What Is Ceramic Coating?

If you’re here, you probably love your car. You hate the thought of water spots, bugs, sap, or even the sun damaging your baby. You may love washing it by hand, but are sick of how quickly it gets dirty again. Maybe you are tired of all of the swirls and haze that show up no matter how hard you wash.

The solution to these problems is ceramic coating. A professionally applied ceramic coating from Arch City Detail WILL keep your ride looking its best for as long as possible.

We are trained, insured, and authorized to install industry leading coatings. Our shop has the latest in tools and techniques to solve your unique problems. We took our hard learned lessons — from detailing real cars here in St. Louis, dealing with salt, humidity, pollen, and all the stuff this city throws at your paint and apply them to protect your investment.

Ceramic Coating is the main thing we do at Arch City Detail. And a lot of folks around High Ridge, Arnold, and Fenton keep asking us the same question:

“What exactly is ceramic coating, and is it worth it?”

Let’s break it down.

Ceramic Coating: The Basic Idea

Person cleaning a white car with a blue cloth in a garage or auto repair shop.

Ceramic coating is a precision-applied, ultra-thin liquid that cures into a resilient shell. It’s not wax. It’s not paint. Think of it as high-tech armor that chemically bonds to your vehicle’s clear coat.

It bonds to your paint on a chemical level. Once it’s on there, it isn’t coming off easily. We don’t use spray “ceramic” that your car dealer wants to sell you. That stuff wears off fast. Professionally applied ceramic coating lasts for years.

The result? Water beads and slides off. Road grime rinses away effortlessly. UV damage, bugs, bird droppings—they no longer stick or smear. The finish stays deeper and glossier for much longer.

And yeah — it does work. Especially around St. Louis, where weather and roads can wreck your finish.

What Does It Actually Do?

Diagram showing surface contaminants like fresh bird dropping, dust, tree sap mist, industrial fallout, road film, and over spray with layers of clear coat, base coat, substrate/primer, and body panel.

Here’s the stuff it helps with:

  • Keeps your paint from fading
    That STL sun gets hot in the summer. Ceramic coating protects your clear coat so that it can block UV rays.

  • Helps prevent water spots
    Water beads up and rolls off. Less time drying. Less chance for spots.  Got hard water?  Park outside in the rain? You need this.

  • Makes washing easier
    Dirt, bugs, pollen… they don’t cling like they used to.

  • Protects against road salt and grime
    Especially important in winter around St. Louis County where they love to dump salt and Jefferson County where they love to drop tons of sand.

  • Looks really, really shiny
    Like crazy shiny. The paint stays deep and glossy without needing wax every month.

How Long Does Ceramic Coating Last?

Depends on the product. The ones we use last anywhere from 2 to 10 years.  We even have an available Lifetime warranty!

We’ve had cars come back in after a year and they still look like they just left the shop. Water still beads up. Paint still looks wet.

It isn’t magic. But it works.

Is Ceramic Coating Worth It?

This isn’t a cheap job. You’re not getting out for $100. It takes time and skill to prep the paint, fix swirls, and apply the coating the right way.

But here’s why people around here think it’s worth it:

1. Less time washing
You don’t have to baby the car. A rinse and towel dry does the job most days. We have products available that can help you with this.

2. Less money on detailing
Once you’ve got coating, you don’t need wax, polish, or sealant ever again.

3. Looks better longer
If you care about how your ride looks, coating makes a big difference.

One of our customers from Oakville brought in his white Mercedes-AMG GLE 53. Said he was spending hours washing it to keep it from looking dusty. We did a 5-year coating. Now he washes it once a month, tops. Said it’s the best money he spent on his SUV.

What Ceramic Coating Doesn’t Do

Let’s be real — it’s not a shield from everything. Here’s what it doesn’t fix:

  • Won’t stop rock chips
    You’ll need PPF (paint protection film) for that. Coating won’t stop gravel on I-270.

  • Won’t fix bad paint
    It won’t cover scratches or swirl marks. We fix those first with paint correction.

  • Won’t last forever if you never wash your car
    You still have to take care of it. It just makes care way easier.

How We Do It at Arch City Detail

A person using a foam cannon to wash a black car with soap and water, with water spray and foam on the vehicle.

We don’t cut corners. Coating isn’t something we slap on in 30 minutes. We spend time on the prep because prep is everything.

Our Process:

  1. Hand wash

  2. Decontamination (gets rid of iron, bugs, tar, you name it)

  3. Paint polishing or correction (buffing out swirls, scratches, haze)

  4. Ceramic application

  5. Cure time — your car stays in the shop to set up right

Takes about a day or two depending on the car and the level of correction needed.  If you are in a rush, ask us about options for same-day delivery.

We use pro-grade products only — real ceramic coatings rated for St. Louis heat and cold. Nothing off the shelf at Wal-Mart or the gas station.

We keep it simple. Here’s what we offer:

  • 2-Year Ceramic Coating — good entry-level protection

  • 5-Year Ceramic Coating — best balance of cost and longevity

  • 7-Year Ceramic Coating — max durability, especially for trucks and weekend fun cars

  • 10-Year Ceramic Coating – protection for the life of your vehicle.  Maximum shine and durability.  Ask us how this can be a Lifetime coating!

We also do:

  • Glass Coating — makes rain slide right off your windshield

  • Wheel Coating — helps brake dust wipe off

  • Trim Coating — keeps black plastic from fading to gray

Want to coat your whole ride top to bottom? We can do that too.

Different Packages We Offer

What Customers Around St. Louis Are Saying

We’ve coated everything from brand new Trucks in Fenton, to 10-year-old convertibles in South County. People are usually shocked at how good their cars look when they come back.

One guy with a black GMC Sierra said his neighbor thought he bought a new car. He didn’t. It was just clean, corrected, and ceramic’d.

Another customer from Mehlville drove through a storm right after his coating was done. Sent us a video — the water just danced off the hood. No towels. No soap. Just clean.

Is Ceramic Coating Right for You?

Look — not everybody needs it. But if you:

  • Hate washing your car all the time

  • Care how your paint looks

  • Want to protect your car for the long haul and maximize its resale value

… then yeah, it’s probably a good call.

We get a lot of folks with new cars who want to protect their investment before winter hits. Especially around here where the salt starts flying early. Coating your car before the first snow can save you a lot of headaches later.

Call us. Text us. Come by the shop in High Ridge to see it in action. We’re happy to show you real cars with real coatings.

We’ll give you straight answers. No sales junk. Just real talk about what’s best for your car.

Got Questions About Ceramic Coating?

314-252-8950

info@archcitydetail.com