Over time, microcracks, corrosion damage and chips appear on the surface of the car. To give the car body a mirror shine, protection from the aggressive influence of temperature changes, high humidity and reagents on the roads, special polishes are used. One way to update the appearance and prevent damage to the paintwork is to apply liquid glass. You can do the surface treatment yourself, without using the services of a car dealership. To do this, you need to correctly select and apply a polishing compound.
Liquid glass for cars – what is it and what is it for?
Liquid glass for cars is a special product that restores the varnish coating of a car, filling all scratches and unevenness on the surface of the body.
And as a result, a strong, smooth protective film is formed on your body, which will prevent any minor substances from scratching or damaging your body.
What does liquid glass do for a car’s paintwork, besides adding shine?
As we said above, liquid glass not only creates a mirror effect on the surface of the body, but also protects from damage. But there are two more benefits from polishing a car with liquid glass:
- It can also be used to polish headlights; it is an excellent replacement for varnish.
- After covering a car with liquid glass, the need for frequent washing is reduced, the surface of the body becomes less susceptible to various contaminants, if you still notice any traces of dirt, you can simply wipe it with a rag soaked in water and the shine of your vehicle will return. And now the rain will not be scary, because there are no smudges left on the liquid glass.
So is it worth the bother?
Making liquid glass with your own hands is not justified (purely our opinion). This requires serious knowledge, complex reagents and equipment. It is also important to know the correct composition of such a polish.
It’s easier to buy the product and do the work yourself, without going to a car service (it’s cheaper).
As you have seen, this is not difficult to do, the main thing is to adhere to the rules that we described above.
If you managed to make liquid glass, write about it in the comments, everyone will be interested in how you managed to do it.
Why cover a car with “liquid glass” and not with silicon dioxide?
Initially, “liquid glass” should have been called silicon dioxide, since it is the main component in the composition - 10-25%, and silicon dioxide is also considered the main element that protects the surface from damage and adds shine to the body. Therefore, initially “liquid glass” was supposed to be called silicon dioxide, but marketers came up with a new name to attract more customers, because protecting a car with liquid glass sounds better and more attractive than protecting a car with silicon dioxide.
Types of compositions for processing
Coating a car with liquid glass begins with choosing the desired composition. It is sold in stores as:
- pastes;
- liquids;
- polishes.
Based on application methods, ceramics are divided into:
- Professional. Apply only under special conditions and with the participation of professional equipment. The process is carried out by craftsmen with special skills. Such compounds are not suitable for filling the body yourself - the owner will simply ruin the car.
- Household. The product is easy to apply independently and does not require any special skills. The most common is one-component liquid glass - it is immediately ready for application. There are also two-component formulations on sale that require pre-mixing.
Important! Regular polishes are often sold labeled “liquid glass”. If you look closely at the description on the packaging, it will be obvious - manufacturers note that the polish has the effect of liquid glass, implying the formation of a noticeable gloss, and not an increase in protective properties.
Differences between liquid glass and ceramics.
Many people ask the question “liquid glass or ceramics for cars”? Let’s look at the main advantages of liquid glass:
- Effective protection against minor scratches, it is like protective glass on a phone; if you drop it, the glass will crumble, but the phone screen will be intact.
- Increased shine.
- UV protection, the car will retain its color much longer.
- Dirt-repellent and water-repellent property.
Ceramics has exactly the same properties, only it lasts longer than liquid glass and hits car owners hard on their wallets.
Prominent representatives and cost
Liquid glass is presented in a wide range on the automotive market and is not cheap. Yes, you can find junk Chinese consumer goods of different colors and stripes, but you will simply throw your money away and waste a lot of nerves applying something incomprehensible (and sometimes dangerous) to the body of your car.
First, let's figure out how much liquid glass for cars costs. The price of a regular middle-class polish does not rise above 700 rubles per 100 ml. There are, of course, more expensive ones, but they already come with all sorts of additional effects, such as snow on the body, mirrors, a chameleon and other “tricks”.
The best liquid glass in the middle price segment.
For those who will be covering their car with this product for the first time, they may be faced with the question “which liquid glass is best for cars?” We have selected for you the highest quality, most popular and at the right price, and we will figure it out together with you now.
HKC Ceramic Coating 2.2.
Ceramic protective coating for car body HKC Ceramic Coating is the market leader in ceramic coatings for car body. It makes the car's paintwork harder and creates a protective layer on the car's varnish - which performs full protective functions, while giving it a gorgeous shine! Two coats give an additional layer of protection and create depth of color! The car takes on a juicy look, a candy effect, and a wet shine!
Price: 13,500 rubles
Soft 99 Glass Coating H-7.
A coating based on liquid glass, which is used to protect objects under extreme use: boats, vending machines, trains, road signs, etc. N-7 reliably protects against aggressive environmental influences: rain, snow, dirt, sea water and abrasive effects. Now a coating designed for the professional industrial market is available to car enthusiasts. H-7 creates a hard protective shell based on silicon oxide on the car body, which is highly resistant to abrasive and chemical influences, gives the body an excellent shine, while being absolutely safe for paintwork and retaining its protective properties for up to one year.
Price: 6500 rubles
Gyeon Q2 Prime.
The Q² prime kit is a high-quality, ultra-durable quartz car coating that has not only durability, but also excellent hydrophobic properties. The applied quartz coating q² prime retains its protective properties for up to 12 months or 20 thousand km. This sets new standards for paint protection. Q² prime quartz coating is applicable over a wide range of temperatures, making the product the most all-season automotive protection on the market. Application is possible from 5 to 30 degrees Celsius. One of the most important distinguishing characteristics of q² prime compared to other protective coatings is its unsurpassed self-cleaning ability. Water and dirt do not linger on the coating, they quickly drain without leaving smudges or streaks. This allows you to significantly increase the intervals between washes.
Price: 5000 rubles
Ceramic Pro 9h
A chemical composition intended only for professional use in specialized detailing centers that protects the car body from scratches, reagents, sunlight, water and dirt, which gives the car’s paintwork a caramel color and lasts for a period of 36 months. The nanoceramic coating is applied in several layers (1-12), each layer increases the thickness of the paintwork to 2 microns.
Price: 15,000 rubles
Willson silane guard
This is Japanese liquid glass for cars, suitable for all colors and shades. Retains the original, bright and rich body color. Creates a caramel effect - wet gloss and a certain aura around the car. Durable, silicone polymer film reinforced with silicon dioxide (SiO₂) reliably protects against minor scratches during mechanical and hand washes. Protects the paintwork from the aggressive effects of salt reagents in the winter and highly alkaline shampoos during contactless car washes.
Price: 4000 rubles
These liquid glasses can be found in car dealerships or on the Internet. If you want to cover your car with liquid glass yourself, then it is better to use semi-professional products.
Price issue
Liquid glass is much more expensive compared to other car polishes - the price of nano-material ranges from 3-6 thousand rubles. And yet this should not discourage you from purchasing it, since such protection lasts tens of times longer. In addition, carrying out the work yourself, combined with the absence of the need to buy special tools, will allow you to achieve significant savings. Finally, if you look hard enough, you can find a fairly high-quality processing kit that costs no more than 2,000 rubles.
How much will you have to pay for the same service at a car service? The cost is influenced by many factors, but it is largely determined by the preparatory work and the area of the body. For example, in the regions, the application of liquid glass is estimated at 10 thousand rubles, but in Moscow you can part with 40 thousand rubles. At the same time, both regional and metropolitan specialists, in addition to the size of the vehicle itself, always take into account the condition of the paintwork.
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Reviews from car owners about liquid glass treatment
I went through the reviews that people write about these products. If you are also interested, read below.
Liquid glass “Willson silane guard” for cars, owner reviews:
Advantages and disadvantages
Unsurpassed body protection even from serious scratches
Unsurpassed shine for six months.
Burnout protection
Cool as a favor for your favorite iron horse, especially for the winter
To achieve the most lasting effect, it is advisable to do it in a workshop where all the conditions and nuances of application will be met, and this is a considerable price.
Low plastic properties, so in a collision there is a possibility that the coating will simply crack.
In severe frost there is also a risk of cracking of the coating (although these are isolated cases).
It is better to wash a car simply with water, without a brush or rag, since chemical detergents reduce the strength of an already thin layer (about 3 microns).
It crystallizes within 6-12 hours, and you can wash the car only after a week.
Liquid glass Gyeon Q2 Prime reviews:
One of the most important distinguishing characteristics of Q2 PRIME compared to other protective coatings is its unrivaled self-cleaning ability. Water and dirt do not linger on the coating, they quickly drain without leaving smudges or streaks. This allows you to significantly increase the intervals between washes.
Q2 PRIME provides an incomparable shine, especially on metallic finishes. The composition not only restores the original shine, but also enhances it many times over, making it almost mirror-like.
Like all GYEON the Q2 PRIME protective layer is completely resistant to any external chemical attack with a pH of 2 to 11.
Liquid glass Ceramic Pro 9h reviews:
Advantages and disadvantages
100% protection, shine, hydrophobia
Not detected
Alexander
Good day, I read a bunch of negative reviews, but I can agree that perhaps this is really so, but there is a small but, I was trained in applying 9H ceramics, and I can say the effect depends not only on the number of layers but also on the skill of application, on external factors (dampness, cold , heat, etc.) and often experts do not take these factors into account, I’ll be honest, this product is very good, but it all just depends on the skill of the person who applies Ceramic Pro 9H. I personally check after the car goes through this procedure, after 2 weeks, for protection from scratches and chips, how and what, in principle, there is no point in explaining, and I give it a big plus!
Liquid glass Soft99 Glass Coating H-7 reviews:
Advantages and disadvantages
Several times stronger than regular polish
The hydrophobic effect promotes self-cleaning, that is, it becomes resistant to water and dirt, so the car will be cleaner in the rain;
Increases resistance to accidental scratches;
Protection from those who like to paint on the body;
Anti-rain and anti-ice effect;
Bright mirror shine;
The color of the paintwork will retain its original appearance longer. Not only because it reduces the impact of ultraviolet radiation, but also because it protects the varnish from being eaten away by bird droppings and acidic urban rain.
In some cases, pre-treatment with a sander is required, so additional cash may be required. To achieve the most lasting effect, it is advisable to do it in a workshop where all the conditions and nuances of application will be met, and this is a considerable price.
Low plastic properties, so in a collision there is a possibility that the coating will simply crack. Plus, in severe frost there is also a threat of cracking of the coating (although these are isolated cases).
It is better to wash a car simply with water, without a brush or rag, since chemical detergents reduce the strength of an already thin layer (about 3 microns).
It crystallizes within 6-12 hours, and you can wash the car only after a week.
Liquid glass HKC Ceramic Coating 2.2 reviews
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the product from HKC include the high strength and wear resistance of the coating. It can last for more than a year keeping the paintwork shiny and protected.
Among the disadvantages, the high price and labor-intensive application technology are primarily noted. Also noteworthy is the fact that color saturation lasts for a long time. It usually takes up to 10 days for full development.
Although HKC Ceramic Coating 2.2 is easy to apply and polish. It should be noted that to obtain a high-quality protective coating, a well-ventilated warm box is required so that the thick film adheres well to the paintwork and dries in 12 hours. The interval between applying thin sections should be at least 1.5 hours. That is, to complete the recommended 3 passes, it takes more than 4.5 hours. Therefore, if you have chosen such expensive liquid glass, then it is better to contact professionals who will do all the necessary work with a guarantee.
ZhS application technology
Before you begin, you need to take into account a number of specific nuances of using the composition on the body surface:
- To be sure of the result, you first need to check the interaction of the composition with the surface. If the polish does not adhere well, you should remove its traces and clean the body again, at the same time checking the instructions for diluting the component.
- It is better to apply in small areas, carefully processing each detail. First treat the hood, then immediately rub it with a cloth, and only then move on to another part of the body. Otherwise, the polish will begin to dry out and rubbing it will become very problematic;
- You can't hesitate. The polish begins to dry out very quickly, so it is better not to stretch the treatment;
- You need to rub the product with a soft material and in a circular motion to avoid streaks;
- It is necessary to carefully monitor the presence of dust and dirt;
- To save time and effort, you can use a grinding machine. On the body surface, it will be optimal to use a soft nozzle and work at medium speed. To prevent the surface from heating up, you do not need to lean heavily on the tool during operation. If desired, you can use a screwdriver or drill with a polishing attachment.
After application is completed, the car body must dry, which on average takes about 4-7 hours. This time is necessary for primary polymerization, and the product will completely harden two weeks after treatment. During this period of time, it is recommended to exclude washing the car either manually or in a car wash. In the future, it is better to give preference to contactless washing to prevent mechanical and chemical damage to the polish.
The best liquid glass from AliExpress.
There are many analogues that you will not find in stores or on the Internet, and if you find them, the price will be quite high, so we provide you with the top 5 liquid glass for cars from AliExpress.
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5th place - DPRO DF-100
Price: from 1117.54 rub.
Seller reliability: excellent! Delivery within Russia: free!
Premium liquid glass from the famous Chinese brand Dpro is a colorless liquid of 30 ml and 12 ml. Included with the bottle you can find a sponge, cloth and polishing cloth. Judging by the reviews, the application of this car cosmetics is simple and does not require additional preparation. The seller offers to choose the appropriate volume. Depending on the bottle you choose (they are labeled as H, T, E, A, F) you will receive a long-lasting coating that will last from 8 to 18 months.
Customer reviews:
Semyon
Very fast shipping, much faster than other sellers on AliExpress. Very well packed in several layers. The goods arrived in Germany safe and sound. Now used on my Skoda Superb 1.
Georgiy
Easy to apply. My car is now like a mirror, water blows out while driving. The bottle arrived full. I recommend.
Valery
Car mechanic, driving experience 15 years.
The product corresponds to its description! I received a set of ceramics from DPRO 9H with delivery from the Russian Federation. Despite the very long delivery of the parcel, everything arrived in proper form, the box and its contents were safe and sound. I haven’t checked it yet, I’m waiting for the heat. I hope for a great result! I recommend for purchase.
4th place – Liquid glass JLEC WF001
Price: from 1154.87 rub.
Seller reliability: excellent!
Delivery within Russia: paid!
Liquid glass with a pronounced hydrophobic coating will improve the appearance of your iron horse. A 100 ml bottle is enough for any body size. Judging by the reviews, the product is considered quite durable. Before applying, you need to wash the car. The coating is easy to use; everything needed for its application is included in the kit. Service life – up to 20 contactless washes. Be sure to take note of this proven tool!
Customer reviews:
Anatoly
This is my 2nd order from this seller. Processed a motorcycle. I thought it was a rare piece of garbage, and nothing would have any effect. I applied 5 layers of this miracle crap, the color became darker and obvious water adhesion to the surface appeared. In general, I did not expect success. But it so happened that someone bad scratched the plastic on my motorcycle, the scratch turned out to be on the ceramics, and did not touch the paint itself. So, even though it’s crap, it’s still there.
Semyon
I received the parcel and have not tried it. According to the tracking, only a message was received when the parcel is ready for delivery at the post office 19. Polishes perfectly. The bottle is large.
Victor
The product is normally packaged well, I haven’t tested it in action, the only negative is that it took a very long time. At the same time I ordered a screen for the phone, the screen did not fit the phone, a week later I ordered another and the second screen arrived earlier than this liquid glass. The glass itself is fire!
3rd place - Liquid glass CARPRIE
Price: from 378.74 rub.
Seller reliability: excellent!
Delivery within Russia: free!
This is an excellent budget car cosmetics that will perfectly polish the car body, protect it from small chips and give a mirror effect. Liquid glass from XOPIP is sold in a 30 ml bottle, the set includes a sponge and a cloth for polishing the product. This volume is definitely enough for the whole car. Application is extremely simple; you do not need additional surface preparation. The coating will last on your car for 3 to 5 years. Before you start using, be sure to read the instructions, it comes with the liquid glass. The manufacturer draws attention to the fact that it is not recommended to use the car until it dries completely - which is 10-12 days.
Customer reviews:
Lech
It arrived safe and sound))). We'll check it in the spring...before that I also took this ceramics. One bottle is enough for three times. Peace for everyone!!!
Valentine
Worth the money! The product arrived quickly, the packaging was good and undamaged. The effect after use is simply amazing! Like a mirror!
Seryoga
The bottle is closed well, no liquid leaked out. Its volume is enough for a hood or roof. If it matches what is stated, you will have to buy 4-5 more pieces.
2nd place – Liquid glass SIKEO ANTI-SCRATCH
Price: 502.02 rub.
Seller reliability: excellent.
Delivery within Russia: paid.
This polish is positioned as a nanocrystalline coating to protect the car from sunlight, heavy rain and various damaging factors. The polish is heat-resistant, does not deteriorate due to oxidation, makes the body brighter, and is characterized by maximum hardness. The product actually repairs small and medium-sized defects on metal thanks to its “anti-scratch” effect. In addition, the polish has an anti-corrosion effect - it prevents the body from rusting. It is not suitable only for those who like a shiny car, since after a couple of days the coating becomes matte.
Customer reviews:
Micah
It arrived very quickly, well done seller. But a quarter of the bottle spilled out. Please ask the seller to check before sending. I'll try it on the car and add a review.
1st place - Liquid glass AUTO CARE BPAP 41
Price: 826.96 rub.
Seller reliability: excellent.
Delivery to Russia: free.
Superhydrophobic “liquid glass” polish of this brand is another popular representative of Chinese auto chemical goods. The composition with a hardness of H9 is made on the basis of polysiloxane and other glass-forming oxides in nanoform. The polish protects the car for up to six months from all unfavorable factors:
Customer reviews:
Alex
Works! I applied it, before applying it I went through it with clay and a degreaser, now the paint looks better and the water runs off, I don’t know how long it will last, but so far it’s no worse than the budget version of Willson and the Russian Krytex.
Review No. 2: Actually a real thing. Color depth is guaranteed. Cheap and cheerful
Review No. 3: Ordered 11/11/2019 - received 12/14/2019. The parcel arrived within 33 days from the date of order. Delivery is tracked. Very well packaged - suitable as a gift. I haven't tried it yet. I will write an additional review if anything is wrong after I try it. At the moment I recommend the seller.
Here are the top 5 best liquid glass for cars from Aliexpress, decide for yourself which one suits you best.
Apply polish
After all the preparations, and if you are performing this procedure for the first time, it is better to select a small area of the body and test the existing composition on it. Judging by the reviews of liquid glass for cars, some owners were in for great disappointment.
The first thing that domestic car enthusiasts constantly encounter is fakes. When buying similar cosmetics on the market from an unfamiliar seller, you run a high risk of running into counterfeit products. In this case, the most you can count on is a beautiful polish that will come off in a couple of weeks, but otherwise, it’s a pig in a poke. Therefore, it is better to buy such compounds in branded and trusted retail outlets that care about their reputation and customers.
Liquid glass application process
First you need to choose a room in which you will cover your car with liquid glass, but the room should be:
- Dry, air humidity 40-50% (a garage will do; you won’t be able to do anything outside)
- The temperature should be 15-20 degrees.
- Ventilation. Forced air draft. This will reduce the dust content in the air.
- For better processing of car liquid glass, good lighting is necessary.
If everything is ready, we begin processing the body with liquid glass:
- Apply a small amount of this product to the prepared enamel. To work, select small areas and process sequentially one after another. Proceed to another area when one is completely covered with an even layer.
- When the base layer is completely distributed throughout the car, begin rubbing with a soft material or sponge (most liquid glass comes with a sponge included). This method does not allow the component to dry out quickly.
- Treat the entire body of the car in this way and then leave it for 5-7 hours so that the liquid glass reacts with the car.
So you have covered your car with liquid glass. All that remains is to find out how to care for her now.
Features of applying cosmetics
Next are the effects. When choosing liquid glass, you can find compositions with some kind of addition. That is, mirror effects, gamma dimming or other “tricks” can be added to the ordinary color of your body. On the box it all looks impressive, but in reality it can look completely different. So it’s best to try liquid glass on a small area of the body, and only then treat the entire car. It should also be noted that such products are available in two versions - for dark and light coatings.
The process itself is similar to washing: we take a napkin and carefully “wash” the car without missing a single section. There is no need to rub the composition vigorously, like a regular polish. After you pass a napkin over the body, it will change its color scheme and quality characteristics, so it is quite difficult to miss certain areas. And liquid glass adheres to car paint much better than simple polish.
After applying cosmetics, you need to give it time to set. Most Japanese polishes require at least six hours for the composition to acquire performance characteristics. Therefore, after completing the work, you need to leave the car alone and let the chemicals do their job.
Advantages and disadvantages
Flaws:
- The biggest disadvantage is the high price of glass;
- The need to make allowances for the fragility of the coating during vehicle operation;
- If glass application technology is not followed, the consequences can be disastrous and money can be irretrievably lost.
Advantages:
- Improves the appearance of the car;
- The color of the coating becomes deeper;
- Increases shine;
- Glass coating has a long period of validity - from 0.5 to 1.5 years;
- The hydrophobic effect of glass makes car care easier;
- Dust accumulation is reduced due to the antistatic properties of the material;
- The external environment affects the coating, and the paint underneath remains unharmed;
- To repair or replace individual parts of the car, it is not necessary to completely remove the glass, because The glass coating is completely transparent and the color of the car will remain unchanged.
Materials and tools
To properly coat a car with liquid glass, you need to stock up on all the necessary tools and materials in advance. For this you will need:
- sponge and brush for pre-washing the body;
- car shampoo;
- a towel for wiping the surface dry;
- clay for cleaning the body from bitumen stains and other inclusions;
- degreaser;
- the polish itself and microfiber (often supplied in the kit).
If a spray polish is selected, a manual spray attachment is usually sold together. For formulations in bottles, direct application to rags is also acceptable, so no other equipment is required. If a two-component product (with a hardener) is used, prepare a container for mixing and a spatula or spoon for manipulation.
results
Now you know how to properly treat your car with a protective agent. And it doesn’t matter whether you prepare it yourself or buy it ready-made - the main thing is not to violate the application technology .
And remember: you can wash your car after treatment no earlier than two weeks later.
And then your car will not only shine like new, but will also be protected from dirt, dust and minor damage for a long time. The polishing and preparation processes can be seen in the video.
Advantages and disadvantages
After polishing, the car takes on the appearance of a shiny new car that has just rolled off the assembly line. This polishing effect can be achieved thanks to the numerous advantages of the substance. These include:
- the low cost of the product is one of its main advantages;
- resistance to heat and ultraviolet radiation - even if the car is left in the open sun for a long time, the coating will not lose its properties;
- transparency of the material - due to which the shine and color of the car is given;
- the hardness of the product after hardening - protects the car from external influences;
- ease of application - the polish is easily and quickly applied to the surface of the car;
- long service life - the coating will last at least one year, even under unfavorable operating conditions, if the application technique has been followed.
Liquid glass, like any product, has not only advantages, but also a number of disadvantages. Among them:
- low ductility - the protective coating can crack if accidentally hit;
- instability to low temperatures - the substance loses its properties in the cold.
After applying the coating, a car polished with liquid glass can only be washed with water.
Washing the car using special chemicals can damage the applied coating.
Also, when washing, do not rub the surface of the car with brushes and rough rags.
