Ceramic coating vs ceramic tint

One word, two products

Ceramic coating and ceramic tint are two of the most common requests at a tint and protection shop, and they’re easy to mix up. Some people assume they’re one product. Others think one is a cheaper version of the other. Neither is true. One goes on the paint, the other on the glass, and “ceramic” means something different in each.

Ceramic coating: a hard layer on the paint

A ceramic coating is a liquid nano-ceramic polymer applied to the paint. It bonds to the clear coat and cures into a hard, glassy layer. It isn’t a wax or a sealant that washes off in a month or two; it becomes part of the surface and lasts for years.

The coating Offshore installs is FEYNLAB, made in the USA and rated 9H hardness. On a car that lives outside on Maui, it does four things:

• Keeps UV off the clear coat, which slows the oxidation that dulls paint left in the sun.
• Makes water bead and sheet off, so salt spray, red dirt and dust rinse away with less scrubbing.
• Resists etching from bird droppings and tree sap, as long as they’re removed promptly.
• Adds gloss and resists the fine wash swirls that show up first on dark paint.

Coatings start from $499 before tax for the 2-year Essential on a sedan, from $999 for the 5-year with light paint correction, and from $1,499 for the 10-year with full correction. Trucks and SUVs cost more because there’s more paint to cover.

Ceramic window film: particles inside the film

Ceramic tint is a film installed on the inside of the glass. The “ceramic” here is nano-ceramic particles built into the film. They reject infrared, the part of sunlight you feel as heat, and block UV, without metal and without needing a dark shade. That is why a legal 35% ceramic film on the front doors can keep a cabin cooler than a darker dyed film.

Offshore installs two ProLayers ceramic films, V10 Ceramic IR and V16 Ceramic IR MAX, plus V6 Comfort, a carbon film without the ceramic layer. The film is non-metallic, so phones, GPS and driver-assist cameras work as before. Hawaii’s law still applies: the front side windows must read at least 35% through film and glass, and every vehicle install leaves with the compliance certificate, which stays in the car.

What each one can’t do

• A paint coating does nothing for cabin heat. It’s on the paint, and the heat comes through the glass.
• Ceramic tint does nothing for the paint. It’s inside the car.
• Neither stops rock chips. No liquid layer and no window film absorbs a stone at highway speed. Gravel thrown up on Mokulele and Honoapiilani highways is a job for paint protection film on the paint and windshield protection film on the glass. The PPF vs ceramic coating comparison explains how the two paint products split the work.
• Neither replaces washing. A coated car still needs regular washes, and tinted glass still needs cleaning with an ammonia-free cleaner.

Side by side

• Where it goes: the coating on the paint; the tint on the inside of the windows.
• What it’s for: the coating protects and maintains the paint; the tint controls heat, UV and glare through the glass.
• What you notice: gloss and water beading from the coating; a cabin and dash that take less of the sun from the tint.
• How long it takes: a 2-year coating on a clean sedan is usually a one-day job; most tint is done the same day.
• Care: wait 7 days before the coating’s first wash, then use a pH-neutral soap and skip wax and brush car washes. Keep the windows up for 3 to 5 days after tint, then clean the inside of the glass with an ammonia-free cleaner.

When you want both: the Maui Heat package

Strong sun works on a car in two ways. It heats the cabin through the glass, and it fades the paint. Tint handles the first and the coating handles the second, which is why the Maui Heat package puts them together:

• Heat Starter tier, from $289: ceramic window tint on the full vehicle.
• Maui Heat Package, from $879: adds windshield protection film, a full-exterior ceramic coating and a hydrophobic glass coating.
• Maui Heat Ultimate, from $2,899: adds full front PPF to the tint, windshield film and coating.

Package prices are before Hawaii GET. Tint alone is about half a day; the full package takes 2 to 3 days because the coating cures overnight.

Which first, if you’re doing one

Start with what bothers you. If the steering wheel is too hot to hold after the car sits at the beach, start with tint. If the paint is fading, dull or a chore to keep clean of red dirt and salt, start with the coating. If you’re not sure, send the year, make and model through the quote form with a line about how the car is used and where it parks, or call (808) 707-7064. The shop confirms the price and takes the deposit when you book.