Many vehicle owners assume they must choose one paint protection technology over another when it comes to protecting their asset. In reality, some protection systems can work synergistically to provide superior results. For example, The Permagard Coating is fully compatible with existing ceramic coatings and can work to enhance their strengths while alleviating the limitations of their protective properties.
While ceramic coatings do deliver durable hardness and strong hydrophobic behavior, their rigid structure can present challenges over time. Permagard is unique in that it can work over the top of a ceramic layer, underneath a ceramic layer, or best of all, sandwiched between a ceramic coating to improve flexibility, gloss stability, paint clarity, and long-term protection. This article will explore how both technologies complement each other in real-world automotive environments.
Understanding Performance
Through Real-World Conditions
Paint protection technologies can behave differently once they are exposed to real-world stressors such as UV radiation, road contaminants, washing cycles, environmental attacks, extreme temperature changes, and regular usage. These conditions highlight how each chemistry responds over time as opposed to what is promised.
This is why pairing a flexible, high-gloss coating like Permagard with the hardness of a ceramic coating can produce a more resilient and visually stable finish than a ceramic product can alone.
Permagard acts as the first layer of this synergistic application and replaces the paint correction process. The ceramic coating is then applied on top of the Permagard Coating. After a while, ceramic coatings will begin to produce water spots and harsh etching from environmental attacks.
This is where Permagard can be applied as the third layer to treat the ceramic coating and eliminate these weaknesses.
Traditionally, this is where most individuals would use a mild abrasive to polish out the water spots and etching on the ceramic coating, which then thins down the ceramic layer, followed by another application of the ceramic product. But with Permagard, you simply address the etching and water spots when they appear on the ceramic coating. No paint correction and no ceramic coating reapplication.
This system is much easier to repair issues with ceramic coatings than the traditional methods used in the past.
How Permagard
Complements Ceramic Coatings
Ceramic coatings are marketed as being extremely durable. With projections from companies of up to 5 years, 10 years, or even lifetime durability, it’s important for customers to manage their expectations and understand the limitations that ceramic coatings have. These limitations can leave a lot to be desired when these coatings encounter real-world scenarios and issues, sometimes showing clear signs of chemical or hard water degradation within weeks.
This is due to ceramic coatings’ inability (contrary to what they claim) to protect against corrosive elements such as acid rain, industrial fallout, insect impacts, hard water deposits, etc., as well as road salt, salt-laden air, salt-laden water, etc. Ceramic coatings also require 72 or even up to 96 hours to cure before the vehicle can be driven. A great portion of this downtime is in reality needed to fix defective areas that were not immediately noticeable after completing the application.
The reality is that a lot of ceramic coating manufacturers state that large downtime is exclusively for their curing process.
This is where Permagard can alleviate the weaknesses of ceramic coatings and work in synergy with them to create a highly effective automotive paint protection solution.
Here are some of the key areas where Permagard can strengthen ceramic coatings:
Added Flexibility and Smoother Surface Texture
Ceramic coatings form a very hard layer and are not known for their slickness, which can make them quite prone to micro-marring from washing and light abrasions. Permagard adds a smooth, flexible top layer that helps negate micro-marring and visually reduce the appearance of fine imperfections.
Long-Term Gloss and Clarity Preservation
Over time, environmental buildup or surface fatigue can cause some ceramic-coated finishes to lose optical clarity. Permagard maintains a consistently glossy, reflective surface by creating a smooth, stable sacrificial layer that helps preserve appearance even as the underlying ceramic ages.
Strengthened Environmental
and Chemical Resistance
While ceramic coatings do provide resistance from many environmental contaminants, prolonged exposure to harsh conditions can rapidly degrade their appearance and induce unsightly etching on their surfaces. Permagard adds a supplemental shield that enhances protection against UV radiation exposure, environmental fallout, road contaminants, and extreme temperatures. This offers even greater performance when you factor in that Permagard can be sandwiched between a ceramic coating layer as mentioned earlier in this article. This involves applying Permagard to bare paint, followed by applying a ceramic coating to the Permagard-treated surface, and then another application of Permagard on top of the ceramic coating after 6 months or so once the ceramic coating begins to show signs of degradation. This method will deliver the ultimate form of automotive paint protection.
Reduced Maintenance
and Easier Cleaning
Ceramic coatings often require quite a bit of maintenance to keep their appearance and hydrophobic performance at its best. Since Permagard produces slickness on the surface it’s applied to, treated surfaces become much easier to clean and can minimize wash-induced wear, reduce adhesion of contaminants, and lessens the dependence on ceramic boosters. Permagard is also much easier to repair in the event of an issue. Ceramic coatings require compounding (paint correction) to repair and reapply to a section. Permagard simply requires a one-step reapplication. This means no worrying about long cure times, strenuous clay-barring, compounding processes, or rough acid washes. This is one of the greatest benefits that Permagard can provide for ceramic-coated surfaces.
It’s important to keep in mind that while Permagard is fully compatible with all ceramic coatings, this testing has only been conducted on automotive vehicles and surfaces. Ceramic coatings were originally designed for cars and Permagard assists in providing greater protection and beautification for these surfaces. When it comes to the aviation industry, Permagard Headquarters fully recommends the removal of all ceramic products from an aircraft prior to the application of a Permagard treatment. This is to keep in good standing with the aviation industry’s high standards and to achieve the best possible results when working with Permagard on aircraft painted surfaces.
Real-World Benefits of Using
Permagard With Ceramic Coatings
Pairing Permagard with a ceramic coating creates a balanced system with meaningful advantages. Customers can enjoy the benefits of both Permagard and ceramic coatings, while alleviating the limitations that ceramic coatings are known for.
Here are just some of the benefits that Permagard and ceramic coatings can provide when joined together:
- Deeper depth of shine for an unmatched glossy appearance
- Enhanced resistance to environmental contaminants for superior protection
- Improved resilience against micro-marring from washing and abrasions
- Smoother surface that stays slicker and cleaner for longer
- Reduced need for ceramic maintenance products
- Extended protective performance without altering the ceramic coating layer
Rather than replacing a ceramic coating or caking on more ceramic layers, Permagard elevates its performance to create a dual-layer (or tri-layer) solution that blends superior protection, unmatched gloss and shine, impressive paint clarity, and paint system stability.
Choosing between a ceramic coating and the benefits of the Permagard Coating isn’t necessary. When used together, they form a complementary system that improves gloss, durability, and ease of maintenance. After all, one conclusion is already evident: Permagard is a powerful paint protection technology that helps ceramic coatings perform better and last longer, delivering superior long-term surface protection that lasts for years to come.
Contact Us Today
To Learn More About How
Permagard Complements
Ceramic Coatings
If you are interested in learning more about how Permagard complements ceramic coatings, contact our Permagard Headquarters office today at (305) 662-5070 during our regular business hours or email us at info@permagard.com for more information.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Permagard. Unrivaled Shine. Every Time.
