Ceramic Coatings ... what's the difference

[MikeSoFlo]

I know, all products are not created equal, but can someone (or does someone) know the difference between a ceramic coating like what Adam's offers verses what someone like Gtechniq offers. 

A local detailing company says by using Gtechniq ceramic coatings they can offer 5 year and up to 9 year protection. 

 

Here's what they say "The durability, whether you choose a light or professional grade a minimum of 3-year guarantee is often expressed sometimes upwards of 7-10 years. They last a long time and protect your paint from naturally acidic contaminants, UV damage, and may even add a little cushion room in terms of light scratches. They also require minimum maintenance on the brands that we offer which may be a simple as washing with a certain soap and avoiding brush car washes to a yearly or bi yearly top coat application again depending on the brand you choose."

 

This is what they say about Crystal Serum from Gtechniq ...  "Crystal Serum forms a composite of two inorganic layers of ceramic. The slightly softer layer migrates to and chemically bonds to the substrate (it can bond to any type of gel coat, vinyl and all kinds of paint - clear coat, acrylic, nitro-cellulose, two-pack, solid paint, metallic paint, pearlescent, urethane, polyurethane, matte etc.) whilst the thinner harder layer migrates to the surface. This combination offers significantly better swirl resistance than standard ceramic coatings (including so called 9h "super coatings") plus Crystal Serum is resistant to the strongest acids and alkalis. It is also resistant to temperatures up to 500 degrees Celsius."

 

Anyone know how long Adam's ceramic coating will last or stand up against a company like Gtechniq ... 

[shane@detailedreflections]

Adams offers what’s referred to as a “consumer grade” coating. Meaning it can be purchased and installed by anyone. They’re usually more forgiving and may not have quite such a refined appearance. Adams is also a single layer coating. 

 

GTechniq’s five year coating is called Crystal Serum Light - Black which is a coat of a base layer and two coats of a top layer. This would be a “pro-sumer” coating. By this it’s closer to a pro coating. This coating will provide a great finish and it’s one we have experience with. 

 

Gtechniq’s nine year coating is Crystal Serum Ultra - Black. That’s a harder base layer and two layers of a top coat. The bond is quite strong and can require wet sanding to remove the coating if needed. 

 

The pro grade coatings tend to be strong and more durable, and also harder to remove. This can mean they’re less forgiving to work with. 

 

All of that being said, prep is everything with a coating. Consumer to professional. Poor prep will give you a poor finish. Great prep can make most any coating look great. 

 

Different detailers all have our favorite coatings and products to work with. I know we have ours.