What is a ceramic nano-coating?

Ceramic nano-coatings are the same thing as ceramic coatings, with the addition of the word 'nano'.

Nano just means small, and the silica dioxide in your ceramic coating is very small, bonds on a molecular level and goes on your car very thinly. Ceramic coatings are, by most definitions, nanotechnology.

As there was a lot of buzz about nano-technology a few years ago when ceramic coatings first became available, the marketeers jumped on this to advertise them as nano-coatings. However, the ultimate arbiter of usage is what people type into Google when searching for products, and the phrase "ceramic nano-coating" never seemed to take off with the public. It now seems to have fallen out favour, although you will still see products marketed as nano-coatings or nanotech.

However, ceramic coatings, graphene coatings and some hydrophobic treatments are nano-coatings, and it is likely this is a type of technology we will see more of in the future.

What this question is really about

“Ceramic nano coating” is a blended term that combines two phrases commonly used to describe the same technology. In real-world car care, it does not refer to a separate or upgraded category of protection. It is simply another way of describing a ceramic coating.

Why the wording causes confusion

The word “nano” refers to the microscopic scale at which ceramic coatings bond to the surface. Over time, it became a marketing descriptor rather than a technical distinction.

• All ceramic coatings work at a nano scale
• Adding “nano” does not make a ceramic coating different or stronger
• The term is often used to sound more technical or advanced

Common misconceptions

• It’s a different product to a ceramic coating - it isn’t. They are the same thing.
• “Nano” means thinner or weaker - no. Ceramic coatings are always extremely thin by design.
• It sits between wax and ceramic - incorrect. It is a ceramic coating, not a halfway option.
• The name tells you how good it is - performance depends on chemistry, preparation, and application, not wording.

What actually matters instead of the name

• The specific ceramic product being applied
• Surface preparation and correction quality
• Curing conditions and aftercare
• How the car is used, washed, and stored

Best-practice takeaway

• Treat “ceramic nano coating” as descriptive language, not a specification
• Assume it means ceramic coating unless clearly stated otherwise
• Focus on process and maintenance rather than terminology

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 06/01/2026 14:52