Ceramic Coating vs Ceramic Sealant: What is The Difference?

Ceramic Sealants and other traditional paint sealants were a game changer for the detailing world as wax became the old technology. Commonly delivered in the form of a spray-on or a paste, ceramic sealants are lightly infused with SiO2 (Silicon Dioxide), Also known as Silica. The industry has made this the new standard over wax due to its ease of application (Spray on, wipe off), its durability compared to wax, its slickness, and hydrophobicity. Assuming you are using a high-quality product, you can achieve months of protection from a ceramic sealant if cared for properly. Generally, these products are used in the form of a detail spray and can be used after each maintenance wash. In addition, you will still need to decontaminate (Clay) the paint every couple months, whereas a ceramic coating is far less vulnerable to contamination buildup.

Ceramic Coating technology has been around for several years now which gave big companies and chemists the opportunity to formulate a product that goes leaps and bounds beyond a ceramic sealant. The major differences are its level of protection, application, durability, long-term benefits, and its chemical content. Spanning across a spectrum of one to seven year coatings, Ceramic Coatings are a highly concentrated form of SiO2 or SiC (which is the fundamental constituent of glass). Utilizing Nanotechnology, the chemical creates an incredibly strong, semi-permanent bond through a cross-linking process which becomes a sacrificial layer of protection between the paint and the environmental elements. Essentially, it is a layer of glass that crystallizes to the paint. The paint must be thoroughly and properly prepped before application to ensure the coating bonds. If you try to cut corners, you will notice the coating may deteriorate prematurely. The product is applied evenly across the surface, going one panel at a time, and carefully monitored as it signals its “flashing phase.” Depending on the environment you are in, the product needs between 30 seconds and 4 minutes to frame up before leveling off with towels. In addition, there is a 24-72 Hour curing phase where the coating should not get wet.



As a result, Ceramic Coatings dramatically enhance gloss, stay cleaner, resist etching, swirl marks, provide extreme UV protection, and are very easy to maintain moving forward. Dirt does not stick to the coating resulting in a safer and more efficient washing process.

At Shine Division Detailing, all Pro-Grade Ceramic Coatings come with a comprehensive warranty protecting from yellowing, fading, loss of gloss, sap, bird etching, overspray, UV, water spots and more. This warranty is filed through a 3rd party insurance and reflected on Carfax. Offering up to a 7-Year SiC Coating by Owner’s Pride. Visit the website to learn more on the types of ceramic coating.

Final Thoughts

To summarize, Ceramic Coatings are leaps and bounds better than a “sealant.” It’s hard to even compare the ceramic sealant to a ceramic coating. Ceramic Sealants are a great substitute to wax. But if you are looking for the ultimate paint protection coating for the next several years, you’d be looking at a ceramic coating. Will provide much greater protection over a longer period of time and far less maintenance. I find the ceramic sealants to be very useful as a topper to the ceramic coating for boosted protection and added slickness. If you have any follow up questions to this article, feel free to send me a message. Are you ready to move forward on your next investment? Get in touch today for a quote