When we had the clearcoat paint finish on a Grumman professionally ceramic coated by NuAero Detailing in Pennsylvania (and more test aircraft coated at other top detailing shops) we were surprised at the huge effort and cost that tagged along with the project. Does the finish really last for several years? Turns out the silicone dioxide—the main ingredient in ceramic coating and a component found in glass—is hard stuff and a good match for standing the test of time on an aircraft’s surface.
Three-year test
We used both the Sapphire V1 Nano and System X Diamond/Renegade products, which for a typical small piston might cost at least $600 (wholesale) just for the stuff itself. A little goes a long way, but at $150 per bottle of the Sapphire, it was a big invoice to coat a big turboprop single.