Ceramic coating.
The long protection.
A liquid polymer that bonds with your clear coat and protects it for years. UV, salt, scratch, and chemical resistance — the strongest paint protection short of film. One package for every car, priced by size.
A second skin
for your clear coat.
Ceramic coating is not a wax. Wax sits on top of paint, lasts weeks, and gets washed away by detergent. Ceramic coating chemically bonds with the clear coat and becomes part of the surface. Once cured, it's harder than the paint underneath, transparent enough that you can't see it, and water-repellent enough that rain beads off like mercury.
On the pencil-hardness scale, factory clear coat measures around 2H to 4H. Professional ceramic coating is around 9H. That difference is what stops the fine swirl marks from improper washing, the etching from bird droppings, and the dulling from UV exposure that wears Florida cars down over time.
The hydrophobic effect — water beading at 90+ degree contact angles — is the most-noticed feature, but it's not the most important one. The most important one is what you don't see: UV protection that keeps your paint from oxidizing, chemical resistance against bird droppings and tree sap that would otherwise etch unprotected paint within hours, and the sealing of micro-pores in the clear coat that absorb contaminants.
Hydrophobic effect on a freshly coated finish.
One package.
Every car.
We don't sell tiers or talk you into a bigger one. Every car gets the same professional ceramic coating, the same process, the same result. The only thing that changes is the price — and that's based purely on the size and value of your car.
Same coating for everyone.
From $800 priced by vehicle size — exact quote on-site
- Full hand wash and decontamination
- Clay-bar treatment to lift bonded contaminants
- Paint correction where it's needed
- Professional ceramic coating, hand-applied panel by panel
- 9H hardness, hydrophobic, UV and salt resistant
- Final inspection and a care guide for keeping it
- Same-day turnaround — drop off at 8 AM
Why the price changes by car.
A coupe and a three-row SUV are not the same job. A bigger vehicle has more square footage of paint, which means more product and more hours at the bench. A higher-value car often warrants more time on prep and correction so the finish is flawless under the coating. So the $800 starting point is for smaller cars, and it scales up from there with size and value. We don't guess at it over the phone — we look at the car and give you the exact number before any work starts.
Add-on coatings for wheels, glass, and trim are available and quoted at the same time. Warranty details are confirmed on-site with your quote.
Florida is the hardest climate
for paint in the country.
UV index in Palm Beach County averages 9+ for eight months of the year. Salt air rolls inland from the Atlantic and the Intracoastal. Humidity sits above 70% most days. Tropical storms bring sap, debris, and aggressive rain. Pollen season turns hoods yellow overnight. There is no harder paint environment in the continental United States.
A coated car in Florida holds its color and finish longer, washes faster, and resists the etching that turns five-year-old cars into ten-year-old-looking cars. For luxury vehicles, where paint condition is a meaningful component of resale value, the coating often pays for itself when the car is sold or traded.
For ceramic-coated Tesla owners, this is especially relevant — Tesla's factory paint is famously soft, and ceramic coating compensates for what the factory didn't do. We've coated dozens of Teslas. We know what works on the finish and what doesn't.
One day,
start to finish.
- 01
8 AM — drop off.
Bring the car in first thing. We do a walk-around together, confirm the work, and give you the exact price based on the size and condition of your car. Nothing starts until you've okayed the number.
- 02
Morning — prep and correction.
Hand wash, full decontamination with iron remover and clay-bar to lift embedded contaminants out of the clear coat. Paint inspection under specialty lighting. Paint correction where it's needed — this is the step that determines how good the coating will look.
- 03
Afternoon — application.
Coating applied panel by panel in a controlled environment, away from dust and direct sun. Each panel is coated, leveled, and buffed to a uniform finish, then given time to set.
- 04
Same day — pickup and care guide.
You take delivery the same day, and leave with a printed care guide and our recommended maintenance schedule. Coated cars do best with regular pH-neutral hand washes — we offer this at NPB and Riviera Beach.
Get a ceramic quote.
Start with photos.
Send us photos of your car through Calendly and we'll come back with an exact quote based on its size and condition. No pressure, no sales call.
Open Calendly →Or call NPB (561) 594-8140 · Jupiter (561) 261-2595 · Riviera (561) 329-4185
Ceramic coating,
fully explained.
What is ceramic coating?
Ceramic coating is a liquid polymer that bonds chemically with your car's clear coat to create a hard, transparent, hydrophobic layer of protection. Once cured, it forms a semi-permanent shield that lasts for years depending on the product and care. It's the strongest paint protection available short of paint protection film (PPF).
How much does ceramic coating cost in Palm Beach County?
Hector's offers one professional ceramic coating package for every car — the same coating, the same process, whether it's a compact or a full-size SUV. Pricing starts at $800 for smaller vehicles and goes up with the size and value of the car, because a larger vehicle takes more product and more time. We give every quote on-site, after we've seen the car. Bring it by or send photos through Calendly and we'll give you an exact number.
How long does ceramic coating take?
One day. Drop the car off at 8 AM and it's ready the same day. We wash, decontaminate, prep, correct the paint if it's needed, apply the coating, and let it set — all in a single day when you bring it in first thing. You'll get the exact pickup time when you book.
Is ceramic coating worth it in Florida?
For most Palm Beach County drivers, yes — possibly more than anywhere else in the country. Florida's combination of intense UV, salt air, humidity, and frequent rain is brutal on paint. Ceramic coating's UV protection alone can extend the life of your clear coat by years. The hydrophobic effect makes the car much easier to wash. Bird droppings and tree sap, which can etch unprotected paint in hours, slide off coated paint with a rinse. For luxury vehicles, leases, and any car you plan to keep more than two years, ceramic coating is among the best dollar-per-year protection investments available.
What's the difference between professional ceramic coating and the ceramic spray at the express wash?
Very different products. The ceramic spray at Jupiter's express wash is a wash-cycle additive — it adds a thin hydrophobic layer that lasts a few weeks before washing off. Professional ceramic coating is a chemically bonded polymer that lasts for years. The express spray is great for a temporary water-beading effect. The professional coating is a real paint protection system applied in a controlled environment. Same word, very different products.
Will ceramic coating prevent scratches?
It will prevent some scratches but not all. Ceramic coating is harder than your clear coat (around 9H on the pencil hardness scale), which means it resists swirl marks from improper washing and fine scratches from light contact. It will not prevent deep scratches from keys, shopping carts, or rocks. For full scratch prevention, paint protection film (PPF) is the better choice — and PPF and ceramic can be used together for maximum protection.
How do I wash a ceramic-coated car?
Wash regularly — every 1 to 2 weeks for daily drivers. Use a pH-neutral car wash soap. Avoid automatic brush washes (the express wash at Jupiter is conveyor with foam, not brushes, so it's coating-safe). Hand wash at Hector's NPB or Riviera is ideal. Avoid harsh cleaners and abrasive sponges. We give every ceramic customer a care guide at delivery and recommended products to maintain the coating.
How long does ceramic coating last?
A professional ceramic coating lasts for years — far longer than wax or the express ceramic spray — depending on the environment and how the car is maintained. Hector's uses coatings from established manufacturers. Warranty details are confirmed on-site when we give you the quote, so you know exactly what's covered before any work starts.
Do I need paint correction before ceramic coating?
Often, yes. Ceramic coating is transparent — it locks in whatever's underneath. If your paint has swirl marks, light scratches, water spots, or oxidation, the coating will preserve them for years. Paint correction is a polishing process that removes these defects before the coating goes on. We inspect every car and recommend correction only if it's needed. Cars with already-perfect paint (new vehicles, well-maintained older ones) often don't need it.
Can ceramic coating be applied to wheels, glass, and trim?
Yes. We offer ceramic coatings for wheels (which makes brake dust much easier to clean), windshield and side windows (which improves water beading at speed and reduces wiper wear), and exterior trim (which prevents plastic from fading and graying). These are add-ons to the main paint coating and can be quoted separately.
Protect your paint
for years.
Professional ceramic coating from $800. By appointment at any Hector's location.