Ceramic Coating or Graphene Coating?
- Thread starter Repsol69
- Start date
Here's an aggregation of information from the internet via ChatGPT:
Pros:
Pros:
Ceramic Coating
(Typically based on SiO₂ — silicon dioxide)Pros:
- Excellent Hydrophobicity: Water beads and rolls off easily, making washing easier.
- High Gloss: Provides a deep, "wet" shine to the paint.
- Good UV Protection: Reduces oxidation and fading over time.
- Scratch Resistance: Offers moderate protection against minor scratches.
- Chemical Resistance: Protects against bird droppings, road salts, tree sap, etc.
- Proven Track Record: Around for years; a lot of real-world experience.
- Brittle Over Time: Can crack or degrade if not maintained.
- Not Immune to Scratches: Helps, but won't stop deeper scratches or rock chips.
- Application Sensitivity: Needs precise prep work (paint correction, proper curing).
- Expensive: Professional application is costly; DIY kits require skill.
- Water Spotting Risk: Can still get etched by mineral deposits if not wiped down.
Graphene Coating
(Usually a hybrid of ceramic and reduced graphene oxide)Pros:
- Higher Hydrophobicity: Even better water repellency compared to ceramic.
- Superior Heat Resistance: Lowers surface temperatures slightly, reducing water spot formation.
- More Flexible: Less brittle than pure ceramic, so better at resisting cracking and micro-fractures.
- Better Scratch Resistance: Marginally better than standard ceramic.
- Longer Durability: Can last slightly longer under the same conditions.
- Anti-Static Properties: Helps repel dust and dirt better.
- Relatively New: Less long-term data compared to traditional ceramics.
- More Expensive: Tends to cost a bit more for comparable professional jobs.
- Hype vs. Reality: Some "graphene" coatings have very little graphene content — quality varies a lot.
- Still Needs Proper Prep: Like ceramic, it requires intensive surface preparation and careful application.
Quick Summary:
Category | Ceramic | Graphene |
|---|---|---|
Hydrophobicity | Very good | Excellent |
Gloss | Excellent | Excellent |
Heat Resistance | Good | Superior |
Durability | Very good | Slightly better |
Application | Difficult | Difficult |
Scratch Resistance | Good | Slightly better |
Price | High | Slightly higher |
Proven Track Record | Yes | No (newer) |
Someone has posted a details scieitific lab analysis and breakdown of the chemical compounds in both. In theory Grpahene properties have got better binding ratio when compared to Ceramic. Both are pretty close. But the new Hot chick in town is Graphene
. Advertising blitz by various Vendors will just brain wash you. Go with your Gut. Do your own research I would say.
. Advertising blitz by various Vendors will just brain wash you. Go with your Gut. Do your own research I would say.The Chat GPT summary appears to heavily rely on marketing language rather than reviews and actual testing. Ceramic and graphene coatings are nearly identical in performance and composition. Graphene is not necessarily better.
Much of that list is just wrong. Start with difficulty applying. These products are easy to apply yourself. Just a little more tedious than traditional waxing. It's the paint prep that really takes care and work. If your vehicle is new, it likely needs minimal prep.
A micrscopic Graphene coating lowers surface temperature? Yeah, sure it does..
Much of that list is just wrong. Start with difficulty applying. These products are easy to apply yourself. Just a little more tedious than traditional waxing. It's the paint prep that really takes care and work. If your vehicle is new, it likely needs minimal prep.
A micrscopic Graphene coating lowers surface temperature? Yeah, sure it does..
I am using Fusso 12 months wax. Made in Japan and company SOFT99 has waxes for light colored cars or for dark colored cars. Very easy to apply.
Do it yourself for under $500, it just takes some time.
Wash it with PH neutral soap , clay bar, check closely for swirls or scratches, use mild buffing compound, buff any swirls/scratches out, get panel spray (most are usually mixture of Vinegar/alcohol). Apply ceramic coating. Prep takes the most time than actually doing the coatings. I did my prep yesterday and part of today. Just waiting on ceramic coating to arrive. I use the EXO as top coat over the CSL. If you take care of it, the coating can last 5 yrs, the EXO will last roughly 12-18 months. After I maintenance wash it I use C2 spray.
Now this time I am using their Crystal Serum Ultra which you usually can’t get unless your certified by Gtechniq (if you screw up, the screw up is wet sanding the screwed up area, CS Light is way more forgiving and can be removed, but Ultra, cannot be chemically removed), but found it on eBay.
OBTW, Toyota’s manufactured in Japan the paint quality is much bettter, don’t know why that is, my 2 Tacomas and 1 Tundra was pain in the arse in paint correction, but the wife’s Venza and now my LC have been pretty easy.
These are the products I use.
Crystal Serum Light | DIY Ceramic Coating | Gtechniq
Get professional-level ceramic protection at home with Crystal Serum Light. Boost gloss, durability, and hydrophobicity for up to 5 years of defense.
gtechniq.com
EXOv5 Ultra Durable Hydrophobic Coating | Water Repellent
Harness the power of EXOv5 Ultra Durable Hydrophobic Coating at Gtechniq. Protect and extend the life of your vehicle with our powerful water repellent.
gtechniq.com
PWv2 Panel Wipe | Car Panel Prep | Gtechniq
PWv2 Panel Wipe by Gtechniq is your go-to for car panel preparation. Clean and prep surfaces effortlessly for a proprofessional-grade finish.
gtechniq.com
Ceramic Sealant for Cars: C2 Ceramic Sealant UV Protection: Gtechniq
Gtechniq offers premium ceramic sealant for cars. The C2 Ceramic Sealant offers great UV and environmental protection.
gtechniq.com
I also use CSL Light with EXO v5 on all of my vehicles. Excellent product which is easy to apply correctly. The only thing I do differently is that I use GTechniq Quick Detailer after a quick wash. QD helps maintain the effectiveness of the CSL/EXO coatings over time. C2 Ceramic Sealant is more of a long-term restorative product that only needs to be applied every 4-6 months. The key difference between the two is cost - QD retails at $12.95/500 mL whereas C2 is $32.95/500 mL. So, QD is a great way to maintain your coating at a reasonable cost, while C2 is a great way to restore the effectiveness of your coating.Do it yourself for under $500, it just takes some time.
Wash it with PH neutral soap , clay bar, check closely for swirls or scratches, use mild buffing compound, buff any swirls/scratches out, get panel spray (most are usually mixture of Vinegar/alcohol). Apply ceramic coating. Prep takes the most time than actually doing the coatings. I did my prep yesterday and part of today. Just waiting on ceramic coating to arrive. I use the EXO as top coat over the CSL. If you take care of it, the coating can last 5 yrs, the EXO will last roughly 12-18 months. After I maintenance wash it I use C2 spray.
Now this time I am using their Crystal Serum Ultra which you usually can’t get unless your certified by Gtechniq (if you screw up, the screw up is wet sanding the screwed up area, CS Light is way more forgiving and can be removed, but Ultra, cannot be chemically removed), but found it on eBay.
OBTW, Toyota’s manufactured in Japan the paint quality is much bettter, don’t know why that is, my 2 Tacomas and 1 Tundra was pain in the arse in paint correction, but the wife’s Venza and now my LC have been pretty easy.
These are the products I use.
Crystal Serum Light | DIY Ceramic Coating | Gtechniq
Get professional-level ceramic protection at home with Crystal Serum Light. Boost gloss, durability, and hydrophobicity for up to 5 years of defense.EXOv5 Ultra Durable Hydrophobic Coating | Water Repellent
Harness the power of EXOv5 Ultra Durable Hydrophobic Coating at Gtechniq. Protect and extend the life of your vehicle with our powerful water repellent.PWv2 Panel Wipe | Car Panel Prep | Gtechniq
PWv2 Panel Wipe by Gtechniq is your go-to for car panel preparation. Clean and prep surfaces effortlessly for a proprofessional-grade finish.Ceramic Sealant for Cars: C2 Ceramic Sealant UV Protection: Gtechniq
Gtechniq offers premium ceramic sealant for cars. The C2 Ceramic Sealant offers great UV and environmental protection.
If you are paying someone to apply a ceramic coating, then any good detailer will be doing a paint correction before applying the coating. The vast majority of the labor involved in coating a car is cleaning, preparing, and perfecting the paint before applying the coating. When I finally get to the point that I'm going to apply the coating, 90% of the hard work is already done. If they are charging upwards of $1000 or more and not doing that work, then you should go elsewhere.
From what I can tell, "Graphene" has more to do with marketing than actual performance. The industry leaders - CarPro, GTechniq, Gyeon, & Kamikaze for example - continue to sell ceramic coatings without using the term graphene. If graphene was better, I'd expect that all of those companies would've released new coatings with "graphene" at a higher price.
I think both products types has its own merits & demerits. As each offers distinct advantages, catering to diverse protection needs and application scenarios. Ceramic coats are generally heavy and Graphene are definetely lighter. I had gone with Adams Graphene and found extremely good. Been for Multiple washes at the Service Station.And water beading till date has been excellent. I use my own Graphene based shampoo for car wash at the service station and the at home I get the 303 Graphene Nano Car Coating done once a week. The coating is damm smoothe, and excellent water repellant. It lasts over year as per mfr recommendation. It is definetely recommended as does enhance the body paint.
Love SOFT99 products.
