With the launch of Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ Advanced, we wanted to provide a write-up explaining the similarities and differences between our Graphene Ceramic Coating™ options and their “Advanced” counterparts. We’ll provide overviews of each coating option, and go over the pros and any potential cons of each, to help you decide which is right for you.
If you are wondering “What exactly is a ceramic coating or a graphene ceramic coating?”, the one sentence summary is that a ceramic coating is a semi-permanent nanoscopic layer of a ceramic resin that is applied to various vehicle surfaces, which hardens and cures into a very thin, glass-like layer that is more resistant to scratches and strong chemicals, provides exceptional gloss and depth, and repels water and other contamination better than more temporary protection products like waxes and sealants.
All four coating options we will cover in this article serve the same purpose - to give incredible shine and protection to the exterior of your vehicle - so you might be wondering why have four choices then? There are several reasons, such as experience level, intended use of the vehicle, how long you plan on keeping the vehicle, time and budget, chemistry advancements, and more. We’ll dive into each below.
Graphene Ceramic Coating VS Graphene Advanced
Graphene Ceramic Coating
VS Graphene Advanced
Graphene Ceramic Coating™
Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating™ was introduced late July 2020 and quickly became one of our most popular products ever, due to its excellent performance, ease of application, and amazing hydrophobic behavior at repelling water. Some may have felt the inclusion of reduced graphene oxide into the ceramic coating backbone was hype or simply just marketing, but once people began using it, they realized it really does live up to the hype, and has proven itself to be one of the best DIY ceramic coating offerings available.
Independent tests have verified Graphene Ceramic Coating™at greater than a 10H hardness rating on the pencil hardness scale, meaning it is one of the most durable coating options available as well. Positive reviews from detailers all over the country began to come in, noting the straight-forward application with the patented UV Glow Tracing Technology for first-time ceramic coating installers. Users found that it goes on multiple surfaces like paint, glass, and wheels without issue, levels easily, removes without too much effort with a nice flash-time in low-humidity environments, and provides amazing color and gloss. For proper application and curing, we strongly recommend applying it indoors, preferably in a room-temperature environment for best results. Very cold or very hot temperatures, as well as high humidity levels can make it more difficult to work with.
Graphene Ceramic Coating™ is a perfect choice for your new car that you may have recently purchased, as well as your daily driver that has seen a few years of wear-and-tear. This is because it protects the paint multiple years, usually in excess of 3, 5, or even 7 years when prepared properly with a wash, full decontamination using clay and/or Iron Remover, followed by machine compounding and polishing to remove imperfections, scratches, and swirl marks, and then following the directions and instructional videos for application of the coating. All of these preparation steps are not 100% necessary in all cases, but you do want a bare paint surface for the coating to bond correctly and last its longest. Plus you will want to fix those annoying swirl marks first; otherwise they will be locked in underneath the coating for the next several years! For a much more in-depth look at reduced graphene oxide and how it is incorporated into the ceramic coating formula, check out this previous write-up here:Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Explained.
Pros:
- Excellent all-around coating balances fairly easy application with high durability
- Multiple years of protection when properly maintained
- Easier washing and less chance of water spotting due to lower slide angles
- Outstanding gloss, depth, color, and clarity
- Better stain resistance against bird droppings, bugs, etc
- Multi-surface exterior product - paint, glass, chrome, wheels, and trim
Cons:
- Strongly recommend applying indoors for proper application and curing -24-hour recommended cure time before being exposed to any water or moisture
- Requires more time investment than Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ - recommend clay and iron decontamination, along with machine compounding and polishing, then Surface Prep for best overall look and proper bonding to the clear coat
- Cannot be shipped overnight
Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Advanced
Adam’s Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Advanced launched in July 2021, one year after our original graphene ceramic products, as a result of chemistry advancements that further improve upon the 7-year Graphene Ceramic Coating™. Our chemists went back to the drawing board with the “Advanced” formula, increasing the active ingredient percentage to 45% up from 30% in the original version, while using a different resin that is no longer flammable - meaning thatGraphene Ceramic Coating™ Advanced can be shipped as overnight delivery for customers that may have very tight time constraints.
This higher percentage of graphene ceramic resin loading means that the formula applies much thicker onto the surface, so it does require a little more effort and experience to work with, hence the “Advanced” name.Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Advanced is our most durable, thickest, and longest-lasting coating option. With proper maintenance, it can last upwards of 9 years, so this is the best choice for someone that plans on keeping their vehicle for many years or for those that may not like to do full details as often. Just like the original version, we strongly recommend that you apply it indoors, free of dust and in a more temperature-controlled environment.
This advanced version does typically flash on the surface more quickly, so you do need to work faster with it, but the flashed residue does still wipe away fairly easily without too much effort. On darker color paints, you may see some overlap lines and/or high-spots if you do not thoroughly wipe away the residue enough. No matter what color the vehicle is, it’s always a good practice to double-check your work by temporarily moving the vehicle outside to inspect it in natural sunlight and correct any mistakes as quickly as you can after application - the longer you wait to fix high-spots or streaks, the more difficult they will be to fix. Then move the vehicle back inside to cure for the full 24 hours.
Pros:
- Our best and most durable coating option
- Updated resin, no longer flammable, so it can be shipped overnight
- Thickest layer of protection we offer provides more scratch resistance during washing
- Highest levels of gloss, depth, color, and clarity
- Extreme levels of hydrophobic, water-repelling behavior
- Multi-surface exterior product - paint, glass, chrome, wheels, and trim
Cons:
- Strongly recommend applying indoors for proper application and curing -24-hour recommended cure time before being exposed to any water or moisture
- As the “Advanced” name implies, may have more high-spots and streaks on darker colors if you don’t have much experience working with coatings
Thicker formula usually has a shorter working time, so it must be wiped away more quickly than the regular Graphene Ceramic Coating™
Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™
Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ was released alongside the original Graphene Ceramic Coating™, as a companion product to it for those that were looking for the easiest ceramic coating process, with the same incredible performance benefits, at a fraction of the cost of the full 7-year kit. There has to be a catch, right? Yes, in a sense. In order to make it an easy, sprayable formula, it is a much thinner liquid at 7% active content compared to the 30% or 45% levels that we discussed above. The thinner consistency and lower amount of active ingredient drop the longevity down to around 1 year of protection per application, compared to multiple years available from the two graphene coating options mentioned earlier.
Though it sacrifices overall longevity, the performance and behavior ofGraphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ is nearly identical to the more durable Graphene Ceramic Coating™. You will see the same excellent improved contact angles of water droplets, meaning that water beads form a more rounded sphere-like shape rather than a wide oval on the surface. This increases slickness, causing water droplets and other contamination to have less surface tension, which in turn creates improved hydrophobic characteristics, where the coating tries to push water from the surface. This is also why vehicles that are ceramic coated sometimes appear to be more clean than others after driving through a rainstorm. The graphene ceramic coating has self-cleaning properties to a degree, and a coated vehicle can still have dirt and mud build-up, but you will find they are easier to clean up afterward.
Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ has a longer working time than our multi-year graphene coatings, so in most cases, you can apply it to two or three panels at a time (e.g. the hood and front fenders) before wiping away the residue. It will typically show a very strong rainbow or oily effect on most colors, as it flashes on the surface and begins to interact with oxygen, and you will be amazed at how it is nearly effortless to wipe away with two plush towels when compared to Graphene Ceramic Coating™ or Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Advanced. After wiping away the residue, our spray coatings only require a 4-hour cure time free from water or moisture, so you can apply this option outdoors if that is your only option, just be sure to check the weather forecast for a nice day before you begin to apply the coating.
Pros:
- Easiest coating option we offer, with up to 1 year of protection
- Excellent coating option for someone new to ceramic coating,
- Can be applied outdoors if necessary due to shorter cure time (4 hours)
- Best cost-per-use value, able to coat 6 or more vehicles per bottle
- Long flash time + easy to wipe away = less chance of streaks and high-spots
- Multi-surface exterior product - paint, glass, chrome, wheels, and trim
Cons:
- Spray formula sacrifices durability for a much easier application process when compared to our 7 and 9 year coatings
- Cannot be shipped overnight
Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ Advanced
With the launch of Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Advanced, it made sense to test out the new resin in a sprayable form as well. Our chemists were able to incorporate the thicker resin from Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Advanced, and apply it into a sprayable product. After thorough testing, they found the sweet spot, and were able to create a spray coating with double the active percentage of the regular Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™, while still allowing it to be an exceptionally easy to use product. We are very excited to offer this newest option to our graphene-infused line, Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ Advanced.
Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ Advanced contains a 15% active level of ceramic, which is the same percentage that we offered in our very first Ceramic Paint Coating back in 2016. This shows how much science and technology have advanced in just 5 years, that we now have 2 years of durable protection in a much easier sprayable delivery system - with higher shine and better performance in a fraction of the time. The new Advanced spray formula applies and removes almost as easily as the regular Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™. You will notice it goes on a little thicker, so you may only want to apply it to 1 or 2 panels at a time rather than multiple panels, especially if you are in a more humid environment.
With the release of the new Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ Advanced, this is the perfect middle ground if you don’t necessarily want to reapply a spray coating every 6-12 months but would rather not go through the effort, time, and expense involved with applying a multi-year coating like the 60ml Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Kit. This coating might be the best bang for your buck on your vehicles, since it still creates very high levels of gloss, slickness, and water beading and repelling for two years, at less than half the cost of our other multi-year coating kits. While we do recommend taking the time to clay, decontaminate, and machine polish the paint for best results and the two year longevity, on a new vehicle, you can simply wash and dry, then apply Surface Prep and then the Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ Advanced - in just 3 hours or less. You should still see 6-12 months of protection, and even though the vehicle may not look “perfect”, it will still look amazing with very minimal effort.
Pros:
- Two years of protection in an easy-to-use formula
- Updated resin, no longer flammable, so it can be shipped overnight
- Can be applied outdoors if necessary due to shorter cure time (4 hours)
- Good cost-per-use value, able to coat 6 or more vehicles per bottle
- Long flash time + easy to wipe away = less chance of streaks and high-spots
- Multi-surface exterior product - paint, glass, chrome, wheels, and trim
Cons:
- While twice as durable as Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating, still sacrifices some durability for a much easier application process when compared to our 7 and 9 year coatings
- Can over spray onto surrounding surfaces - spray into the applicator, facing away from the vehicle
Comparison Chart
Product |
Graphene Ceramic Coating™ Advanced 60mL |
Graphene Ceramic Coating™ 60mL |
Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ Advanced |
Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating™ |
Graphene Ceramic Resin Loading Level Wt % |
45% |
30% |
15% |
7% |
Ease of Application |
Medium |
Easy |
Easier |
Easiest |
Longevity of Protection |
Higher |
Medium |
Lower |
Lowest |
Hardness |
> 10H |
> 10H |
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Durability |
Highest |
Medium |
Lower |
Lowest |
Slickness |
Medium |
Lower |
Higher |
Higher |
Thickness |
Higher (4-5µm) |
Medium (2-3µm) |
Lower (1µm) |
Lowest ( < 1µm) |
Gloss Generated |
Highest |
Medium |
Lower |
Lowest |
Flammable |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
UV Tracer Technology |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Surface Application |
All |
All |
All |
All |
Summary
In this blog, we explained each of our 4 Graphene Ceramic Coating options, covering each of their key features and differences, their benefits, and the level of effort needed to apply and/or remove each. Then we outlined the pros and cons of each option and summarized each coating in a comparison chart, in order to help you decide which is the best option for you. If you are uncertain about any product or process, or have any questions in general, feel free to contact us at info@adamspolishes.com.au or reach us on our online communities on Adamsforums.com, Instagram and Facebook, as well.