Paint protection film vs ceramic coating​

Paint Protection: PPF vs Ceramic coatings

Paint Protection Film vs Ceramic coatings - Is Paint Protection Film better? A question asked by many in the multi-verse that is Google. However, we feel it’s a very easy one to answer.​

What is Paint Protection Film (PPF)?

Commonly known as PPF, Paint Protection Film is an optically clear film, or transparent layer, that acts as a shield to prevent everyday damage including stone chips, sand rash and sun damage, as well as any other debris or contaminants that may come into contact with it.

You can choose to target the most exposed panels, with strategically-placed sections of film to protect the most vulnerable areas or you can choose to cover the entire car. There are a choice of film options, with different finishes such as an ultra clear gloss film or matte film to keep your car in pristine condition all year round.

The concept actually came from 3M during the Vietnam War when the US government tasked them to create a form of protection to protect their helicopter rotor blades from being damaged - it’s much cheaper to create a protective film than to engineer an entirely new helicopter rotor blade that’s for sure.

What is a Ceramic coating?

Around the year 2000, Ceramic coatings were developed specifically to protect a vehicle’s paint from light dirt.

Made up of mostly Silica Dioxide and Titanium Dioxide, it is a liquid solution that, once applied, offers a protective layer for paint. A Ceramic coating is a semi-permanent layer that fills the microscopic pores of the paint, giving it a smooth glossy look and high-levels of hydrophobicity. High-levels of hydrophobicity means that moisture and dirt is repelled more easily.

Which is better?

If you want the best possible protection for your vehicle’s paint then Paint Protection Film is better. Paint Protection Film is a physical layer, whereas a Ceramic coating is more easily penetrable by physical contaminants such as grit, pebbles and sand. PPF is a urethane film that offers a much better level of protection against damage caused by road debris and stone chips when compared with Ceramic coating. PPF almost absorbs the impact.

Ceramic coatings still have their place for the likes of improving hydrophobicity or increasing the gloss levels of a vehicle and even being used to keep the car cleaner for longer, but it does not offer protection from physical everyday damage.

Our experts maintain that our Paint Protection Film can do both; keeping the vehicle cleaner for longer, with high levels of gloss, while protecting a vehicle from physical damage.

The reason we say to opt for PPF over ceramic is the complete level of protection, it’s a bit like saying would you prefer to go to war in a tin suit or full carbon Kevlar body suit?

PPF is the perfect product for every car driver; if you a busy person with a hectic schedule it gives you ability to have the car washed whereever you like without any worry about scratches and swirls due to improper cleaning techniques - PPF is the ultimate answer to always having perfect swirl-free paint day in day out.

Maybe you have a track car and you want to drive your car to its fullest potential with peace of mind that it won’t spoil your vehicle’s appearance by picking up nasty rock chips and gravel rash - PPF is the ultimate form of protection for your paintwork giving you 100% protection. Ceramic coating requires a special level of attention to keep nice, you have to be cautious what products are used for cleaning stages, you can still scratch and swirl the paintwork with ceramic as it’s not “unscratchable”. Ceramic coating also requires yearly top ups which can result in being quite costly over a few years of ownership. Ceramic coatings don’t stop scratches and stone chips but PPF does.

So, to put it bluntly, Paint Protection Film will always be better than Ceramic coatings for physical paint protection.

You can contact us for more details at RMA Car Care – 04 597 3077