Glass Coating vs Ceramic Coating: a Showdown Comparison

Felix Lin
Glass Coating vs Ceramic Coating: a Showdown Comparison

Getting scratches on your car’s paint job tends to be a day-to-day occurrence, but for some, it’s a very huge concern. Many people fear having their car scratched for good reason. Your car is an expensive purchase and want to keep it in the best shape possible. To save your car’s skin, what you’ll need is a good protective coating to keep that surface smooth and shiny.

One of the few types of Paint Protection Coating that works well for your car’s surface: Glass coating and Ceramic coating. We often get asked what is the difference between these two types of Paint Protection Coatings?

 The Technical Details

When people think of glass, they usually think of the transparent materials found as windows in buildings and cars. However, strictly speaking the term glass describes a state of matter where the particles within a material are randomly arranged. The definition of glass given by the ASTM (American Society of the International Association for Testing and Materials) which describes glass as an “inorganic, amorphous, product of a rapidly cooled melt”. By this definition, rapidly-cooled metals can also be said to be glassy. Hence, terms such as glassy, amorphous and vitreous tend to describe a material with randomly-arranged atomic structure. Did that bore you? We almost fell asleep.

 The really Technical Details

There are some structural differences between glass and ceramic on an atomic scale, even though they can have exactly the same composition. For example, silica glass has the same composition as quartz (crystallized silica). However, in glass, the atoms are arranged dynamically; whereas silica crystals have a very ordered structure. It is possible to turn a glass into a ceramic; by heating it up. This allows rearrangement from a random to an ordered structure and an ordered structure is more stable than a disordered one.

 So how are they the same?

While each Paint Protection Coating has its own characteristics, there are many similarities that can be applied across the board regardless of brand. Glass Coatings and Ceramic Coatings are the latest and most revolutionary way to protect the paint on your vehicle. Through the use nanotechnology, these coatings bind to the surface creating an extremely durable and protective layer. These coatings separate your vehicle’s paint and interior surfaces from the harsh elements of the environment. Both types of coating actually bond to your paintwork so cannot be removed by ordinary means, for example, washing your car.

So which coating should I choose?

In ceramic coating, its compounds protect your car against weather, bird droppings, scratches, dust, spills and other things that ordinary wax usually cannot fix, as well has having a durability that lasts for 4-6 months. A ceramic-coating process required heating in order to make sure the bonding is complete. It is in fact a 70s technology.

In glass coating, it bonds to your vehicle’s paint on a molecular level almost immediately upon application. This ensures that the car’s paint remain insulated against chemical attacks from all forms of environmental pollutants. Professional applicators have mostly converted to glass coating because of its durability and ease of application.

Choosing between the two is not too difficult if you know what you want.

If you prefer the quick and easy way, seek durability, glass-like shine and more protection for your paint, you might want to try ceramic-coating products. If you are willing to spend more and are willing to wait a bit longer for the coating process than a glass coating is for you.

Contrary to marketing myth, all coatings have a life span and eventually need to be reapplied. The right way to ensure the lasting effect is to engage professional detailer who possess in-depth technical know how to treat your vehicle right.

EA detailer uses certified coatings like EAD Diamond Foundation Coating and EAD Titanium Glass Coating on your car. To find out more information on how we can assist further or to make an appointment with us:

Call us at 6917 8396

Posted in:Ceramic Coating, Exterior Detailing, Exterior PolishTagged:

Posted

August 17, 2016

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