Ceramic Coatings and Paint Protection Films are the latest technology in automotive paint protection products. If you are considering investing in long term automotive paint protection, you may be wondering if a Ceramic Coating or Paint Protection Film (PPF) is best for you and your car. In this article we will be listing all of the differences, benefits, and how to decide on your protection solution.
Ceramic Coatings Defined
Ceramic Nano Coatings add powerfully durable protection to your paintwork while also enhancing the gloss and eliminating the need for waxing or sealants. With years of protection from UV damage, swirl mark resistance, chemical repellency, and self cleaning properties. Coatings chemically bond to the surface of your vehicle after an in depth paint cleansing and polishing process.
To be technical, a Ceramic Coating is a resin nano technology that chemically bonds to the paint of your vehicle to form a layer of protection and sealant of the paint system. In plain English, the Ceramic Coating attaches itself to your vehicle’s paint and creates a hardened layer of protection and shine. You can learn more about the specifics of ceramic coatings by clicking here.
What does a Ceramic Coating do?
- Resists chemicals, mud, and general grime
- Prevents UV damage such as fading and oxidation
- Prevents (not completely protects from) swirl marks
- Creates a slick surface with enhanced shine and gloss
- Prevents chemical stains and etching
- Makes cleaning simpler and faster, thanks to the hydrophobic properties the coating heavily resists chemicals, grime, and contaminants
- Eliminates the need for traditional waxes and or paint sealants
How long do Ceramic Coatings last?
With an entire industry behind modern ceramic coatings, there is a massive amount of choices and products on the market. On average, a consumer grade ceramic coating will last 6 months to 1 year. While professional grade ceramic coatings, such as our FEYNLAB Ceramic Coatings, add 3-5+ years of warrantied protection. With proper maintenance and regular details, your coating can last far passed the five year mark and we even offer a Lifetime Coating Membership.
How much do Ceramic Coatings cost?
Consumer grade coatings range from $50-200 when you buy a DYI coating. Professional grade coatings will range from $500-1,000 or more depending on your selection and installer. Our most popular coating is FEYNLAB Ceramic Ultra, which is a 5 Year Warranty Paint Coating. This coating runs at $895 after a proper Paint Correction polishing process has been completed.
Paint Protection Film Defined
Paint Protection FIlm, commonly known as clear-bra or PPF, is a thermoplastic urethane film that is installed to automotive finishes to provide a thick layer of protection that often features self healing abilities from light scratching. Due to the increased thickness of PPF compared to Ceramic Coatings, Paint Protection Film can absorb significant damage such as rock chips, deeper scratching, and swirl marks.
The ultimate benefit of Paint Protection Film is the protection aspect. No other product on the market can protect from rock chips and scratching on this level. Being an actual film, the thickness comapred to a ceramic coating is far greater, resulting in the ability to prevent paint damage.
Outstanding protection against rock chips, scratching, sun damage, and essentially anything the road throws at it -- Paint Protection Film is the ultimate paint protection. With projectile absorption, self healing technology, and chemical resistance, there is no better solution to protecting your vehicle.
How much does Paint Protection Film cost?
Paint Protection Film will be significantly more expensive than any ceramic coating. This is due to a labor intensive process and increased cost of the film itself compared to the liquid resin cost of a ceramic coating. Film Installation requires a highly skilled installer that can properly install the film without causing damage or leaving defects in the film.
Having PPF installed on your entire front end will range from $1,995-2,995 depending on the vehicle. Because of this, Partial Front End installs have become popular, covering the highest at risk areas of the first half of your front end. Partial installs will run in the $1,195-2,000 range, again, depending on the vehicle. Full body film installation will be significantly more expensive, ranging from $6,000-20,000 on average.
Which should I choose?
The great thing about these two protection products is that they work best together. When you combine a full front end or even full body Paint Protection Film with one of our professional grade Ceramic Coatings, you will obtain the highest level of protection and gloss enhancement possible. We generally recommend a full front end PPF install combined with our 5 Year Ceramic Coating on the entire vehicle, including on top of the film. This ensures a uniform gloss and incredibly durable protection on all surfaces of your vehicle.
We would love the chance to earn your business and transform your vehicle with the ultimate automotive protection and cosmetic appearance enhancement products in the world. Start your experience by submitting our contact form here.
