Ceramic coating protects your car from dirt, debris, and water marks and makes cleaning easy. You can also preserve your car’s shine for a long time by applying ceramic coating. However, getting professionally applied ceramic coating is costly. DIY ceramic kits are readily available in the market. Don’t get afraid of DIY ceramic coating projects; try them and get the cost-saving benefits. Here, I will explain how to apply the ceramic coating yourself.
Step-by-step guide to DIY Ceramic coating
You must follow this step-by-step guide to install ceramic car coating perfectly.
Surface Preparation
Before applying the ceramic coating, preparing your car’s surface is important. Ceramic coating only bonds with your car paintwork when it is clean. If your car surface has contaminants, it would be difficult for ceramic to bond properly. Improper binding may lead to patchy or uneven finishes. Think about the artist preparing canvas before creating a scenery. You will apply primer first so that the paint will adhere to the surface properly.
Similarly, you must clean your car’s surface before applying DIY ceramic coating.
Car wash: Give your vehicle a good but comprehensive wash.
Use specialized soap: Use specialized car soap for washing your vehicle. Avoid using abrasive detergents as they can damage your car paint or strip off wax from the paint.
Rinse: Rinse your vehicle with a hose or pressure washer with a gentle nozzle tip. A pressure washer will help you remove debris, contaminants, and soap.
Dry: Dry your car with a soft microfiber cloth.
After thoroughly washing your car, the next step to ensure perfect bonding of ceramic coating is detailing.
Detailing
After completing the initial cleaning step, you may need to focus on detailing your car to achieve better results. Auto Boss has a team of professional detailers who will guide you through the process. Before jumping into the process of applying ceramic coating, you need proper learning and knowledge about the following techniques.
Proper detailing, like removing surface contaminants, doing necessary paint corrections, and removing imperfections, will help your ceramic coating bond perfectly with the car surface.
Use Clay Bar: Use a mitt or clay bar to remove imperfections and airborne contaminants like tree sap, road tar, or paint overspray. Rub the clay bar over the car body. It prevents minor scratches when you polish the car.
Applying polish: After decontaminating the car surface, apply a car polish with a dual-action polisher. If you observe fine scratches, use a compound to remove them. Even the professional detailer recommends applying polish after thoroughly whipping off dirt or debris. You can apply wax as a replacement for car polish to get similar results. However, get the ceramic coating if you are eager to get the best results.
Collect necessary products and tools
Before starting to apply ceramic coating, collect the necessary products and tools. You may destroy the whole process if you don’t get the significant tools. Tools and products. The tools required for applying the ceramic coating are:
- XPEL ceramic coating kit: It is a highly recommended quality product with silica dioxide. It provides long-lasting paint protection and increases its gloss.
- Defy Cleaner: It is an all-purpose cleaner and one of the best cleaning agents for car detailing and decontamination.
- Detox Ceramic coating preparation spray: It is a solvent-based prep solution designed to achieve a clean surface and remove traces of polish, wax, or previously applied coatings.
- Clay Mitt or Clay Bar: It is used to smoothen the paintwork before applying the ceramic coating. It helps in removing excessive coats of your paintwork. It also removes impurities hindering ceramic coating bonding to the car surface.
- Finish shine ceramic detail spray: Use this spray to increase the finest finish after applying a ceramic coating layer on your car. You can increase shine and prolonged longevity to add another protection layer.
- Polisher or scratch compounds: Inspect your car surface for swirl marks or scratches, and use scratch removal or polishers to buff out imperfections.
- Microfiber Mitt, cloth, or towel: An old cloth can leave scratches or streaks on the car’s surface. However, use a new microfiber cloth to wipe off the spray, buff the surface, and dry it.
- Ceramic coating applicator: Ensure using XPEL ceramic coating applicator for better control and precision.
Applying ceramic coating
It is significant to follow the step-by-step instructions to achieve a better outcome. The steps that are necessary for applying ceramic coating are as follows.
- Preparing vehicle: Prepare your car by washing and cleaning it thoroughly with mild soap and water. Dry it completely.
- Read the instructions: review the instructions carefully from the manual that comes with the XPEL ceramic coating kit. Review all the precautions. Warnings or usage instructions.
- Check the weather conditions: Whether conditions are a significant factor that requires proper checking prior to starting a DIY ceramic coating project. Cold weather conditions can hinder optimal finishes.
- Apply Detox prep spray: Remove polymers and contaminants from the car surface along with a clay mitt or bar. Shake the spray bottle well before applying the spray.
- Spread the coating over the car surface: Pour ten to twelve drops of ceramic coating on the applicator pad and apply it on a small paint area once to ensure complete coverage on each section.
- Pro Tip: Less quantity is better while applying the ceramic coating. Excess quantity of ceramic coating can lead to uneven finish or streaking.
- Work from top to bottom: Start applying ceramic coating from top to bottom; use the strokes horizontally or vertically to ensure even application.
- Regular inspections: Step back to check the accuracy of your work
- Take a break: Take little breaks between applying coating on different sections. Haste can cause poor coverage.
- Wipe off excess coating: Take a few minutes before wiping off the ceramic coating. Use a clean microfiber cloth to ensure wiping off the excessive coating.
- Check the work in different light sources: Check your coating in different light sources to remove imperfections.
- Curing: Wait for 24 hours to ensure your coating is complete. Let the ceramic coating set in a dry, cool, and dust-free environment.
Precautions
- Don’t apply your coating in direct sunlight or more temperature with low humidity.
- Avoid applying ceramic coatings in low temperatures or cold weather conditions.
- Don’t rush; take proper time to focus on every panel.
- Apply ceramic coating completely on every panel.
- Inspect your paint properly to check the residue behind or any missed areas.
Post- Application care
After application and curing, here are some steps to ensure its long life and maintain the quality of your ceramic coating. Follow these instructions carefully for the best outcome.
- Give time for your ceramic coating to cure and dry for at least one day before driving or exposing it to water. Proper curing ensures the application’s effectiveness.
- Don’t drive in the rain and a high-pressure washer for five days after ceramic coating application.
- After getting your ceramic coating cured completely, wash the vehicle with water and use finish shine ceramic detail spray after regular intervals, like after a few weeks.
- Avoid using bleach or harsh chemicals on the ceramic coating as they can damage it.
- Always use a clean and soft microfiber cloth to remove water spots from your car to preserve your ceramic coating.
- Regular inspection of your car is significant to check for any signs of damage.
- Apply a fresh ceramic coating layer if you find any imperfections.
Maintenance of the ceramic coating
When you apply a ceramic coating on vehicles, you must be thinking about the longevity of your ceramic coating. It can last for five years if it is applied properly. The life of ceramic coating is longer than that of sealant or traditional wax. Here are a few things to consider while maintaining your car’s ceramic coating
- Avoid using harsh chemicals. High pH chemicals on ceramic coating can damage it. Use a mild solution of soap and water. Use a clean and soft cloth to dry your ceramic coating.
- Don’t expose your ceramic car coated to extreme temperatures or humidity.
Conclusion
Ceramic coating application is a wise investment, especially when you need shine and long-lasting protection. You can follow the ceramic coating tips and precautions to maintain it. You can apply it yourself or leave the process to Auto Boss experts.
FAQs
What are the common steps of DIY ceramic car coating?
There are seven steps of DIY ceramic car coating. The steps are washing, spraying iron remover, rubbing clay bar, drying, machine polishing, using isopropyl alcohol, and applying a ceramic coating to your car surface.
How do you improve your ceramic coating?
You can improve ceramic coating by applying pH-neutral soap and sealant on the coating surface. It can improve the appearance, protection, and performance benefits of ceramic or graphene coating.
Is DIY ceramic coating a good and easy-to-implement idea?
DIY ceramic coating is neither easy nor a good idea, especially for those new to this market. Although you can get ceramic coating kits from the market, having special tools and environments is difficult. DIY Ceramic coating projects can be labor-intensive and time-consuming.
How long does ceramic coating last?
The ceramic coatings can last from 24 months to five years, depending on the nature and quality of the ceramic coating.