Ceramic Coating

Many car owners may have heard of the word “detailing”, but most can’t pin down exactly what it means and how it works. Car detailing at a very basic level, is making a vehicle look as close to “brand new” as possible, and even in some cases, “better than new”. However, that doesn’t really even scratch the surface of what actually goes into the detailing process.

Car detailing is the process of improving the condition of a vehicle’s interior and exterior appearance. This involves the most thorough clean possible, any enhancement to deal with minor defects such as clear coat scratches, and protection to maintain the condition.

Here at Finesse Detailing, we offer a range of detailing services including new car protection, single and multistage paint correction and enhancement, ceramic coating application and a maintenance detailing packages. We also offer interior and exterior deep cleaning, and engine bay detailing services.

Detailing Services and Packages

Car detailers often offer different packages and services to suit the needs of various car owners. Here are some of the most common options available.

• New Car Protection: new cars need detailing in order to protect them and keep them looking newer for longer. New car detailing packages often include a thorough clean and decontamination, paint enhancement if required, and protection of the exterior surfaces.
• Paint Enhancement: there are varying degrees of paint enhancement packages, some which include a single-stage, others which include multiple-stages to create the most refined, mirror-like finish possible.
• Ceramic Coating: this is a form of protection which can be applied to the paint, wheels and glass. It offers outstanding durability of up to 5 years, however, takes a significant amount of preparation and skill to apply.
• Maintenance Packages: these are designed to ensure the “freshly-detailed look” lasts for longer and include a thorough clean and protection top-up.

What Does Detailing Mean?

When you delve into detailing a bit more, you can see that it can be separated into three main areas:

• Cleaning
• Enhancement
• Protection

We can now go a bit further into each aspect to understand exactly what the process involves, and how it contributes to the end result.

Car valeting is a service provided to clean and improve the overall appearance of a vehicle. There are various levels of valeting services available, and most professionals offer a variety of packages to suit different requirements and price points.

Here at Diamond Cut Detailing, we offer a high-level valeting service which utilises the most premium tools and best practices to ensure the vehicle is cleaned thoroughly and safely.

Valeting is easiest to define when split into three main areas:

• Exterior cleaning
• Exterior protection
• Interior valeting

Car polishing is a widely misunderstood process, but one that is really important to make the paintwork look as shiny as possible. In this article, we will be going through exactly what the function of a car polish is, the risks, limitations, the process and the preparation required to get the best finish.

At a Glance

Car polishing is the process of removing minor clear coat damage (scratches and swirl marks) using a polishing liquid to flatten the clear coat which increases the gloss-level. The polishing process can be performed by machine or by hand and should be followed by protecting the paint using a wax, sealant or coating.

Diamond Cut Detailing offers single and multistage paint enhancement and correction services. Lewis, the owner and detailer is highly trained in the technique of machine polishing, ensuring the best possible finish in achieved in a safe manner.

Polish Isn’t the Same as Wax

This is perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions in car care. A lot of car owners fall into the trap of using the terms “wax” and “polish”, interchangeably, but they actually have very different functions.

Car polishes are mildly abrasive, meaning they have the ability to flatten the clear coat (the top layer of paint on the car). This removes any light imperfections, usually inflicted during the wash process by using sponges, brushes or other aggressive techniques of cleaning the paintwork. The overall aim, is to improve the gloss level. Simply put, the flatter the clear coat, the shinier the paint.

Waxes are not abrasive and leave a protective layer on the paintwork to help shield it from UV rays, dirt, road grime etc. They do not have the ability to flatten the clear coat since they do not contain abrasives. Polishes do not protect the paintwork, so it is important to wax after polishing to protect the finish.

The confusion between waxes and polishes probably arises from the underlying claims that they both make the paint look shinier. Waxes tend to contain chemicals which will add some level of gloss to the paintwork. However, they do not have nearly as much of an impact as polishing. A truly glossy finish comes from the flatness of the clear coat, not what you put on top.

How Does Polishing Work?

We’ve touched on this already by saying that polishes are abrasive and help to flatten the clear coat, however it really requires a bit more explanation. The clear coat on a car is very rarely completely flat and will contain some level of damage, unless the car has been recently polished and well-maintained.

Polishes contain mild abrasives in a liquid format which are designed to remove the damaged layer of clear coat, to reveal a fresh, flat layer of paint. They can be applied using a machine polisher, or by hand with a foam or microfiber pad. They are applied in circular motions, on a small area at a time and worked into the paintwork with the aim of removing an even layer. Once the polish has been worked in, the residue can be buffed away using a microfiber towel. It may take multiple attempts on the same area to achieve the level of finish that is required.

What Types Scratches Can Polishing Remove?

Polishing is only capable of removing very fine clear coat scratches. It is not capable of removing scratches that have gone through to the base coat, which usually appear white in colour. Polishes are only designed to really refine the paintwork to a mirror finish.

In order to deal with deeper clear coat scratches, other techniques can be used instead. The most common, is called compounding. Compounds are still used in the same way as polishes, and exist in a liquid format containing abrasives, but they have a higher level of “cut” (abrasion), compared to polishes. These means they are more capable of efficiently removing clear coat damage. Keep in mind though, that they cannot deal with deeper scratches that have penetrated the base coat, as this will require the addition of paint.

Compounds can sometimes leave some very light “hazing”, since they have a higher level of abrasion. Compounding is typically followed up by polishing to refine the paintwork and remove the hazing to leave a glossier finish. This is known as a two-stage paint correction, the first stage being compounding to remove clear coat scratches, and the second being polishing to refine finish.

There is also another technique used to correct clear coat scratches, called wet sanding. This is even more aggressive than compounding and is used to deal with severe clear coat damage. It will leave a haze behind, which can be removed with a compound and followed by a polish to reveal the shiniest finish possible.

If you are looking for an incredibly long-lasting way to protect your car’s exterior from the elements, then you’ve probably heard of the term “ceramic coating” before. They can be formulated for use on the paint, glass and alloys, to provide years of protection. Here is everything you need to know about ceramic coatings and why they are so beneficial.

At a Glance

Ceramic coatings contain silicon dioxide, typically derived from quartz crystals in a liquid format. When applied to a car’s exterior, the coating forms a clear layer of protection which is very hydrophobic, slick, and durable. The overall aim is to keep the car looking cleaner and newer for longer.

Diamond Cut Detailing offers a ceramic coating service which is performed in a custom-designed detailing facility. Lewis, the owner and detailer, is accredited by industry-leading brands in the world of ceramic coatings, meaning that he is able to apply the most premium coatings available.

Advantages of Ceramic Coatings

There are numerous features of ceramic coatings which make them a stand-out exterior protection option including:

• Outstanding durability
• High-level of protection
• Self-cleaning properties
• Impressive hydrophobicity
• High-gloss finish
• Scratch-resistance

In this next section, we will be going into some more detail to really understand why ceramic coatings are so popular.

Outstanding Durability

Ceramic coatings typically last for several years, and the most premium grades can even last up to 5 years. They last far longer than more traditional forms of paint protection. Typically natural waxes last only a few months, and sealants last around 6-12 months on average.  This is one of the reasons why choosing a ceramic coating is becoming such a popular option, because it gives car owners peace of mind that their vehicle is protected, even if they don’t get chance to re-wax it every few months.

High-Level of Protection

The level of protection that a ceramic coating gives to the vehicle’s exterior is also outstanding. All cars are subject to abuse by the elements, particularly those that are driven frequently and stored outdoors.

Ceramic coatings are able to protect the exterior from:

• UV rays
• Water spots
• Dirt and grime
• Other “contaminants”

Exposure to UV rays will cause the paintwork to become dull over time. The structure of the paintwork on modern cars means that a clear layer of paint, known as the “clear coat”, sits on top of the base layer, which provides the car’s colour. The aim of the clear coat is to shield the base coat so the colour stays looking vibrant.

However, the clear coat will eventually wear away over time, leaving the base coat exposed to UV rays which cause it to fade quickly. Ceramic coatings shield the clear coat to prevent it from degrading and consequently, help to keep the colour looking fresh.

Water spots are also particularly damaging to the paintwork. Whilst they may seem harmless, the chalky residue left behind from the water when it evaporates can be corrosive to the paintwork. This residue is essentially, all the impurities that were being held in the water. If left to sit on the paintwork, it can cause “etching”, which means a small groove will form where the clear coat has eroded. Ceramic coatings prevent this from happening by providing a resistant layer of protection to maintain the integrity of the clear coat.

Have you ever felt your car’s paintwork when it was clean, and noticed that it still feels rough? This is because there are embedded “contaminants” in the paint. These include water spots, tar, iron fallout (from brake disks, industry and railways) and tree sap. These contaminants cannot be removed by routine washing once they become embedded in the clear coat. Not only do they cause it to feel rough, but they also contribute to an overall dull appearance. One of the protective roles of a ceramic coating, is to prevent this contamination building up.

Contaminants find it a lot harder to stick to ceramic coatings, so can be more easily washed away. And even if they do manage to attach to the coating, they will not penetrate through to the paintwork, keeping it protected.

Self-Cleaning Properties

This leads us nicely to the self-cleaning characteristics of ceramic coatings. This form of paint protection is particularly known for its “slickness”, but what does this actually do? Essentially, dirt and grime have a harder time sticking to slicker surfaces.

Another way of looking at the self-cleaning properties, is to assess how easy the vehicle is to clean. The slicker the paintwork, the easier any dirt will slip off it. This is a huge advantage for two reasons. Firstly, it makes the cleaning process faster and much less labour intensive. Secondly, it means you won’t have to scrub at the paintwork to get it clean, hence massively reducing the risk of inflicting micro-scratches in the car’s clear coat.

The slickness of ceramic coatings is one of the reasons why they are so popular. Not only does it make cleaning the car a much more enjoyable process, but it also means that you don’t have to do it as often, as dirt and grime are less likely to stick to the finish in the first place.

Impressive Hydrophobicity

Another massive benefit of applying a ceramic coating to your car, is that is provides a super hydrophobic layer of protection. This is really useful for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it helps to keep the car looking cleaner. When you drive in the rain, dirty water from the road will spray up onto the lower panels of the car. If it is allowed to dry, then it will leave a layer of dirt and grime on the paintwork. Ceramic coatings allow the water to “sheet” off the surface, leaving it dry. Hence, the dirt and grime are unable to cling to the paint.

This ability of the coating to sheet water off the surface, instead of letting it sit on the panel, also prevents water spots and stains. On an uncoated car, the water will stick to the paintwork and evaporate, leaving water spots behind. On a ceramic coating, this water beads up and rolls off the paintwork, particularly if you drive the car after it has rained. This helps to remove the surface water and keep the finish water spot-free.

High-Gloss Finish

Everyone wants a shinier looking car, so it’s good news to know that ceramic coatings are prized for leaving a high-gloss finish to the paintwork. This is due to both the coating’s properties, and the preparation that goes into applying them properly, which really enhances the finish.

Scratch-Resistance

Since ceramic coatings form a tough layer of protection on the surface, it is probably not a massive surprise that this offers some level of scratch-resistance. It will not protect the car from deeper scratches; however, it does provide some protection from minor clear coat scratches, which are commonly inflicted during the wash process. A build-up of these clear coat scratches causes the paintwork to look dull over-time.

It’s important to note though, that ceramic coatings will not make the paintwork scratch-proof by any means, but it is reassuring to know that they offer a step-up in terms of protection when compared to waxes.