Add a layer of gloss and protection to your vehicle
At one point in time, a paste wax was the top shelf choice to enhance your vehicle’s shine while also protecting your paint from external elements like rain, bird poo, dirt, etc…
Fast forward many years, a bunch of scientists work their magic in a lab, and we now have a far more durable and superior form of protection: ceramic coatings.
Unlike Mr. Miyagi, this is not a “wax-on-wax-off” application. The ceramic coating is a semi-permanent liquid layer that bonds to the vehicles surface. It is commonly referred to as a “sacrificial” layer of protection as it’ll absorb the weather elements like rain, dirt, and snow to better protect the paint underneath.
If you want the ultimate form of protection that has no rival, you’d want paint protection film (PPF). We also offer window tinting services.
Getting your car ceramic coated is one of the best ways to bring out the shine and protect the paint for many years. However, if not done properly, you won’t get the results you were expecting. And worse, you end up with more problems you have to solve.
There’s a lot of spray on ceramic coating products you can buy at a store that make big claims, but are not true ceramic coatings. They’ll add shine and protection to your paint, but it’s not something you should pay hundreds of dollars for.
On top of that, you also have to properly prepare the paint to achieve maximum results.
At R3 Detailing, before we apply a coating, your car goes through a detailed process by washing, claying, and polishing the paint to make sure the coating does it’s job.
Depending on the condition of your vehicle and the results you’d like to achieve, this time and effort will greatly vary. If your paint is already in great condition, it may only require a light polish and be done within a day. If your paint is heavily swirled and requires more extensive work, then it can take two to three days to complete.
Is polishing your paint necessary for a ceramic coating? Technically no, you don’t. You can apply a coating to swirled paint, but at that point, you’re simply not getting all the benefits of the coating. It’d be more ideal to get a sealant applied to your car.
A coating isn’t like a wax or sealant where you just apply it, wait a few minutes, and then buff off. Applying a coating is a more tedious process because you have to know when the coating “sets” on the paint to remove it.
Each coating, depending on the brand and weather, has a “set” point on when to remove it. It’s not an exact time like 30 seconds and then wipe off. You have to know by looking at the coating when it’s the right time to remove it.
So you have to work in section with multiple lights to see where you’re working. If you buff off too early, you’re potentially not allowing the coating to fully set and the longevity moving forward may be compromised.
And if you wait too long, removing the coating becomes very difficult. Additionally, a problem that we see all the time with ceramic coated vehicles are what we call “high”-spots”.
This is an area of a panel that you’ve coated but didn’t fully buff off the paint and can see where the coating dried. It looks like a smear was left on the paint.
If it’s caught soon enough, you can simply buff it off. But if days go by and the coating cures, the only way to remove it is by polishing the paint again.
This is difference between a coating and a wax or sealant. It’s a semi-permanent layer of protection. You need to properly apply the coating to get the benefits of it. And if done wrong and you have high spots all over the vehicle, you’d need to polish the entire car again.
A ceramic coating is a fantastic option for gloss and protection, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone.
Click the video to learn more about the benefits and use case of a ceramic coating.
For instance, if you have a work truck that goes to the job site and is always getting brushed up by branches, boxes, and people, a coating might not be the best option since the truck is heavily used.
But you can also have a work truck that you travel across the country in and you want to better protect it from the dirt, rain, and so on.. so a coating would be ideal for you.
There are a lot of coating companies that make some pretty big claims of what it can do. Although there’s some truth to the claims, I don’t like to oversell the capabilities of it.
So here are some benefits you actually get with a coating:
✅ Produces a durable layer of protection that lasts 3 to 5 years
✅ You only need to apply it once (and not every 3 months like other forms of protection)
✅ Adds a ton of gloss compared to other forms of protection like wax or sealant
✅ Provides unmatched hydrophobic properties that keeps your car cleaner and makes it easier to wash
✅ It can be installed on paint, glass, wheels, vinyl film, and paint protection film
Before the coating is installed, your vehicle must first be properly prepped and corrected with one of our paint correction services. If you apply the coating without the proper prep work, you’re not able to get all the benefits from the coating.
Coatings are long-lasting and durable, but that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want with your vehicle and think the coating will protect it.
It has its limitations and it’s important to understand them. Too many times we see customers overthink the protection aspect of the coating and are then disappointed when they see swirls or etchings in the paintwork. Here’s some common myths about coatings:
Myth: The coating will make your paint scratch-proof.
A lot of coatings claim they are scratch-resistant, which they are, but not to the degree you think. When we say the coating will resist light scratches, we genuinely mean very light scratches from using a quality towel that you’re wiping off a spray wax. It’s not meant to mean it can prevent rock chips or other kind of impacts.
For instance, if you drag an old dirty wash mitt across the paint, you will scratch the paint. If you drag your pants or shorts across the paint, you will scratch it. So yes, technically, it can resist swirls, but to the smallest degree.
Myth: Coatings will protect your paint from rock chips.
The only true solution that can prevent and protect your paint from rock chips or other types of debris impacting your car will be paint protection film (PPF).
No matter how many layers you apply of a ceramic coating, it cannot stop the impact of a rock hitting your vehicle. The coating is great to help prevent water, dirt, or road grime from sticking to your paint, but it won’t help prevent scuff marks, rock chips, or scratches from damaging your paint.
If you want the best form of protection for your paint, the only choice will be PPF.
Myth: You don’t have to wash your car anymore after it gets coated
A ceramic coating makes it much easier to maintain your vehicle, but you still need to wash it on a monthly basis. Like most things, in order for the coating to last, it needs proper maintenance.
If you just run it through a tunnel wash, the harsh bristles will swirl up your paint and the chemicals they use will deteriorate the coating. Instead, when you wash the vehicle, you’d want to use quality wash mitts, drying towels, and cleaners that will cleanse and enhance your coating. This is the difference between your coating lasting two years of four years.
Price is based on the size of vehicle. General prices are shown below. Please contact us for a more accurate quote.
Do you have a shop?
Yep! We offer all our paint correction and ceramic coating services at the R3 detail shop location (down the street from Willowbrook Mall). Depending on the level of work, it can take 2 to 5 days to complete the service. We also offer color changing wraps, window tint, paint protection film (PPF) and that can take a while based on the kind of film or coverage you’d like.
Is ceramic coating the best type of protection for my paint?
Ceramic coatings are a great option for the level of protection and shine it provides, but if you want ultimate form of protection, that would have to be paint protection film. PPF will add an 8mil layer of protection that can withstand debris far better than any ceramic coating on the market.
Can I wash my car after the coating is installed?
Once the coating is applied, the vehicle should not get wet for the first 48 hours so it can fully cure. After that, we advise our customers to not wash their vehicle for the first two weeks.
Can the ceramic coating replace my clear coat?
If your paint is chipping and fading due to clear coat failure, the only option to fix that is a repaint. A ceramic coating will not be able to help.
Can I just get the coating installed without the prep work or paint correction?
We do not apply coatings to vehicles that have not gone through the proper prep and correction as you will not reap the benefits of a coating without it.
Tue - Fri: 9am - 5pm Saturday: 9am - 2pm Sun & Mon: CLOSED
281-450-3147
12155 Cutten Rd Suite 104 Houston TX 77066
