Applying Vinyl Graphics to vehicles w/Ceramic Coating on Paint

[Mark Van Dillen]

What is the best cleaner for vehicles w/aftermarket ceramic coating applied? We used soapy water and 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean the surface and could not get the masking tape to hold in place to mount graphic. Reverted to gorilla tape which held it in place. The Avery Wrap vinyl barely stuck. We just did one side and the customer is going to let us know. Anyone found a good solution?

 

[signage]

Isn't that Ceramic Coating to keep thing from sticking to the vehicle (road tar, bug, etc.). It is designed not to have anything to adhere so tell the customer they need to have it removed for vinyl to adhere properly. This is like trying to wax a vehicle then putting vinyl on not going to work very well!

 

[Billct2]

I would try something like Prepsol, an automotive wax & silicone remover. We get it from our local auto body supply house.

 

[Zendavor Signs]

What is the best cleaner for vehicles w/aftermarket ceramic coating applied? We used soapy water and 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean the surface and could not get the masking tape to hold in place to mount graphic. Reverted to gorilla tape which held it in place. The Avery Wrap vinyl barely stuck. We just did one side and the customer is going to let us know. Anyone found a good solution?

I would recommend putting it on the customer to get the dealer or a body shop to remove the coating so you can put graphics on. Otherwise you will own whatever damage you do to it.

 

[unclebun]

Take a look at this: https://www.torquedetail.com/blogs/ceramic-coating/how-to-remove-ceramic-coating#
Customer's responsibility to take the car back to whoever applied the ceramic coating to have it removed. The only reliable way is mechanical abrasion.

 

[Joe House]

Yup - What unclebun said - you have to buff that off with a polishing compound. It's a big job.

 

[CanuckSigns]

People pay thousands of dollars to have that stuff put on their cars, I would kick it back to the client to look after it or you could be on the hook for redoing it if something goes wrong.

 

[WYLDGFI]

That ceramic coating has been out there for boats now for a couple years and taking hold everywhere. The explanation I received on it is..."think of it as a long lasting wax coating" which for us is bad news. Like everyone else above said, it has to be mechanically removed.

 

[johnnysigns]

If seen folks use propane torches to flash windows that were ceramic coated and it seemed to remove the coating. No idea if it would work on paint, but it's worth testing out.