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  2. Car Paint Protection
  3. How Ceramic Coatings Work
  4. How long will a ceramic coating last?

How long will a ceramic coating last?

Quick answer: Most coatings carry a 5–10-year warranty, though some now offer lifetime cover. Real-world life depends on exposure, garaged cars last longer, and with proper maintenance and occasional top-ups, a coating could last indefinitely.

There isn’t a big red line where a coating works one day and stops the next. The headline numbers you see, 5, 7, even 10 years, are warranties under normal use. In the real world, we see coatings last longer with the right care, and shorter if the car lives a hard life. Garage-kept weekend cars, washed properly, age very slowly. Daily drivers that sit outside, see salt, sun and industrial fallout will wear a coating faster. Same product, different story.

It helps to think of performance as a sliding scale. A bonded ceramic doesn’t suddenly fall off; what fades first is the behaviour you notice tight beading, strong sheeting, that “just detailed” slickness. When beading gets lazy and rinse water lingers, the coating is telling you it needs a little help. A decontamination wash, a maintenance topper, or, if it’s done its years of service, a reapplication.

Maintenance is the make-or-break. pH-neutral shampoo, good wash technique, soft towels — small habits that pay you back in years. Decontamination once a year if you’re in a very harsh environment. If we’ve installed your coating, we’ll happily see it for a quick health-check, a booster at the right time keeps the gloss up and slows wear down.

Bottom line: the warranty gives you confidence, but your usage, storage and washing decide the true lifespan. Look after the coating, and it will look after the car, staying cleaner, glossier and easier to wash for far longer than waxes and sealants. That’s why we like ceramics, not just the initial wow of the shine, but the way they keep your car looking right for years on end.

Written by . Last updated 26/09/2025 14:22