Ceramic Coating in Charlotte, NC
Years of deep gloss and protection from pollen, sap, bird droppings and UV — applied over corrected paint, at your home or in our studio. Every package includes paint correction, so we never seal swirls in.
- Paint correction included
- Indoor curing in our studio
- Firm price from photos
- Fully insured
What is ceramic coating?
Ceramic coating is a liquid silica (SiO₂) layer that bonds to your clear coat and hardens into a thin, glass-like shell that lasts for years instead of weeks.
That shell is slick and hydrophobic: water, pollen and road grime struggle to stick, so the car stays cleaner and washes in half the time. It also takes the hit from UV, bird droppings and sap before your paint does.
What it isn’t: armor. A coating won’t stop rock chips or parking-lot dings — that’s what paint protection film is for.
| Wax | Paint sealant | Ceramic coating | PPF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasts | 4–8 weeks | 3–6 months | 2–7 years | 7–10 years |
| Gloss | Warm, short-lived | Good | Deep, glassy | Good, best with coating on top |
| Easier washing | A little | Yes | Much easier | Yes |
| UV, sap, droppings | Weak | Moderate | Strong | Strong |
| Rock chips | No | No | No | Yes |
Most of our clients with new cars choose PPF on the front end and ceramic coating on the rest. See PPF packages.
What a ceramic coating will — and won't — do
"Scratch-proof" and "never wash again" are marketing. Here's what you actually get.
- Keep a deep, wet-look gloss for years
- Make pollen, dust and road film rinse off with water
- Buy you time against bird droppings and tree sap before they etch
- Block UV fading and oxidation
- Resist light wash marring better than bare clear coat
- Protect wheels, glass and trim when you add them
- Stop rock chips, door dings or key scratches — PPF does that
- Fix existing swirls — that's why paint correction comes first
- Survive brush tunnel washes for long
- Mean you never wash the car — it means washing is fast and easy
- Stop water spots if hard water dries on the car in the sun
Ceramic coating prices in Charlotte
Every package includes wash, decontamination and paint correction. No travel fee inside our service area.
- Hand wash, iron and tar removal, clay bar
- 1-Step Paint Enhancement
- Panel prep wipe
- 2-year ceramic coating on paint
- Care guide and pH-neutral shampoo
- Everything in Essential
- 5-year ceramic coating, two layers on paint
- Wheel faces coated
- Windshield and glass coating
- Exterior plastic trim coated
- Free 1-month check-up wash
- Everything in Signature
- 2-Step Paint Correction instead of 1-step
- 7-year coating, multi-layer
- Wheels off: faces, barrels and calipers coated
- Door jambs coated
- Annual inspection and top-up included
Add-ons
Professional-grade, installer-only coating. Final price depends on paint condition — we confirm it from photos. Paint already corrected? Ask for coating-only pricing. All prices: detailing price list.
At your home or in our studio
A coating needs a clean, dry, dust-free surface while it bonds. We can do that in your garage — but for most cars we recommend the studio.
- Requires a closed garage — never outdoors
- The car stays inside and dry for 24 hours after
- Pollen season (March–May): we'll suggest the studio
- Inspection lamps catch every high spot before it cures
- Curing indoors, away from pollen, dew and rain
- Drop off in the morning, pick up the next day
Same price in both locations.
How we apply a ceramic coating
Ceramic coated cars from Charlotte
Real cars from Charlotte: before and after.
Why Charlotte drivers coat their cars
Just bought a new car? Coat it now.
The first weeks are the best time: the paint is still nearly perfect, so correction is light and fast. New cars still arrive with light swirls from port and dealer washes — we remove them before coating.
Add paint protection film to the hood, bumper and mirrors for rock chips on I-85, and coat the rest of the car and the film in the same visit.
No-risk booking
How to care for a ceramic coated car
- Keep the car dry for the first 24 hours
- No washing and no soap for 7 days
- Bird droppings: lift them gently with water and a soft microfiber
- Hand or touchless wash every 2–3 weeks, pH-neutral shampoo
- No brush or cloth tunnel washes
- Dry with a clean microfiber or a blower
- Annual inspection and decontamination keeps it performing
Easiest way: our maintenance plan — a coating-safe wash at your home every month, from $119.
Ceramic coating FAQ
Our packages are rated for 2, 5 and 7 years. Real life depends on care: a car hand washed every few weeks and parked in a garage reaches the full rating; a car that lives outside and goes through brush tunnel washes will wear the coating faster. An annual inspection and top-up keeps it performing.
It is worth it if you plan to keep the car for two years or more and want it to stay glossy with less effort. Washing takes about half the time, pollen and grime rinse off, and the paint is shielded from UV and etching. If you trade cars every year or use brush car washes, a sealant is the better value.
Wax sits on top of the paint and lasts 4–8 weeks. A ceramic coating chemically bonds to the clear coat and lasts years, with stronger resistance to UV, chemicals and heat. Wax gives a warm glow for a weekend; a coating gives a glassy gloss that stays.
They solve different problems. PPF is a thick urethane film that absorbs rock chips and light scratches. A ceramic coating is a thin hard layer for gloss, easy cleaning and chemical protection. Many owners put PPF on the front end and coat the rest of the car, including the film.
Yes. A coating locks in whatever is underneath, so coating over swirls preserves the swirls for years. Every package we sell includes at least a 1-step paint correction; Ultimate includes 2-step.
Yes, for the Essential package, in a closed garage where the car can stay dry for 24 hours. Coatings must not be applied outdoors: dust, pollen and humidity ruin the bond. For 5- and 7-year packages we recommend our studio for controlled light and curing.
Essential takes one day, Signature 1–2 days, Ultimate 2 days including curing. You can drive the car after 24 hours. Wait 7 days before the first wash and use no soap until then.
It resists light wash marring better than bare clear coat, but it does not stop rock chips, key scratches or door dings. For chips, choose paint protection film on the front end.
Touchless washes are fine occasionally. Avoid brush and cloth tunnel washes: they put swirls in the coating and wear it down. A hand wash with pH-neutral shampoo every 2–3 weeks is ideal, or our monthly maintenance plan.
With paint correction included, our packages start at $999 for a sedan (2-year), $1,399 (5-year) and $1,899 (7-year). Larger vehicles cost more. Send photos and we confirm a firm price before booking.
Get a firm ceramic coating price
Related services
Paint correction
Paint protection film
Exterior detailing
Interior detailing
Maintenance plan
Ceramic coating across Charlotte
We come to you anywhere in the Charlotte metro, or you can drop the car at our studio.