What to actually buy · Standard 9H
Real products worth considering at this tier, with an honest note on each. Prices are approximate and vary by retailer.
Coverage and cost reference tables
Sizing a ceramic-coating job comes down to four variables: vehicle size, paint condition, coating tier, and coat count. These are the underlying numbers each one moves. Use them to sanity-check a quote or plan a purchase by hand.
Coverage by vehicle size
Coating spreads at roughly 1 ml per square foot per coat against paintable exterior area, rounded up to the nearest 5 ml. A standard kit holds about 450 ml; entry sprays about 300 ml.
| Vehicle | Paintable area | 1 coat | 2 coats | 3 coats | Kits at 2 coats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact / Hatchback | 175 sq ft | 175 ml (5.9 oz) | 350 ml (11.8 oz) | 525 ml (17.8 oz) | 1 |
| Sports / Coupe | 185 sq ft | 185 ml (6.3 oz) | 370 ml (12.5 oz) | 555 ml (18.8 oz) | 1 |
| Midsize Sedan | 200 sq ft | 200 ml (6.8 oz) | 400 ml (13.5 oz) | 600 ml (20.3 oz) | 1 |
| SUV / Crossover | 250 sq ft | 250 ml (8.5 oz) | 500 ml (16.9 oz) | 750 ml (25.4 oz) | 2 |
| Pickup Truck | 290 sq ft | 290 ml (9.8 oz) | 580 ml (19.6 oz) | 870 ml (29.4 oz) | 2 |
| Full-size SUV / Van | 340 sq ft | 340 ml (11.5 oz) | 680 ml (23.0 oz) | 1020 ml (34.5 oz) | 3 |
Anything from an SUV up usually needs a second kit at two coats. That extra kit is the most common reason a DIY estimate creeps toward pro pricing, so check the kit column before buying a single bottle.
Tier values and cost factors
Each tier carries its own realistic durability, kit price, and pro-install factor (dollars of pro labor per square foot, before correction). These are home-application figures, deliberately lower than the bottle's lab numbers.
| Tier | Chemistry | Realistic life | Kit price | Pro factor ($/sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry SiO₂ Spray | Spray sealant | ~1 yr | $25 | $3.50 |
| Standard 9H | Pro-am SiO₂ | ~3 yrs | $90 | $7.00 |
| Premium 9H+ | Multi-layer SiO₂ | ~5 yrs | $150 | $11.00 |
| Graphene | Graphene-infused | ~7 yrs | $190 | $14.00 |
A pro midpoint is the pro factor times paintable area, plus a paint-correction surcharge. A correction-ready midsize sedan in graphene runs about 200 × $14 = $2,800 before correction; the same car in standard runs about 200 × $7 = $1,400.
Paint condition factors
Paint condition never changes coverage, only prep. Worse paint scales the DIY tools kit and adds a per-square-foot correction surcharge to any pro quote.
| Factor | Good | Fair | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY tools multiplier (on $60 base) | ×1.0 | ×1.3 | ×1.7 |
| Pro correction surcharge | $1.00/sq ft | $3.00/sq ft | $6.00/sq ft |
Other fixed inputs: a $60 base DIY tools kit (clay bar, prep solution, applicator blocks, panel wipe), $25 flat consumables, and an assumed $30/month of wash-and-wax spend a coating replaces. Payback is coating cost divided by that $30, floored at one month. Lifetime savings run over the coating's own life span, so a coating that takes longer to pay back than it lasts gets flagged rather than dressed up as a saving.
Related concepts
- 9H hardness rating
- A pencil-scale scratch measure, not a longevity figure. Identical 9H ratings can have very different real-world lifespans.
- Paint correction
- Machine polishing that removes swirls and oxidation before coating. It is the main driver of pro pricing.
- Hydrophobicity and contact angle
- How tightly water beads and sheets off a coated panel, the property most owners actually notice.
- SiO₂ vs graphene
- Silica-based versus graphene-infused chemistry. Graphene trades a tighter application window for added heat handling and longevity.
- Topper and maintenance sprays
- Light SiO₂ refreshers applied over a base coating to extend its hydrophobic life between full re-coats.