber applicator since I prefer to spray the applicator instead of the body and it was at this point that I did use some colorful adjectives when the tiny sprayer broke.   This is the third small sprayer that has broken, two were on Glass Boost and now one on Ceramic Spray Coating - Yes, I will be contacting the sales office.  I'm not large and I don't abuse the bottles or tools and the only problem I've had with anything from Adam's is these tiny or toy sprayers.   I grabbed another sprayer, put it in the bottle and it worked - thankfully.  Update: I have been informed that they have been replaced with a better sprayer.

 

Starting with the roof, I applied the CSC.  While it is clearly understood that Red vehicles are superior to anything else, it is hard to see the rainbow effect on them.  I found that I needed to look at an angle to see the color changes to know when to wipe it down.  Everything went very easy for laying the CSC and wiping it off and in most areas I was able to do two panels just as the video references.  I consider the hood to be two panels itself.  Once all the panes were completed, I went back in the same manner that I do with the wash and hit the areas that I skipped, picture #3 is a door jam and yes, I know I need to vacuum again.  The final step was to do the wheels with CSC.

 

The last two pictures were taken after I completed the truck and parked it outside this evening.

 

It was a long day, but I am happy with the results and so is the wife. 

 

Thank you @Rich for the information you provided on doing the Equinox

Thank you @zw470 for showing the wheels, otherwise mine would not have been done.

 

 

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Edited by RayS
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Nickfire20

Nickfire20

Posted
Posted (edited)

Great write up, Looks great, good music, and they have changed sprayers for those small bottles, I really like the new ones!

 

Also...Dan taught me a trick with the sprayer on the Coating...use your fingernail to scrape away the tip and it unclogs it everytime!  I’ve used mine like 4 times, did that each and good to go.

Edited by Nickfire20
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SouthernSteve

SouthernSteve

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Thank you, Ray, for the detailed write up and pics.  The Chevy looks radiant!  I was following this since my truck’s  coating, over 4 years old and was a professional one, is starting to show signs of coming to an end.  

 

Ive been torn between another coating or try the wax....🤔  

 

one reason for not going with the professional coating sting is that the brand I had on is not offered in the area we moved to and the local guy who does professional coatings has never called back.  I can do a coating myself but was contemplating a switch.  Now more decisions with your post here...😁

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RayS

RayS

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1 hour ago, zw470 said:

Did you use an applicator for the CSC or did you spray directly onto the vehicle?  I tried the latter and I found I was constantly having to go back and wipe up overspray.

I rarely spray any product directly on a vehicle.  Waterless Wash, Detail Spray and Glass Cleaner are the only ones that I can think of off hand that I do, excluding the tire and wheel products.

 

For the Surface Prep and CSC, I used a microfiber applicator and use 4 sprays on the applicator which covers about two panels or one hood.  The line on the picture is only on the picture and that is where I concentrate the spray by using a slow steady squeeze of the trigger.  Also notice that I have on gloves, which you absolutely want to wear because there will be some over spray.  In addition, the gloves help grip the applicator and if you do happen to drop it, toss it to the side and get a new one to prevent introducing dirt, sand, etc..  I buy the applicator pads by the 12 pack since they are used for in several places.  

 

The gloves that Adam's sells are good and you should order them if you are only doing a couple of vehicles, it is less expensive and they will more than protect you from the chemicals.   The gloves that I am wearing in the picture are different from Adam's, but I also buy them in boxes of 100 pair since they are used for mechanical work and are powder-free nitrile mechanics gloves.   The one thing that I have noticed between the gloves is different is that my hands sweat much more with the thick mechanics gloves compared to the Adam's gloves.

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