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What is a 9H Ceramic Coating? Find out more about 9H ceramic coating and how it can benefit your car body exterior. Depending on who you ask, ceramic coating can have many definitions, leading to more confusion. Even once you've understood ceramic coating, you have to ask what does the 'H' mean?  

This short article will address exactly that concern. 

What is Ceramic 9H?   

The hardness of the car paint is what is being measured here and how it will distort and change against varying elements. This is what the 'H' stands for. Of course, many elements can affect the strength and hardness of your car's paint, varying from oxidisation and UV radiation, alongside the weather.  

This scale of hardness was defined by Friedrich Mohs and created the aptly named Mohs Scale. Before this, minerals were not gauged by hardness. Instead, they were measured in composition. 

It's essential to realise the various names that these measurement scales can have, especially when considering the options for your car. Minerals can be tested against the Ridgway Scale or Wooddell scale, but when it comes to ceramic coating, the Pencil Scale is used. 

Therefore, 9H Ceramic Coating is a certain hardness of a product that will bond to the paint on your vehicle. This particular variant of ceramic coating is modernising and innovating and has been made to bond varying surfaces together, such as glass and windshields and vinyl wraps. 

This works by a layering technique, as the Ceramic 9H sits atop your paintwork, and then you can have a topcoat above that. The high-gloss finish is attractive to customers, and the many forms of protection it offers. Ceramic 9H has scratch resistance and thermal resistance and cannot easily wear away. The removal process has to be done via abrasion any by professionals.

What is Inside Ceramic Coating? 

Any Ceramic Coating, regardless of the brand, will have a percentage of Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) within. 

This could also be called Silica. This is used across many products to create a layer of protection as once it's bonded to the surface layer, it becomes incredibly hard and shiny and can protect the paintwork beneath. 

As you drive your car, the paintwork will fade over time and can decrease the resale value of that vehicle. Still, with ceramic coating, you can have extra protection against the elements and protect yourself against UV fading, among other things.  

There's more to Ceramic Coating than SiO2, though, as the liquid polymer within has been combined with many different chemicals to reach this hard protective layer.  

Nano SiO2 are tiny, microscopic particles of quartz crystal that act as the connection between the polymers. This is the main component and is what will harden as the coating is left. Working alongside the SiO2 is the compound Nano TiO2 or Titanium Oxide. 

This works to keep your paintwork liquid or waterfree, as the hydrophobic nature of the titanium will help water run off the surface.  

The use of Fluorine within the mixture is what reduces oxidation and corrosion and can make the overall car easier to clean and maintain. Importantly, brightening silicon particles will increase the strength of the bond between the coating, meaning it can be set correctly.    

Many different chemicals are working together to provide the level of hardness that will give the paintwork protection.

9H Hardness Levels Explained 

As mentioned earlier, the Pencil Scale is used to gauge the strength and hardness of the surface coating. You will understand this scale if you're a regular user of pencils and art supplies, as they use the same system.  

Softer-tipped pencils, such as one with a B-rating, will provide a much softer and darker finish on the paper. 

On the other hand, you have a 9H graphite pencil, which can provide a lighter line but a stronger scratch. This is known as an exceptionally strong, tough pencil with a point that can damage. 

If you are to translate this to a car's ceramic coating, then with a 9H coating, your car would be able to resist a scratch from a 9H graphite pencil.  

When comparing coating products for your car, though, a slightly different scale is used. We're working with ceramic coating products and not graphite pencils.   

Why Ceramic Coating Hardness Levels Matter 

If you care about protecting your car and the paintwork, you need to know the differences between coatings and the hardness level.  The rating a hardness ceramic coating receives will determine how long it can protect your car and against how many elements. We all get scratches and dents along the way, but having a stronger coating can prevent this. The same goes for UV protection and water resistance.  

Waxing your car can bring similar results but won't have the longevity that ceramic coating will. 

Compared to waxing, which may protect for a month, the coating can last anywhere from 1-5 years. The coating can also protect parts of your car that would otherwise be neglected, such as the headlights and vinyl wraps.  

Of course, you should be evaluating other factors of the coating product, as it's not entirely about the hardness scale. The quartz and SiO2 percentage will also have a part to play, as the silica within the compound is what will provide longevity to the coating. 

Going one way or the other, having a silica percentage too low or high can lead to the application and result being trickier than it should be.  

Always get a professional ceramic coating installer to complete this for you. They will know the correct formula to use, the balance between silica and fillers, so the compound doesn't become sticky or difficult to apply.  

Is a 9H Ceramic Coating Worth It? 

Despite being extremely effective, there's still a lot of uncertainty about ceramic coatings. There's a lack of education about how coating works, and it can protect your car. 

Some providers and manufacturers will attempt to blindly sell you this, but we believe in transparency. Ceramic Coating will not be for everyone, and here's why.

If you're a driver who uses your car regularly, every day for longer miles, and you care about the upkeep of the appearance, then you could benefit from Ceramic Coating. If the paintwork is kept in excellent condition and you regularly clean the exterior, then a coating will only add to your lifestyle and make the maintenance process easier.  

If you don't rely on your car as often, and you don't find yourself overly concerned about the level of cleanliness, then you can probably go without a coating. In this instance, a simple sealant or wax could provide you with what you're looking for. The same goes for any show cars that aren't regularly driven and don't need protection as of yet; a ceramic coating would be potentially wasted on those vehicles.  

However, we won't ignore the benefits of getting a coating, as it can protect better than any wax or sealant. You will be getting your money's worth for this process, and when done by a professional, you will be advised on how to keep the car looking as good as the day you drive it away. Many will offer warranties too.  

You will find that washing and cleaning your car will become easier once you've had a ceramic coating done, as it will repair dirt and water beyond any wax job you've had done. This means that no marks will be left from your washing.   

There's no promise that a coated car will not be scratched. It won't make your car completely scratch-proof, but it will significantly improve the strength and resistance against scratches. 

You will notice how much stronger the paintwork is, but it is still possible to get a scratch. Some marketing strategies in the industry will try to convince you that getting a ceramic coating will provide your car with indestructible armour, but that's not the case. 

Getting a coating will provide your car with long-term, quality protection against scratches, UV radiation and give you more hydrophobic properties.