Removing Ceramic Coating

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Nov 18, 2019 | 09:40 AM

CSixDude

Thread Starter

Drifting

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 1,901

Likes: 361

From: TX

Removing Ceramic Coating

I'm in the process of prepping the car for Avalon King's ceramic coating, and I'm just wondering, how hard is it to remove this stuff if I later want to take it off? Anyone on here ever remove ceramic coating from a car?

Also, I'm curious if it will shift the color of the car any. Thoughts?

Nov 18, 2019 | 10:19 AM

Gixxerman

Moderator

Joined: May 2010

Posts: 15,275

Likes: 4,210

From: Northern Illinois

2023 Corvette of the Year Winner - Modified

2022 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified

St. Jude Donor '18 thru '25

You would be the first I heard of using it, would like to know how it goes

Nov 18, 2019 | 10:20 AM

vader86

Team Owner

Joined: Sep 2001

Posts: 62,161

Likes: 1,733

From: Athens AL

C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021

C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019

On any panels I messed up, a LC white pad and finishing polish was enough to remove the ceramic from the panel. Came off fairly easily with the DA, but it wouldn't budge by hand.

Nov 18, 2019 | 12:16 PM

BudgetPlan1

Le Mans Master

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 6,723

Likes: 1,089

From: NE OH

St. Jude Donor '09-'10

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSixDude

Can't say for sure as I've never used that one but most coatings will be easily removed during the prep/correction process. A medium polish on a light cutting pad will get rid of a majority of coatings out there, some a light polish on a polishing pad. Some of the more tenacious ones will require compound and heavier cutting pad. There are a *very* few pro coatings that require wet-sanding, Gtechnic Crystal Serum Ultra being one of them I believe.

You may notice a slight darkening of the paint when applying the coating, some darken, some don't; removing will return to original paint shading.

In 2016 our 2004 Vette started the season with one coating, I removed and re-coated mid-summer with another coating, then removed that and re-coated with yet another coating in Fall.

You don't really need a specific 'coating removal polishing step', just happens naturally as part of the correction process.

Nov 18, 2019 | 12:28 PM

FYRARMS

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 6,094

Likes: 3,468

From: Oswego IL

Quote:

Originally Posted by BudgetPlan1

There are a *very* few pro coatings that require wet-sanding, Gtechnic Crystal Serum Ultra being one of them I believe.

Holy hell!

Wait a second... Does that mean you could do spot-corrections with mild polish to remove minor surface swirls on a panel without stripping and re-coating it? If so, that is really cool, and that would be my ceramic coating of choice.

Nov 18, 2019 | 05:44 PM

BudgetPlan1

Le Mans Master

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 6,723

Likes: 1,089

From: NE OH

St. Jude Donor '09-'10

Quote:

Originally Posted by FYRARMS

Holy hell!

I doubt it...the minor surface swirls would be either 1) In the coating layer or 2) in the clearcoat beneath the coating layer. Either way, the coating would need to be cut through/leveled which would require wet sanding to breach/level...that's gonna leave a mark!

Having no experience with that product, can't say definately but I guess it would be interesting to see. I do know that the application notes for CSU mention being VERY careful during application as once cured, if a high spot is found its gonna take more than a compound and aggressive pad to remove.

Again, it's all conjecture on my part so I dunno for sure.

Nov 19, 2019 | 12:04 AM

Grzldvt1

Le Mans Master

Joined: Aug 1999

Posts: 5,515

Likes: 646

From: Silicon Valley and Yosemite, CA

I might be a bit more experienced than most on this subject. While I am not familiar with Avalon King, it looks like all the others so using a compound like Jescars Cutting Compound or Adam's Paint Correction Polish with a Rupes Yellow Pad(s) Have removed several different Ceramics and corrected many other detailers high spots

Nov 19, 2019 | 06:30 PM

CSixDude

Thread Starter

Drifting

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 1,901

Likes: 361

From: TX

Finished the application of the Avalon King Shield IX after claying, polishing, and then buffing the car. The prep was a lot of work, but the finished product looks good. We'll see how it hold up over time. Had a lot of the product left after I was done, so now I'm wondering if there is any benefit in putting on another coat.

For what its worth, Avalon King got some good reviews on several sites that claimed to be independent.

https://www.carbibles.com/best-ceram...ting-for-cars/
https://www.bestnetreview.com/best-c...ting-for-cars/

Last edited by CSixDude; Nov 19, 2019 at 06:52 PM.