Do you ceramic coat both sides of the wheel?

No, we do not. We only coat the face of the wheel, and we have good reason for doing this.

We are aware that there are some people who will remove all four of their wheels when they clean their car - hard to believe, but some enthusiasts do this. Our average customer is rather average, at least when it comes to cars. They generally don't take their cars to car shows, they will not try to keep in concourse condition. They are not detailing enthusiasts, and they are unlikely to be paying a professional detailer to keep their car in pristine condition, going to the extent where they take the wheels off when cleaning the car to get to the backs.

Even our many customers with Aston-Martins, Maserati and Porsche are not going to these lengths and just want to protect their car, so it looks newer for longer and is easier to maintain.

In such cases, even with a ceramic coating, the back of the wheel is hard to clean and is unlikely to ever be maintained to the point where it is kept like new. Unless you are very diligent and frequently clean this area, black brake dust will collect there.

With this in mind, it is better this area of the rim which can be seen through the spokes in the wheel is allowed to go black. In fact, for some of our customers who are concerned about this area, we have recommended that they take the car to our wheel company and paint this area black so any brake dust on it won't show.

Likewise, we don't coat brake callipers unless the customer requests it. It is something we can and regularly do on cars where the callipers are a feature. We have even arranged for callipers to be repainted in bright custom colours. But it is not something that the vast majority of our customers are concerned about. And on the majority of cars, they are not a feature and are not supposed to draw attention.

Back to the subject of wheels, there is also a trade-off here. If in a number of years, you want to sell your car, or even give it a make-over because you want to keep it for another few years, by this point your wheels may look a little tired (no pun intended). The chances that you haven't scuffed the rims or picked up some corrosion is fairly small.

The cost of wheel refurbishment has come down in recent years, so you have to consider that against the cost in time and effort of getting back there with a wheel brush every couple of weeks and scrubbing your wheels backs to make sure they remain shiny and silver.

And thus, our recommendation is, that if this is an area of the car you are concerned about, have them painted matte black, so the brake dust doesn't show, rather than ceramic coating them and going to huge effort to try to keep them clean.

In summary, as standard, we coat the wheel forward of the face. We don't coat the backs or the inner barrel behind the face. If you have a design of where this area is an issue to clean, we suggest getting them painted black. If you want this area ceramic coated, we can do it, and it will assist you in cleaning, but you are buying yourself a thankless task.

What this question is really about

When people ask whether both sides of a wheel are ceramic coated, they are usually weighing cost versus benefit. The visible face of the wheel is obvious, but the inner barrel is seen on some sporty saloons, so the value is not always immediately clear.

Why the front face is prioritised

The outer face of the wheel is what you see every day and where appearance matters most. It also tends to be easier to maintain once coated, as brake dust releases more readily during normal washing. Ceramic coating on wheels makes a huge difference, you no longer need strong cleaners and hand brushing to keep the faces clear of those black marks.

What makes the inner barrel different

The inner barrel of the wheel lives in a much harsher environment. It is exposed to concentrated brake dust, heat, road grime, and moisture, and is rarely cleaned thoroughly during routine washes because it is hard to get to.

• Higher brake dust accumulation
• Greater heat cycling from braking
• Limited access for safe cleaning

Why inner wheel coating is not always included by default

Coating the inner barrel properly takes significantly more time and access. It requires wheel removal and more detailed preparation, which changes the scope of the job. Even with this done, ongoing maintenance is going to be a chore only the most dedicated car enthusiasts will be able to keep up with.

• Extra preparation and decontamination time
• Increased labour rather than just extra product
• Diminishing visual return for some owners

When coating both sides makes the most sense

• Performance or high-brake-dust vehicles
• Show cars which are rarely driven
• Concourse owners who want easier long-term maintenance

Common misunderstandings

• Coating the inside does not reduce brake dust production
• It does not make wheels maintenance-free

Best-practice checklist

• Be clear whether inner wheel coating is included or optional
• Confirm whether wheels are removed for preparation
• Use coatings rated for high-temperature environments
• Accept that inner barrels will still need regular detailed cleaning

What this means for owners

Coating both sides of a wheel is not automatically better for everyone. It can be a practical upgrade and the value depends on how the car is used and maintained.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 20/02/2026 17:19