We’ve overseen thousands of ceramic coating installs and seen many DIY attempts. Here’s what we’ve learned about both.
The DIY Ceramic Coating Route
Cost Savings
The biggest argument for DIY ceramic coating is cost savings. A good DIY ceramic coating kit is $70-200. Less than professional. But let’s look deeper into the whole picture.
Learning Experience
Ceramic coating a car gives you hands on experience with your vehicle. Many car enthusiasts enjoy maintaining their own vehicles and the process teaches you about paint care and protection techniques.
Schedule Flexibility
DIY projects give you complete control over time and pace. You can work on your vehicle at your convenience, break the project into multiple sessions and take your time to make sure each step meets your standards.
Professional Ceramic Coating
Professional installations take place in a climate controlled environment with proper lighting, dust control and temperature regulation. These controlled conditions make a big difference in the final result and coating life.
Equipment
Professional detailers have access to industrial grade equipment for surface preparation and coating application. This includes professional paint correction tools, specialized lighting to find imperfections and proper ventilation systems for safe application.
Surface Preparation
Professional technicians know that surface preparation is 80% of the coating’s success. They have the tools and expertise to do a thorough paint correction, remove swirls, oxidation and minor scratches before applying the coating.
DIY Considerations
Technical
DIYers often underestimate the technicality of ceramic coating. Common problems:
- High spots from improper leveling
- Streaks from bad application technique
- Incomplete coverage in hard to reach areas
- Poor surface prep and bonding
Environment
Most home garages don’t have proper climate control and lighting. Temperature fluctuations, humidity and dust can affect the application and curing process. These environmental factors will give you subpar results.
Time Commitment
While professional teams can do it in 1-3 days, DIY projects take much longer. Proper paint correction alone can take a novice several days and render your vehicle unusable during the process.
Professional Installation Benefits
Warranty
Professional installations usually come with warranty, protecting your investment in case of any issues. These warranties are often 5 years or more and can’t be matched by DIY.
Premium Product
Professional detailers have access to commercial grade ceramic coatings not available to consumers. These commercial grade products are usually more durable, chemical resistant and longer lasting than consumer grade.
Process Control
Professional installations follow a systematic process developed over years of experience. Each step is quality controlled to ensure consistency across the entire vehicle surface.
Make an Informed Decision
Your Level of Expertise
DIY ceramic coating success depends heavily on your paint correction and detailing experience. Without proper paint prep skills even the best coating won’t give you optimal results.
Your Resources
Assess your workspace, tools and time. Professional ceramic coating requires:
- Proper lighting setup
- Climate controlled environment
- Professional grade polishers
- Quality measuring tools
- Proper ventilation
Long term Value
While DIY is cheaper upfront, mistakes will cost you more to fix and may exceed the cost of professional installation. Factor in the durability difference between professional and consumer grade products when calculating long term value.
Conclusion
For experienced detailers with the right equipment and facilities, DIY ceramic coating is an option. But for optimal results and long term protection, professional installation is the way to go.
Our experience shows that vehicles with professional ceramic coating always have better gloss, durability and protection than DIY. Professional grade products, controlled application environment and expert technique usually gives better long term value than higher upfront cost.
Knowing these factors will help you make an informed decision that matches your goals, budget and expectations. Whether you choose DIY or professional installation, research and prep is key to getting good results for your vehicle’s finish.