What ceramic coating actually is
A ceramic coating is a liquid polymer that bonds to the clear coat and cures into a hard, slick layer. It is not a wax and it is not a sealant — it lasts years rather than weeks, sheds water rather than beading briefly, and makes the paint far easier to keep clean. It goes on last, over paint that has already been corrected, because a coating locks in whatever is underneath it.
What it will not do
A coating does not fill scratches, remove swirls or hide etching — it seals the surface as it finds it. That is why correction comes first, and why we assess before quoting rather than selling a coating to paint that is not ready for one.
Why it matters in Vancouver
The Lower Mainland is hard on paint: months of rain and film, brake dust from the bridges, tree sap and sea air on the North Shore side. Exterior water pauses below 2°C, which is rare on the coast; interior work runs year-round.
Where the work happens
We detail in driveways, curbside, strata visitor stalls, and office lots across downtown, Mount Pleasant, and the Broadway corridor, with building approval on file. Vans are self-contained, so they set up in a visitor stall, a surface lot, or approved street parking rather than entering a parkade.
Premium paint work needs more time and better light than a standard detail, so where the vehicle sits matters more than usual. A garage or covered bay is ideal; we will tell you at the assessment if your spot will not do the paint justice, rather than working around it and charging you for the result.
Areas we cover
Downtown & West End, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Broadway corridor, East Vancouver, UBC / Point Grey, Marpole, Dunbar & Kerrisdale and the rest of Metro Vancouver. Put your postal code into the checker on the Vancouver page and it will tell you honestly whether we reach you.
Local rules we work to
Metro Vancouver stormwater bylaws prohibit wash water reaching storm drains. Every Done Detail van reclaims 100% of its runoff into onboard capture tanks and disposes to sanitary sewer only — the reclaim rule is both the eco story and the legal ticket to operate in this city.
How a job runs
- Assessment first. We look at the paint — depth readings, what the defects actually are, whether the clear coat can take correction at all.
- A quote against what we found, not a package price. Correction and coating are quoted together, because doing one without the other rarely makes sense.
- Staged work. Cut only as far as the defect needs, then refine.
- Protection last, over paint that is ready for it.
Book an assessment
Premium paint work is quoted after we have seen the vehicle. Send us the car and where it is kept and we will tell you what is realistic — including when the honest answer is that a standard detail would serve you better.