Step 01
Wash it right
Wheels first, then a foam pre-soak and a two-bucket hand wash, top down, with a pH-neutral soap. No dish soap: it strips oils but leaves residue the coating can’t bond through.
Ceramic Coating Guide · From a Gtechniq Accredited Installer
How do you ceramic coat a car? The right way, step by step.
Wash it, decontaminate it, clay it, correct the paint, wipe it down, then apply in small sections and level before it flashes. Skip a step and the coating seals the problem in for years.
- 8 stepsWash to cure, in order
- 24 hrsKeep it dry while it cures
- 7 daysNo soap or car washes
The Short Answer
What does it take to coat a car properly?
A ceramic coating is only as good as the paint under it. About 80% of the job is prep: a full wash, iron and tar removal, clay, and paint correction so there are no swirls to lock in. The coating itself goes on in small sections, gets leveled before it flashes, and needs 24 hours dry and a week without soap to cure. A DIYer can do it on newer paint with patience and good light; anything with swirls needs a machine polisher first.
Step by Step
How do you apply a ceramic coating, step by step?
This is the same order we follow in the North Nevada shop on every Gtechniq install. The know-how is in each step, not tacked on at the end.
Step 02
Remove iron and tar
Spray an iron remover on the paint and wheels and let it dwell until it bleeds purple, then rinse. Hit tar spots with a tar remover. Colorado mag chloride leaves film here too.
Step 03
Clay the paint
Use a clay bar or clay mitt with plenty of lubricant and light pressure until the paint feels like glass. Drop the clay? Throw it away. It will scratch.
Step 04
Correct the paint
A coating locks in whatever is under it, swirls included. Machine polish under good lights first. We do a two-step on our 3-year and full correction on 5- and 9-year packages.
Step 05
Panel wipe
Wipe every panel with a panel-prep or diluted IPA spray to remove polishing oils. Any oil left behind and the coating won’t bond there.
Step 06
Apply in small sections
Work a 2×2 ft section at a time in a crosshatch, out of the sun, on a cool panel. A few drops per section. More product doesn’t mean more protection, just more high spots.
Step 07
Level before it flashes
Watch for the rainbow “sweat,” then wipe with one towel and buff with a second. Colorado’s dry air flashes coatings fast, often in under a minute. Check every panel with a light.
Step 08
Let it cure
Keep it dry for 24 hours and away from soap, bird droppings and sprinklers for 7 days. No automatic car washes, ever, if you want it to last.
Common DIY Mistakes
Where do DIY coatings go wrong?
We fix these every month. Almost all of them come from rushing prep or putting on too much product.
Mistake 01Coating over swirls
The coating makes the paint glossier, swirls included, and now they’re sealed in. Correct first.
Mistake 02High spots
Dark, oily-looking smears where the coating wasn’t leveled. They harden in hours and look worse in sun.
Mistake 03Coating in the sun
Hot panels flash the coating before you can level it. Work in shade or a garage on a cool panel.
Mistake 04Getting it wet too soon
Rain, sprinklers or a wash in the first 24 hours leaves water spots etched into the coating.
Mistake 05Skipping the panel wipe
Polish oils make the coating slide off instead of bonding. It looks great for a month, then quits.
Mistake 06Expecting years from a spray
Cheap “ceramic” sprays are sealants. They last months, not years. A true coating needs the prep above.
Fixing High Spots
How do you fix a high spot in a ceramic coating?
It depends on how long it has been there. The sooner you catch it, the easier it is.
- Within the first hour: put a little more coating on the spot to re-wet it, then level and buff it right away.
- After it cures: machine polish just that area with a fine polish and a soft pad until the smear is gone.
- Then: panel wipe the spot and reapply coating to that section only, leveling it carefully.
- Can’t get it out? We fix DIY coatings at 2725 N Nevada. Bring it by or text a photo to (719) 517-7220.
How Long It Lasts
How long does a ceramic coating last in Colorado?
High-altitude UV, mag chloride and big temperature swings are hard on paint. Real-world life depends on the product, the prep and how you wash it.
MonthsSpray sealantsEasy to apply and good for slickness, but they wear off within a season.
1–2 yrsConsumer DIY coatingsReal protection if the prep is right and the car is hand washed.
3–5 yrsGtechniq pro coatingsInstaller-grade chemistry, applied over corrected paint. Registered on Carfax.
Up to 9 yrsCrystal Serum UltraGtechniq’s top coating, sold only to accredited installers like ST6.
DIY or Professional
Should you coat it yourself or have it done?
Plenty of people do a great job themselves. Here is the honest split.
DIY makes sense if
- The paint is new or already swirl-free
- You have a garage, good lights and a full day
- You’re fine with a 1–2 year consumer coating
- You’ll keep up with hand washing
Go professional if
- The paint has swirls, haze or water spots
- You want 5–9 years and a Carfax-registered warranty
- You want installer-only Gtechniq Crystal Serum Ultra
- You don’t own a machine polisher or lights
FAQ
Ceramic coating questions.
Straight answers from a Gtechniq Accredited Installer. Call (719) 517-7220 if your question isn’t here.
Do I have to polish my car before ceramic coating?
Yes, if there are any swirls, haze or scratches. The coating seals in whatever is on the paint. Even new cars usually need it after transport and dealer washes.
How long after ceramic coating can I wash my car?
Keep it dry for 24 hours and wait 7 days before washing with soap. After that, hand wash with a pH-neutral soap and avoid automatic car washes.
What is a high spot in a ceramic coating?
A dark or rainbow smear where excess coating wasn’t leveled before it cured. Caught early it wipes out with fresh coating; once cured it has to be polished off and the spot recoated.
Can you ceramic coat a car in cold weather?
Yes, indoors. Most coatings want the panel above about 50°F and out of the wind. In a Colorado winter that means a heated garage or shop.
Is a ceramic coating worth it in Colorado?
For a car you plan to keep, yes. It helps against UV at altitude, mag chloride film and bug and sap etching, and it makes winter washes much faster.
Does ST6 fix DIY ceramic coatings?
Yes. We correct high spots and failed coatings at 2725 N Nevada Ave and recoat with Gtechniq. Text a photo to (719) 517-7220 for a quote.
The Professional Option
Want it done by a Gtechniq Accredited Installer?
Every ST6 coating includes decon, clay and paint correction first, and is registered on Carfax with a nationwide warranty. 3-Year $899, 5-Year $1,099, 9-Year Crystal Serum Ultra $1,599.