What happens if you wax a ceramic coating?
The answer to this question very much depends on the wax product you use. There are hard waxes that contain a lot of wax which are designed to be durable, waxes that contain a lot of oils that are designed to be very shiny. There are waxes that contain abrasives to polish, and some that contain solvents or detergents to chemically clean the paint.
In the case of products that are very waxy, they may not stick, when you go to buff it off, you may well be buffing most of it right off the car.
With oily products, you may find they are a bit smeary, although quick detailer products seem to work well.
Products which polish are not advised to ceramic coatings as they are mostly designed to remove oxidization and with a ceramic coating you shouldn't have any, which means all you are doing it causing abrasion to the ceramic coating.
Pre-wax cleaners, or waxes that say they clean paint, are best avoided as many of these also contain abrasives.
None of these products will do much harm in the short term, although the results could be mixed. You could see no difference, or you could end up with greasy smears. In the long term, some products could reduce the life of your ceramic coating.
If you are determined to wax your car, we would recommend you source one of the top-up products designed for your car's coating or one which is compatible.
Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 16/02/2023 15:16