Everything You Need to Know About Glass Coating : We Explain!

Who doesn’t want their vehicle to be in perfect condition in all aspects? An individual who spends a huge amount of money to buy a car will definitely want their car to look perfect. The perfect shine on a vehicle’s paint adds beauty to the vehicle and it attracts sight of other people as well.

Let’s cut to the chase, this article is aimed to share my knowledge (on one particular method) and market surveys regarding ways to keep your car’s paint pristine and up to the mark. Since there are many ways you can achieve the same result, I am putting in my efforts to describe the schematics of ‘Glass Coating’, which is getting increasingly popular in Pakistan. But before we move on to the actual subject, I would first like to share a brief history on the application of paint in automobiles’ and then proceed on to the subject in question.

Understanding the history of Paint Application in automobiles:

A couple of years ago, things were very simple, new cars were being painted on some very basic principles and techniques. For instance, in 70’s, painting a car was a Spartan affair. Workers used to paint the disassembled chassis and its parts with a brush, just we paint our house with a brush. Several paint coats were applied to a vehicle and it was sold to the customer. But the drive to constantly improve led to this techniques’ eventual phase out. Applying paint on a vehicle had several issues:

• Finishing was not good at all.
• Uneven surface of paint was a big problem
• The applied paint was not long lasting and its shine was never any good.

The next stop for mankind was to opt Spray Paint, which was much more reliable much accurate than brush paint. The next breakthrough technique, which addressed the quality and durability of paint on automotive was Paint Baking method. In this method, the paint was heated to a certain temperature which increased its shine plus durability. Add to the fact that this technique is still being practiced albeit with new tools, speaks volumes about its effectiveness. Paint booths are used in which built-in heating system automatically maintains temperature. Very fine nozzles are used for painting a vehicle and precise painting job is achieved by the use of Robots.

What is Glass Coating?

Glass coating is basically a liquid glass made up of Silica and Siloxane. It’s a clear pure liquid which hardens itself on contact with air. It provides super durable shine, gloss, and protection to vehicle’s paint. According to my market’s survey and discussion with different detailing shops, it lasts for about three Years, depending upon a couple of factors. The ultimate purpose of Glass Coating is to protect Paint’s Clear Coat.

Options available other than Glass Coating

As mentioned there are some other substitutes available in the market other than Glass coating for your car’s paint protection. So I’ve compiled a list of such options:

• Carnauba Wax – Almost everyone knows about Carnauba Wax. Carnauba Wax is very easily available in almost every automobile shop and super malls in different brands, for example, Cosmic, Formula 1, Shinex, Maguire’s, Turtle Wax etc. It’s cheapest and affordable option and can be applied easily at your home. But its protection duration is very less, it lasts for a maximum of six to eight weeks. This wax basically bonds a clear coat on the surface of your car with the help of added Polymers in it forming a wax layer, thus adding deep shine and wet look.
• Paint Sealants – Paint sealants are a completely synthetic blend of Polymers that provide long lasting shine and paint protection. It usually lasts for six months, which is also a subject to a multitude of factors, like application method, materials, and care.

Why exactly do we need Glass Coating? And where can I get it done?

Let’s start off with the fact that glass coating gives perfect shine & results when vehicle’ paint is in top notch condition. Ideally, it is recommended to get your car glass coated when it’s brand new, as this will not only end up costing you less whilst saving you from ‘Paint Correction’. I will mention paint correction in the later part of this article so don’t get confused with this term. For now, let’ move on to the second part of this section; where can I get it done? To put it simply, this is where you will have to search for the right people to do this job. For this purpose, I can’t recommend you for going to a specific shop so you will have to make an effort. Go to the market and do a survey, discuss with different vendors, carefully calibrate your options and whoever convinces you most, just go with it.

And I am sure InshaAllah after reading my article you will have an idea of Glass Coating and its process. Now then, let’s move on to the fun stuff.

How is it done?

Items Required For Glass Coating.

• An indoor area with dust free environment
• Water hose
• Car shampoo
• MicroFiber cloth (s)
• Clay bar (s)
• Compound Polish
• Buffing Machine
• Glass Coating (It can be any good brand, Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Paint Coating, McKee’s 37 Paint Coating etc)

Every vendor will add their own flavor/twist in this process to make it unique but essentially there are five steps into this process.

• Washing of Vehicle
• Drying of Vehicle
• Clay Bar method application
• Removal of paint swirls with compound
• Application of Glass Coating

The sequence of activity:

• Washing – The vehicle is washed thoroughly with car shampoo, to remove dirt and containment. This must be done thoroughly. It is
  advised to pay careful attention while washing the car to make sure no part is left un-washed.

• Drying – The next step in this sequence is drying. Make sure there are no water droplets on the vehicle’s body as this is a crucial step in preparing your car for glass coating. Water must be dried with some good quality Micro Fiber cloth.

• Clay bar application – Used to eliminate any and all containment, particularly dust particles from your car’s body. It is recommended that a good quality Clay Bar must be used for removing microscopic containments. What happens if you don’t use a clay bar application?
  You will see these particles encompassed in the glass coating looking like a bad case of acne on your car.

• Compound polish application – If the vehicle is brand new and then compound polish step can be skipped because this step is for old
  vehicles. What do I mean by old vehicles? You might’ve noticed that some vehicles (with the passage of time) accumulate Paint swirls due to the use of (dirty or inappropriate) cloth on vehicle’s body for cleaning purpose. So it is important to remove paint swirls or light scratches on paint so that Glass Coating can give its best results.

• Application of glass coating – This is the most critical step in the whole procedure as once applied it’s very hard on both time and money to get it fixed. For this purpose, this step must be performed on small areas step by step. Experts usually pour glass coating liquid on car’s surface and evenly spread it with Micro Fiber cloth or applicator. As soon it gets contact with air the liquid turns into glass making a layer. The same step is repeated until the whole car is covered. The end result should theoretically yield a perfectly smooth and shiny surface.

The purpose of sharing these steps is just to give you an idea of Glass Coating. But I ‘Never’ recommend you to perform this activity yourself. Partly because this activity requires expertise and finesse, so you must get it done from some professional.

A Word of Caution:

There are some things you must do it before going for Glass Coating:

• If the vehicle is old or it has accumulated zinc on its body, then you need to get its paint fixed.
• Don’t go for glass coating if it has uneven body panels.

Once again I must mention that the information I have mentioned is intended for general knowledge. It is not in any way or form should be considered as you Glass Coating Guide 101. Don’t try it at home by yourself because it can damage your car’s paint. Instead get it done from an expert. While on the same note, following are some things that you need to be aware of before getting your car glass coated.

• First of all Glass Coating from any reputable shop costs a lot. According to my market survey, average expense on a used vehicle is falls somewhere in between a total sum of 30 to 40 thousand rupees.
• It depends upon the condition of the vehicle as well. Partly because old vehicles need more labor and partly because it require additional detailing for its paint correction before performing glass coating as compared to a new vehicle.
• Let’s not forget about its care. You have to use Carnauba Wax to maintain its shine, otherwise forget about its longevity.
• Glass coating is a good option for new vehicles if it is kept with care. You can’t neglect Carnauba Wax after getting your vehicle Glass Coated. If you apply Carnauba Wax to glass coated vehicle after every two months, I must say it will increase the life of Glass Coating from three years to five years because the wax will create an extra layer of protection.

And that’s it, I hope this article has increased your knowledge and cleared your basic concepts. I would love to hear from you as well. Kindly add your precious comments and any information regarding Paint Protection in the comments below.