You decided to ceramic coat your wheels facilitate their maintenance, protect them from contaminants, and preserve their shiny look. Thus, you may want to get the best ceramic coatings for wheels to cease brake dust, tar, salt, and road grime from bonding to the wheel surface and make the cleaning process much easier. Indeed, a ceramic coating will make your life easier, especially if your wheels boast an intricate design.
But since there are plenty of ceramic coating options on the market, you might be wondering which product will meet your needs. I tested some popular picks and put out detailed reviews to help you save time and money as you start looking for the best wheel ceramic coating.
How I tested wheel ceramic coatings
It’s an absolute nightmare to keep the black wheels of my SUV clean. So I decided to ceramic coat them and shared this experience with you.
I tested all the entries from my list to better understand which product provides the best results. I applied every ceramic coating product and then used a regular hose to check how water would bead up and what product would make the cleaning process easier.
During my test, I considered how long the wheel ceramic coating has to sit in the rim, whether it was easy to apply, and, of course, the price.
Best ceramic coating for wheels reviews
Chemical Guys HydroSlick IronX – best overall
The Chemical Guys HydroSlick ceramic coating will become your go-to solution for simplifying the cleaning process by combining ease of use and a brilliant shine.
The 16 oz bottle of this ceramic coating will deliver utmost protection against water spots, UV rays, and elements. It is suitable for glass, painted wheels, headlights, and chrome.
Unlike Graphene ceramic spray coating, this product boasts the latest SiO2 gel suspension technology, making it super easy to apply. Actually, you don’t need a lot of the product to cover the whole rim. I squeezed 5 dots of the gel onto the microfiber pad, and it allowed me to go over half of the wheel. Another perk of this ceramic coating is that you should keep the surface away from contaminants for at least 2-3 hours (ideally – 24 hours), which is less than in other products.
But I noticed that this ceramic coating doesn’t last long in real-world conditions. The manufacturer says it will deliver protection for at least a year, but the coating is going away after three car washes. Nevertheless, water still beads pretty well.
Chemical Guys HydroSlick is the best ceramic coating for wheels as it forms a great protective layer to shield the rims from elements, UV rays, and water spots in an easy-to-apply texture.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 473/16
- Item form: gel
Pros
- Innovative SiO2 gel texture for simple application
- Suitable for chromed and painted rims
- Significantly simplifies cleaning and protects from water spots
- You don’t need much of the product.
Cons
- Doesn’t last as long as supposed to.
Adam’s Polishes – budget
Effortlessly cover your vehicle’s rims with the nano-ceramic coating using Adam’s Polishes product.
The 12 oz spray works for all exterior elements, including glass, painted surfaces, chrome, unfinished metal, wheels, plastic trim, and more.
Compared to Chemical Guys HydroSlick with SiO2 gel suspension technology, this coating relies on graphene to seal your paint and protect it from elements. As a result, the coated surface becomes less prone to contamination, water spots, and scratches. The manufacturer states that this is their longest-lasting spray yet, and they promise up to one year of protection. That pledge didn’t work for me, and after six weeks, the coating started to come off. But it comes at a reasonable price, so I can’t blame the product.
The Adam’s Polishes ceramic coating was a breeze to apply and remove. UV tracing technology allows you to spot uncoated places with UV blue light. This ceramic coating also made it much easier to clean the rims. Of course, I still had to agitate the dirty spots to get rid of contaminants and brake dust, but not as much as I would have been forced without it.
Adam’s Polishes is the best budget ceramic coating for rims as it effectively protects the wheels from water spots and contamination within a wallet-friendly price range.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 354/12
- Item form: spray
Pros
- Suitable for most exterior surfaces
- Repels water and elements greatly
- UV tracing technology helps spot uncoated areas.
Cons
- Lasts only for 6 weeks in real-world use.
CARPRO CQUARTZ SiC
With the CARPRO CQUARTZ SiC kit, you get everything you need to effortlessly ceramic coat the rims and other surfaces of your vehicle.
This SiO2 (CQUARTZ) and Tio2 (Titanium) hybrid coating deliver superior gloss and resistance to oxidation. It is also infused with silica carbide and ceramic nano-particles to provide extra smoothness and resistance to salt, brake dust, and other contaminants. It works great at diminishing water spots as well.
Similar to GYEON Q2 RIM, the CARPRO CQUARTZ SiC comes in the form of a liquid. The 1.6 oz bottle also goes with an applicator block, five microfiber suede applicators, and three reflective hologram stickers to make the application super easy. Here is a tip from me: mind the flash time properly.
There won’t be enough bonding if it sits for too little time, and the coating will come off sooner than you expect. If you keep it on the surface for too long, there would be high spots that would be difficult to remove. So start with a small area to define how much time you will need for this or that surface.
This is a great DIY ceramic coating for chrome wheels, paint, plastics, and metals. It gives the rims brilliant shine and superior hydrophobic properties. This coating makes washing faster, and light dirt doesn’t stick to the surface.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 50/1.6
- Item form: liquid
Pros
- Includes everything you need to ceramic coat the wheels and entire car
- The enhanced formula provides great protective properties
- Works for plastic, wheels, chrome, and paint.
Cons
- You should carefully mind timing to get the best results.
GYEON Q2 RIM
Being specially designed to give your rims a more glossy look and protect them from harmful elements like salt, brake dust, and others, the GYEON Q2 RIM combines technology and user-friendly characteristics to help you get the desired effect.
The 1 oz GYEON Q2 RIM ceramic coating comes in the form of a thick liquid. You will need to apply only one layer to obtain the desired result without sweat. Apart from the bottle, the box also includes a manual, applicator, and four suede clothes.
You can apply this product to all finishes of rims, both glossy and matte. While CARPRO CQUARTZ SiC can tolerate only 392º F, the GYEON Q2 RIM coating has an endurance capability of 1472º F without losing its properties.
This coating went on easily, and it took me 40 minutes to coat one rim. But for no reason, the product showed zero stickiness. I followed the recommendations, and I just wiped it away after leaving it for 10 minutes.
Generally, since the GYEON Q2 RIM is specially designed for rims, it has high-temperature resistance and gives them a gorgeous shiny look.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 30/1
- Item form: liquid
Pros
- The thick liquid is easy to apply
- The coating tolerates 1472º F with maintaining all its properties
- Comes with the applicator and four suede clothes.
Cons
- Failed to stick to the rims.
Gtechniq C5
Being available in a 0,5 oz bottle, this liquid Gtechniq C5 Wheel Armour will cover the rim faces only of up to 17-inch wheels. As this coating withstands 1112ºF, it is suitable for all parts of the car’s rims and brake calipers, as well as gloss, satin, and matt rim finishes. It comes with an applicator to help you spread the coating easier and faster. The manual says that it will ensure up to two years of protection.
This coating is different, unlike Chemical Guys HydroSlick, which should sit for 2-5 minutes. The manual says to work with ½ of the wheel at a time for a good reason. If you leave the product for more than a minute, it will become sticky.
I also want to rivet your attention that your rims won’t be pristine clean. Brake dust still sticks to the wheels, and you will need to apply some force to get rid of it. But this process is much easier when the coating is on.
With Gtechniq C5 Wheel Armour, dust and contaminants won’t be building a strong connection with the wheel surface, so you will easily maintain the rims in good condition.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 15/0.5
- Item form: liquid
Pros
- Specially designed for rims and wheels, so ensures the operating temperature of 1112ºF
- Comes with an applicator for ease of use
- The 0,5 oz bottle will be enough to cover four 17-inch wheels.
Cons
- It doesn’t keep the rims pristine clean
- Watch the timing carefully – it becomes hard to remove if you let it sit for too long.
Chemical Guys Microfiber Applicator
How to ceramic coat wheels?
To ceramic coat the wheels, you’ve got to clean them, neutralize any debris, and eliminate surface flaws. You will want to remove all four wheels to make the job easier. Apply a wheel cleaner and then a car shampoo to get rid of any dirt. Scrub them with suds to clean stubborn debris. When the rim is clean, wipe it dry. Don’t forget to wipe the whole surface with the IPA spray (a blend of isopropyl alcohol). When all the prep steps are done, it’s time to apply the ceramic coating.
I suggest following the directions you will find in the wheel ceramic coating kit. But generally speaking, coat the barrel of the wheel first and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Then wipe the coating off with the microfiber buffing cloth. After this, place the wheel face up and coat other parts of the rim. Again, wipe the coating off in 5 minutes.
When all is done, you should allow at least 48 hours for the ceramic coating to stick to the rims, so you can put the wheels back and hit the road after two days of the coating application.
Pros and cons of using a wheel ceramic coating
Just like any coating, wheel ceramic coating has its pros and cons.
What you will like about wheel ceramic coating
The most significant advantage of the ceramic coating is that it doesn’t allow contaminants to set a strong bond with the surface, so it will be much easier for you to clean them away. It also gives the wheels a shiny look. Even your old rims will look like brand new ones and will entice with glossiness. It will also help avoid watermarks on a matte finish, but the satin wheels might get extra sheen.
What you might not like about wheel ceramic coating
Ceramic coating your vehicle wheels might be a pricey endeavor. On top of spending around $35-90 on a small bottle of the product, you might feel the need to hire a professional who will apply it for you (which is an extra $200). Coating the wheels is not that easy as this process requires jacking the car up, removing the wheels, preparing them for coating, and more. If you plan to do it yourself, get ready to allocate the whole day for that. Besides, you won’t be able to reattach the wheel for at least 48 hours, so you won’t be able to drive your vehicle for two days.
How to clean ceramic coated wheels?
It’s a myth that ceramic-coated wheels do not get dirty, so you will have to clean them regularly. But the cleaning process will become much easier as the coating doesn’t let dirt and contaminants stick heavily to the surface.
Do not wash the freshly coated wheels for at least two weeks. Use a pH-neutral and wax-free shampoo to clean the rims. When you are done with washing and scrubbing, do not forget to wipe the wheels with a soft microfiber drying towel.
