What Are Ceramic Coatings And Which One Is Best For Me?

A ceramic coating is a mixture of nanostructured silanes and siloxanes that when hand-applied, chemically bond to the paint or glass. Ceramic coatings protect the surface from chemical and UV degradation as well as offering a level of scratch resistance. Gtechniq have a range of chemically bonding coatings that are quartz-based through to composite coatings, each offering varying levels of protection and durability availiable right here at Autobath Detailing Edinburgh. Let’s take a more in-depth look at each of them below.

Crystal Serum Ultra delivers the best swirl resistance of all the Gtechniq coatings. This product is a composite ceramic coating, that when applied phase separates into two layers. The first layer measures 7h on the pencil hardness scale and bonds to the paintwork, so that it cannot be washed off. The second layer is a harder 10h layer which is an aggregate of 7nm and 20nm nanoparticles that offer superior chemical resistance, weather resistance and swirl resistance.

Since incorrectly applied Crystal Serum Ultra can only be removed using sand-paper, it is only available to be applied by a specially trained accredited Gtechniq detailer and is backed by a 9-year guarantee.

Crystal Serum Light is the prosumer version of the world-famous Gtechniq Accredited Detailer Crystal Serum Ultra. It offers 80% of professional Serum Ultra’s performance, but if applied incorrectly can be machine polished from your vehicles paintwork.

Crystal Serum Light comes with a 5-year guarantee when applied by a Gtechniq Accredited Detailer.

Gtechniq, a global leader in automotive ceramic coating and maintenance products, is excited to announce the launch of HALOv2, Flexible Film Coating. This product will be available for sale online and through all good independent stockists on the 25th of September 2023.  HALO is designed to make maintenance of paint protection films (PPF) and vinyl a breeze. When applied to the surface, this chemically bonding, super-dense film becomes the permanent surface of the PPF and vinyl to make the surface incredibly slick and dirt-repellent.

Crystal Lacquer is a chemically bonding quartz paint coating.  It can bond to any type of gel coat, vinyl and all kinds of paint – eg clear coat, acrylic, nitro-cellulose, two-pack, solid paint, metallic paint, pearlescent, urethane, polyurethane and matt paint surfaces.

As C1 is a relatively thin and relatively hard it offers good swirl resistance but we recommend overcoating it with either C2 or EXO to give your finish the ultimate in dirt and water repellency, gloss and slickness.  C1 is also resistant to temperatures up to 500 degrees Celsius.

C4 utilises a chemical bond to become an extension of the plastic molecule it is protecting.

The coating swaps part of its molecular structure with the surface molecules of your car’s trim. This means that you have a protective coating of unparalleled durability.

Unlike many trim products on the market, C4 is exceptionally thin (circa 30 nanometers) optically clear film – this means it will not add an unattractive gloss finish to the surface. Instead, it restores all, but the most faded trim to an ‘as new’ condition. Since it has a strong UV filter, C4 is also ideal for new trim, helping to prevent fading.

C4 utilises a chemical bond to become an extension of the plastic molecule it is protecting.

The coating swaps part of its molecular structure with the surface molecules of your car’s trim. This means that you have a protective coating of unparalleled durability.

Unlike many trim products on the market, C4 is exceptionally thin (circa 30 nanometers) optically clear film – this means it will not add an unattractive gloss finish to the surface. Instead, it restores all, but the most faded trim to an ‘as new’ condition. Since it has a strong UV filter, C4 is also ideal for new trim, helping to prevent fading.