How To Prepare A Boat For Ceramic Coating Application?

A good quality marine ceramic coating will improve the longevity of your boat while also helping to maintain its aesthetic beauty. But do you know what benefits a ceramic coating can bring to your boat? How should the boat's surface be prepared for ceramic coating application? This blog by the experts from HydroSilex, explains everything you need to know about how to prepare a boat for ceramic coating application!

What Is Marine Ceramic Coating?

A marine ceramic coating is a transparent, protective layer applied over your boat's exterior or bare metal. Marine ceramic coating adheres to the underlying surface and offers a durable barrier against UV radiation, pollutants, saltwater, and freshwater. Ceramic coating bonds to the surface of your boat, making it simple to remove any dirt, oil, salt, grime, or other contaminants that may come into contact with it.

Due to its hydrophobic qualities and capacity to scatter water droplets rather than absorb them into the substrate material, ceramic coating is also highly resistant to corrosion.

What Does Boat Ceramic Coating Do?

Anti Contaminant

Ceramic boat coatings make removing bird droppings, fish waste, and other marine detritus easier. The coating adheres to the boat's gel coat, seats, stainless steel, aluminum, carbon fiber, and even plastics, providing a high level of protection. 

When a ceramic coating of professional grade is applied to an entire marine vessel, it becomes highly hydrophobic. This means that water, dirt, barnacles, algae, and animal excrement won’t stick to the surface, but rather will slide off, keeping your boat looking fresh and new for longer. Typically, high-pressure hoses with just water will be sufficient to eradicate such contaminants from the surface.

Protection from ultraviolet radiation

The exposure of your boat to UV, IR, and acid rain may cause discoloration. UV radiation may cause transparent coatings on painted surfaces to corrode, crack, and lose depth of shine. IR may produce heat that degrades upholstery, making it look dull and faded.

Once applied, a marine ceramic coating generates a covalent bond and fuses with the surface. It generates a hard surface that stops 99.9 percent of UV rays from deteriorating the boat's components.

Less Maintenance

After the curing process is complete, the coating becomes extremely hydrophobic which means that water rolls off the surface and collects dirt as it moves away. This phenomenon is known as self-cleaning! In most circumstances, strong detergents and chemicals will no longer be necessary for washing.

What Is The Process Of Marine Ceramic Coating Application?

Before applying a marine ceramic coating, we should prepare the surface and remove any contaminants. Here is the procedure for applying a boat ceramic coating.

Correct the gel coat or paint completely.

The boat must be devoid of oxidation for the ceramic coating to function to its best capacity. Ceramic coatings do not contain fillers or cleaning agents. The surface will remain in whatever condition it was in before the coating was applied.

Wash the boat.

Boats can get very dirty, so it’s important to give your boat a good wash before applying the coating. You want the boat's surface to be clean so that no pollutants interfere with the ceramic coating application process. 

Ensure the boat is devoid of oils and waxes.

This stage is essential for the coating to adhere successfully to the boat. Utilize Surface Prep Spray or denatured alcohol to clean the whole boat's exterior before putting ceramic coating on your boat. This will guarantee that all oils and waxes have been removed. 

Applying the ceramic coating to the boat

Section by section, apply the ceramic coating to your marine vehicle. Utilize a crosshatch pattern while applying the coating to your boat to achieve equal coverage. Continue until the entire boat is covered with the coating. To provide optimum protection and complete coverage of the boat, apply a second layer.

Read more:

What Is The Best Ceramic Coating For Boats?

Premium Ceramic Coating For Boats At HydroSilex

Marine Ceramic Coating

HydroSilex Marine is the premier ceramic coating designed to replace waxes and other sealants traditionally used on boats. HydroSilex Marine is intended for simple application and defense. This product produces a protective layer over the paint that gives a nonstick surface, allowing you to keep your boat cleaner for longer and making maintenance easy.

• Guards all surfaces ( Gel Coat, Paint, Vinyl, Chrome, Plastics, Glass, and more)
• Maintain your vessel's appearance of newness for longer.
• Prevent adhesion of impurities to Gelcoat.
• Simple spraying and wiping application ( No dry time).
• Protection up to six months long.
• Replaces the need to polish your boat ever again.
• NO Cure time may be applied and utilized immediately.
• Layerable for greater protection and longevity ( no cure time between layers)

Surface Prep Spray

The HydroSilex Surface Prep Spray is a wax and grease remover that is perfect for use before applying HydroSilex ceramic coatings. For the ceramic coating to adhere correctly, the surface must be free of wax residue.

• Safe and efficient surface preparation
• Removes grease from coating surfaces
• Prepares the surface for coating.
• Strong on contaminants and paint
• Can be used alone as a cleaner

HydroSilex is one of the most well known brands in the marine maintenance and cleaning industry. Similarly, technical advances and the use of cutting-edge chemicals and equipment have allowed us to design optimal coatings and maintenance solutions for our customers.