Rock Chips vs Ceramic Coatings

Ceramic coatings have taken the detailing world by storm, and are now standard procedure for people that demand the ultimate in automotive detailing. Coatings are unparalleled in their ability to reject water, dirt, and mud, and provide jaw-dropping gloss.

The videos of half-coated vehicles displaying the hydrophobicity of ceramic coatings are all over the internet, and the real-world advantages are clear. It is not an exaggeration to say that a ceramic coating will completely change the way you wash your car, and the results you get will be beyond belief.

One of the seldom-discussed advantages of ceramic coatings is their UV protective capabilities. Over time, sunlight will cause vehicle paint to oxidize, resulting in fading and discolouration. Until ceramic coatings came around, the only way to protect against this was to limit a vehicle’s sun exposure. High-end ceramic coatings reject UV radiation, protecting your vehicle from sun damage the same way they protect from chemical damage and light abrasion. Read more about how ceramic coatings can change your ride, and your life.

One question we hear from a lot of clients is, “do ceramic coatings protect against rock chips?”

At CJ’s, we pride ourselves on honesty and full disclosure with our clients. It’s important that questions like this get answered properly, because too many shops out there will simply tell you what you want to hear, rather than explaining the truth.

Although ceramic coatings are bullet-hard, they are not bullet-proof. Rocks and pebbles blasted at your car from passing vehicles will damage the ceramic coating, and could affect the paint underneath. It’s definitely better to have a ceramic coating in this scenario than not, but you shouldn’t expect the ceramic coating to deflect significant impact.

To truly ensure against rock chips, you would want to check out Paint Protection Films. These films are much thicker than a ceramic coating and are pliable to absorb and deflect impact. One of the downsides of PPF is that they aren’t any more hydrophobic than regular vehicle paint. To combine the best of both worlds, you can add a ceramic coating directly on top of PPF – giving you ultimate protection and ease of maintenance.

Feynlab’s PPF & Vinyl Coatings are specifically designed to go on top of PPF, adding the coveted hydrophobicity of ceramic coatings to your PPF and restoring your vehicle’s deep gloss. When it comes to vehicle protection and aesthetics, there is no better combination than PPF and ceramic coatings.

Advice You Can Trust

There’s no point wasting time with companies that promise the moon and then under-deliver. At CJ’s, we will always discuss an entire project with you to ensure that we are all on the same page about the expectations and results. Our work speaks for itself, so we don’t need empty promises – check out some of our recent work to see for yourself.

Get in touch to start talking about your next project – whether it’s a simple detail or a brand new ceramic coating, we are excited to hear about what you have planned.