Advanced High-Heat Paint Protection and Restoration

Park the vehicle in a fully shaded, well-ventilated garage at least 3 hours prior to starting. Use a pressure washer to remove loose red dust and grit. Perform a 'strip wash' using a high-pH soap (pH 9-10) to remove old waxes and road films. This ensures you are working on the bare substrate rather than just cleaning the existing protection.

Apply an iron fallout remover to the dry, cool panels. In Australia, coastal salt and industrial fallout are prevalent. Allow the product to dwell for 3-5 minutes until it turns purple, indicating a reaction with iron particles. Do not let it dry on the paint. Rinse thoroughly with high-pressure water.

Using a clay lubricant, glide a fine-grade clay bar over the surface. This removes 'above-surface' contaminants that chemical cleaners miss, such as overspray and sap. The surface is ready when the clay glides silently and smoothly. This step is critical for ensuring the ceramic coating can bond at a molecular level.

Use your infrared thermometer to check panel temps. If the metal is over 30°C, the solvents in your protection products will flash (evaporate) too quickly, leading to 'high spots' or streaking. If humidity is over 70%, be prepared for shorter flash times and work in smaller 40cm x 40cm sections.

Even on new cars, a light polish with a fine finishing compound (e.g., Sonax Perfect Finish) is required to remove minor UV haze and micro-marring. Use a DA polisher on a medium speed. This 'opens' the pores of the paint, allowing for maximum penetration of the protective sealant.

Spray a 20% Isopropyl Alcohol solution onto a clean microfibre towel and wipe each panel twice. This removes all residual polishing oils. Failure to do this is the #1 cause of coating failure, as the oils prevent the ceramic from cross-linking with the paint molecules.

Apply 10-12 drops of your chosen ceramic coating to a fresh suede applicator wrapped around a foam block. The first application requires more product to saturate the suede; subsequent applications will only require 4-5 drops.

Apply the product in a 50cm x 50cm area using a cross-hatch pattern (horizontal lines followed by vertical lines). Ensure 50% overlap between passes to guarantee total coverage. In high heat, work in even smaller sections to maintain control over the drying time.

Watch for the 'rainbow effect' or 'beading' on the surface. Depending on the temperature, this will happen in 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The product will look like small oil beads or a holographic smear. This is the signal that the solvents have evaporated and the solids are beginning to bond.

Using a low-pile microfibre towel, gently wipe the surface with almost zero pressure. The goal is to level the excess product, not remove it. If the towel 'grabs,' you have waited too long; if it smears excessively, wait another 15 seconds.

Immediately follow the first wipe with a clean, high-GSM plush microfibre. Use circular motions to buff the area to a high gloss. This removes any remaining residue and ensures there are no 'high spots' (dark, oily patches) left behind.

Use a high-intensity LED light held at an angle to inspect the panel. Look for any streaks or dark patches. High spots must be levelled within 5-10 minutes of application, or they will harden and require machine polishing to remove.

Move to the next section, overlapping slightly with the previous one. Always work from the top of the vehicle down (Roof > Bonnet > Boot > Upper Sides > Lower Sides) to prevent sweat or product from dripping onto finished sections.

Once the entire vehicle is coated, it must remain in a dry, dust-free environment for at least 12 hours. Do not touch the paint. The chemical cross-linking process is highly sensitive to moisture during this window.

Avoid washing the vehicle with any chemicals for 7 days. While the coating is 'dry' after 12 hours, it takes a full week to reach maximum 9H hardness. Exposure to bird droppings during this time should be removed very gently with plain water only.