How Often Should You Reapply Ceramic Coating for Maximum Protection?

Ceramic coating is one of the best ways to protect your car’s paintwork, but it doesn’t last forever. If you want the full effect of the benefits to continue, then both maintenance and re-application are necessary. 

But how often you need to do this will depend on the type of ceramic coating you opt for.

Ceramic Coating Reapplication Schedule Depends on the Installation

The quality of the coating will have a significant effect on longevity. But even more important is whether you applied it yourself or if it was done professionally…

A DIY ceramic coating—no matter how much you spend on it or how carefully you put it on—won’t have anywhere near the longevity of a professional install. That’s because you need specialist knowledge and experience to use industrial-strength ceramic products. They’re also usually applied in multiple layers and often come with maintenance packages that include inspection, top-ups, and eventual renewal.

In very general terms, you’ll need to reapply a DIY ceramic coating every 6-12 months. However, a top quality, professionally installed one can last anything from 5 years upwards.

Whatever the kind, there are ways to know when a ceramic coating needs a refresh. Clues to look out for include:

• The hydrophobic effect becomes, err, less hydrophobic: Ceramic coating repels water. This means that when moisture hits the surface, it forms beautiful little beads that just roll away. When this starts to reduce—perhaps you see small puddles forming instead—this is a surefire sign that the coating is losing its effectiveness.
• You start to see micro-marring: These are tiny anomalies that can be seen on the surface under bright light. They are actually microscopic scratches that cause the light to reflect irregularly. At the very start, they might not even be visible to the naked eye—you might only be able to notice them by running your fingertips very gently across the paintwork. Any area where the texture feels different is a giveaway.
• The paint looks duller: That lovely shine that’s the hallmark of ceramic coating begins to reduce. This is a later-stage sign, so shouldn’t be ignored. Even worse is if you begin to notice scratches on the paint, as this means the protective layer has probably degraded entirely.

Lastly, if you notice that you’re having to work a bit harder to get your car clean, then take this as a given that it’s high time not just for some ceramic coating maintenance, but probably for a complete reapplication.

To Remove or Not to Remove?

Whether or not you’ll need to remove the current coating will depend on the level of degradation. If you’ve opted for a professional installation with an included maintenance package, then your detailer will freshen it up when necessary to ensure maximum protection. When the time comes for renewal, a pro-install will (or it should) include removal of the original layers through gentle mechanical abrasion. 

For the DIYer, if there’s any evidence of the coating having broken down then removing the coating is also recommended. As a non-professional, abrasive methods should be approached with caution, although careful clay-barring is effective. There are many other off-the-shelf products that can be used but be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you’re applying the product yourself and, after careful inspection, there’s no evidence of damage, then a wash, decontamination, and polish should suffice.

The key to ensuring maximum protection from a ceramic coating is to not let it get to the stage where significant deterioration occurs. There’s a somewhat mistaken belief that paint protection removes the need for you to wash and maintain the vehicle. This simply isn’t true, although it will reduce the effort it takes. Tips for ensuring a ceramic coating does the job you expect it to include:

• Wash your car by hand and don’t use mechanical car washes.
• Use a pH-neutral shampoo with no added wax.
• Remove bird droppings as soon as possible.
• Protect the vehicle from excessive sunlight.
• Inspect the coating regularly.
• Re-apply before you notice significant degradation.

While this won’t remove the need for reapplication at some point, it will ensure that the paintwork is protected for as long as possible. As pro installers of ceramic coatings on many of Florida’s luxury vehicles, the Auto SuperShield team is happy to give advice on 

when to reapply ceramic coating. 

Visit https://autosupershield.com/ or call our team today for more information.