Why You Need 2 Layers Of Ceramic Coating For Optimal Performance On Gel Coat

There are many different approaches and techniques for the application of the ceramic coating. You may have seen other companies out there marketing that they layer on the coating with three, four, maybe five layers of coating, offering more protection and lifetime warranties. At Marine Nano Shop, we feel that this is all marketing and phony sales gimmicks to increase their sales and make it sound like it's going to last a lifetime. Obviously, they haven't hung out in Florida much, nothing lasts a lifetime.

Clearcoat application vs Gel coat application

Clearcoat car paint is very different from a gel coat, it is much more porous. This is why when coating a boat that has a gel coat, you will use much more material on the first pass than the second. You can even feel the applicator pad bite a bit more. Logically, this makes sense. When you look at the gel coat under a microscope it has millions of tiny little pores. On the first pass, the nano-material is small enough on a molecular level to get into the pores of the gel coat and sub-atomically attach. This is why ceramic coatings are so much stronger than wax and other traditional sealants.

On the second pass, you will use much less material and the pad will glide much easier. This is happening because the pores have been filled in. Marine Nano Shops Liquid Crystal Armour HD provides a durable glass-like layer of protection 3-4 micron thick. This particular coating carries 3 times the active material than is sister version for the automotive version. More active material equals more protection.

Should I give my boat a third gel coat ceramic coating?

So, the debate to add a third layer. In our opinion, we feel the level of performance and protection will be marginal by adding a third layer. The marginal benefit of doing this does not outweigh the cost and time so we feel like there is no need for it. It could be phony sales and marketing gimmicks. So be aware.