Detailing & Car Wash
Ceramic coating near you
A liquid ceramic coating cured onto polished paint to form a hard, glossy, water-repelling layer that helps salt, sap and grime rinse off.
- Time at the shop
- 8 h (a full day)
- about
- Mobile service
- Available
- at your address
- Shops in Canada
- 2
- doing this work
- Your price
- You set it
- shops bid on it
You set the budget
Shops near you send their bids
2 shops in Canada do this
Detailing & Car Wash
What ceramic coating is
A ceramic coating is a liquid, silica-based polymer wiped onto clean paint, where it cures into a thin, hard layer bonded to the clear coat. It adds gloss, sheds water and dirt, resists etching from bird droppings, tree sap and road salt, helps protect the clear coat from UV, and makes washing quicker. It is not armour: rock chips and deep scratches still get through, which is the job of paint protection film.
Because a coating seals in whatever lies beneath it, the vehicle is first washed, decontaminated and polished, and the polish takes most of the day. The coating goes on panel by panel, is levelled with a microfibre towel and then cures, and you are asked to keep the vehicle dry for a day or two and unwashed for about a week. A coating over paint that needs only washing can go on in a day; with polishing, the vehicle stays for two or three days.
- For cars, EVs, motorcycles, vans and trucks
- Takes about 8 h (a full day)
- Can be done at your address
What does ceramic coating cost?
It depends on your vehicle and the shop. Post a job with your budget and compare the bids shops near you send.
Get bids
Name your budget. Shops near you bid.
2 shops across Canada do ceramic coating.
What to expect
Ceramic coating, step by step
What the job normally covers, what to mention in your request, and the signs that it is time. Every shop says what its bid includes.
The job
What’s included
- Paint decontaminated by hand wash, iron and tar remover and clay bar before any polishing or coating
- Paint polished to the stage you booked, then cleaned of polishing oils so the coating bonds
- Trim and rubber seals taped off or protected from the coating
- Coating applied panel by panel in thin layers and levelled with microfibre towels while still wet
- Second layer or topcoat added where the product line calls for it
- Curing time in a dry, dust-free bay, sometimes under infrared lamps
- Written care instructions and warranty terms, including any maintenance visits the warranty needs
Checklist
Before you post
- 01Ask which stage of paint correction the price includes; a coating over untreated swirls keeps them on show for years
- 02Ask what the warranty covers, for how long, and whether it needs yearly inspections or maintenance to stay valid
- 03Ask how long the vehicle stays in the shop and what the cure instructions are, including when you may wash it
- 04Confirm whether the coating covers paint only or also wheels, glass and trim, and what each add-on costs
- 05Ask where it is applied: a clean, dry, well-lit bay, or for a mobile visit, a garage at your address
- 06Tell the shop about repaint work, film and stone chips; a coating over failing paint will not hold
Signs
When you need it
- A new vehicle you want protected before its first Canadian winter of road salt
- Washing that takes longer than you would like because grime clings to the paint
- Sap, bird droppings or hard water that have etched the paint on earlier vehicles
- Freshly corrected paint that you want to protect
- A vehicle that lives outside under sun, pollen and tree sap
Sound familiar?Tell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsHow it works
Get ceramic coating done in four steps
You set the budget and choose the shop. Posting is free, and you pay the shop you hire once the work is 100% done.
- 01
Post your job
Choose the service, describe the job and your vehicle, and set your budget. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
- 02
Shops compete
Nearby shops that do the work see your request and send their best offer: price, when they can start, what is included.
- 03
Accept the best offer
Compare bids, ratings and distance, then hire one shop. The others are told, politely.
- 04
Talk and get it done
Your conversation with the shop opens right away to agree on the day. You pay only after the job is complete.
Keep exploring
Related services
Paint correction
Paint correction that machine-polishes swirl marks, light scratches, water spots and oxidation out of the clear coat, then seals the finish.
Paint protection film
Paint protection film fitted to the front end and other high-wear panels: clear, self-healing urethane that absorbs stone chips, scratches and bug etching.
Car detailing
Car detailing with hand wash, clay bar and wax or sealant outside and a deep vacuum and surface clean inside, for cars, SUVs, vans and trailers.
Car wash
A hand car wash and dry with wheels and glass cleaned, plus an optional interior vacuum and spray wax, at a wash bay or at your door.
Collision & Body Work
Window tinting
Window tinting with dyed, carbon or ceramic film on side and rear glass for privacy, heat and glare control, with old tint removed if needed.
Questions
Questions about ceramic coating
General answers for drivers in Canada. The shop you hire confirms the details for your vehicle.
How long does a ceramic coating last?
Coatings sold through installers range from one-year to multi-year products, and two to five years is a common result with careful washing. Some installers offer warranties of five years or longer. Real life depends on how the vehicle is washed and stored, how much salt it sees and whether maintenance visits are kept. Water beading and slickness fade first. Ask what the warranty requires rather than trusting the year number.
Is ceramic coating worth it?
It is worth considering if you keep a vehicle for several years, park it outside and want simpler washing. Wax gives shine for weeks; a coating bonds to the clear coat and holds up to salt and UV far longer. It will not stop rock chips, replace washing or fix poor paint, and if chips are the concern, film is the better choice.
Can I wash my car after a ceramic coating?
Not right away. Most installers ask you to keep the vehicle dry for 24 to 48 hours and to avoid soap for about a week while the coating cures. After that, use a hand wash with pH-neutral shampoo and clean microfibre. Automatic brush washes and harsh soaps can dull the coating and put new swirls in the finish.
What does 9H mean on a ceramic coating?
It is a pencil-hardness rating from a lab test on a coated panel. It means the layer resists scratching from a hard pencil lead, not that your paint is scratch-proof. Coatings still pick up wash marks and cannot stop a key or a rock chip. Judge a coating by the preparation, the warranty terms and the installer’s track record.
Can a ceramic coating be applied at my house?
Sometimes. It needs a clean garage or covered space out of wind and rain, room to open all the doors, power for lights and a polisher, and mild conditions so the coating sets properly. Many installers prefer their own bay, especially from November to April, so ask how the job is normally done.
Something else to ask? Once you hire a shop, you talk to it directly in your request’s conversation.
Ready when you areTell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsFor detailers and car washes
Sign up as a business
Detailers and car washes across Canada: drivers post their Detailing & Car Wash requests here. Publish your weekly flyer, open the appointment windows you can take and bid on the jobs near you. Free while we launch, no commission.