We are all about Ceramic Coatings, but that doesn't mean we only review products that protect the paint on your car!
Today we have a product that is used to restore faded plastic trims back to a like-new condition and appearance. And not only for a couple of weeks or until the next wash, as it is with most products that are created for the same purpose.
Oh no, no, no.
It will last up to 200 washes or about 2 years!
Bold claims, but can Cerakote Ceramic Trim Coat Kit back them? We have bought it, and we have tested it!
Contents:
Just to clarify - we are not sponsored by Cerakote or any other manufacturer of Paint Protection products, and we will test and review the product as it is in real-world conditions. We will follow the manufacturer's instructions during the application process, and we will prepare the surface to ensure the best finish and best adhesion possible. We are leaving an affiliate link to all our review products, but in case the product turns out to be of low quality or not as all as advertised, we leave a warning to all our readers, and the quality of the product will always be reflected in the grade we assign to it at the end of every review. So if you do not want to sit through all of this text, you can scroll down to the Average Grade and read our Final Thoughts to get a general idea of what the product is all about.
Let us check CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat Kit - Quick Plastic Trim Restorer out!
Get your CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat Kit on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3kGPblv
What is Cerakote Ceramic Trim Coat Plastic Trim Restorer?
Ok, now let us see what this product is all about. It is namely created to restore the plastic trim to its original condition using a ceramic-based solution. In this packaging, you will get 10 separately packaged white wipes that are soaked in the CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat. You also get a pair of disposable latex gloves.
The whole idea is to put on the gloves because you do not want the solution sticking onto your fingers and use a wipe until it is used up, at which point you take another wipe and continue where you left off.
There is also a Cerakote PRO packaging with 50 wipes instead of 10. Now, unless you have a detailing or paint protection shop or have like 5 cars lying around, you won't need the 50 wipes. But it is still good value nonetheless!
How to prepare the surface for CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat?
The surface needs to be cleaned of all dirt and contaminants. After that, it needs to be cleaned of all grease or oils. They suggest dish soap which is ok if you are using CERAKOTE as a DIY project. But if you have some, or if you are a professional, we would suggest using a dedicated automotive degreaser. It does the job just a little bit better and it is less harmful to the materials on your car. The idea is to remove all grease and or oils to get a completely clean surface to ensure a good bond.
The product is not compatible with grease or water. Dirt will prevent it from coating those areas fully, so it should be removed.
Read our article on how to prepare the surface of a car for ceramic coating.
It doesn't matter how far gone the plastic you will be coating is. Actually, the worse it currently is, the more surprised you will be in the end with the result.
Hint: We have already used it, so we would know!
After the surface has been thoroughly cleaned, we also recommend you clean any excess water that might be trapped in or around the panels you will be working on. If you have an air compressor, that will do wonders for you. But if not, then just make sure that you get all the water with a microfiber towel. You do not want to introduce any water or moisture to the product until it has cured, and that will be around 1 hour after application.
How to use the CERAKOTE Coating?
So, to summarize the instructions:
clean surface
degrease surface
dry surface
use only on plastic surfaces
avoid water or moisture until cured
do not work in direct sunlight
the plastic surface must be cool to the touch
use provided gloves
use a wipe until it is used up, then take another if needed
only one coat is required; two coats if the plastic is in horrible condition
We have used the product in a well-ventilated garage with a regulated temperature. But if you are working outside, just keep in mind what the weather will be like in the next hour.
You might want to avoid wind as well, as it might damage the coating before it has cured, leaving an ugly finish. Make sure the plastic is cool to the touch before you use CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat Kit on it. That is also very important according to the manufacturer. Hint: While ceramic coatings are able to resist higher temperatures quite effectively, that refers to a coating that has fully cured on top of a surface. If you want the coating to bond with the surface and fully and properly cure, you'll have to ensure the surface is prepared and the application is made under the right conditions.
This product is meant to be used on plastic surfaces only. If you touch the car's paint by accident or another type of material, then just wipe it off with a clean microfiber towel before you continue working. What you can also do is use masking tape to prevent overflow onto other panels.
We are now ready to start! Put on the gloves they've provided in the kit and open one of the pouches containing the ceramic coating wipes. Pick one plastic panel to start with and start applying it in the same direction consistently to ensure the best coverage and an even streak-free finish.
As you coat the plastic, it will immediately darken and get a nice shine, making it look new. Make sure you have covered all the plastic, even the hard-to-reach edges, because one coat is all you really need. So to avoid redoes or another touch-up job, we recommend doing it right on the first run. Once all the plastic has been coated with CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat, you do not need to buff it off, but instead, just leave it alone as it is for the next hour so it can cure and bond to the plastic.
After one hour, that's it! The plastic is supposed to remain in the condition it currently is for the next 200 washes or up to 2 years on average. We will not test the 200 washes or the 2 years, obviously. But what we can do is a series of tests to see how it would perform compared to similar products that are meant to be used as plastic trim restorers.
How did CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat Kit perform in the durability test?
What we did was use dish soap, brake cleaner fluid, a degreaser, and regular car shampoo on the treated areas once at first, then after the run, we performed the test another time. We drove the vehicle on a dirt road to see how the rocks, dust and chips, and scratches would affect the refreshed plastic. And finally, we took the car and left it outside in the sun for a week and came back to see the results then. We gave it another go with a degreaser and regular car shampoo to get a final idea.
And, oh boy, do we have some results! Even though we specialize in Ceramic Coating, plastic trim restorer products are no strangers to us. And how they usually perform, some better, some worse, is that you apply them, and after a wash or a few washes, they are gone, and the plastic is back to its dull old look.
Not CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat Kit!
After all the above, we wrote. The plastic still looked the same as when applied. No changes whatsoever. IT didn't lose any of its hydrophobic properties or shine or that deep revitalized pigment it gave the plastic once it was used. We are extremely impressed with this product!
The price point is well above other plastic trim restorers, and the quantity you get for the price is much, much less than what you would get by buying a full bottle of another product that you would pay significantly less for. But that just doesn't matter. The time and effort, and labor you will invest with other products and having the trim be completely gone in a week or two or after a good wash is simply not worth the money.
With the strong chemicals we have used on it, we basically gave it 50 times worth of washes. It did not budge. Now we do not know how long it will last. But based on how it performed so far, it looks like it just might do what it had promised.
On top of all that, CERAKOTE is giving a no-questions-asked refund policy to its customers if the product doesn't work as advertised (provided you have been following the product instruction when working with it).
Our verdict on this product:
product life time when applied: A
resistance to elements: A
resistance to damage: B
resistance to chemicals: A
application difficulty: A
hydrophobic properties: A
gloss / shine: A
Average grade: A
Cost: 19.88$ / 1 vehicle kit
This is the first product we have graded with such a high score! And it is well deserved. We were dumbfounded by how well it performed. But not only because it was so good. The main reason is that all the other products that are used for the same application would not come even close to this score.
This one is lightyears ahead of its competition. If you have tested or used a plastic trim restorer that has performed similarly or better, please do leave a comment with your experiences because we are very intrigued!
Final thoughts on CERAKOTE Ceramic Coating?
If you have faded, old, or worn-out-looking plastic, we guarantee that this product will restore the plastic panels back to their original look. No matter what plastic you use it on, of course. But we are covering cars here, so let's focus on that.
As per instructions, do not use the product on other types of materials, we haven't tested it on other materials so we do not know how it would perform, but on plastic - it is the best product that we know of for that purpose.
Do you need to restore the plastic trim on your car? Buy CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat Kit - Quick Plastic Trim Restorer.
Enjoy!
Get your CERAKOTE Ceramic Trim Coat Kit on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3kGPblv
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