By Robert Romero Jr.
Published
What decontamination is
A wash removes loose dirt. It does not remove the grit you still feel after the panel is clean. That grit is bonded contamination. Clay, with enough lubricant, shears it off. Chemical decontamination does the same job on iron fallout when the panel needs it. Dry clay, or a bar dragged across a dirty panel, adds the scratches you were trying to avoid.
The studio order is wash, then decontamination, then a decision about polish. What clay does is the short version of the bar itself. The full order is on the ceramic coating process.
Why it comes before coating
Coating over contamination gives you a layer that fails early and a panel that still feels rough. Paint surface preparation is the install this studio actually sells: the panel is washed, decontaminated, and corrected when the clear needs it, then coated indoors at 11692 Bricken Circle.
If the clear is swirled, clay is not the last step. Read why correction comes first. Clay does not remove swirls.
Where it happens
This is in-shop work. A windy driveway loads the lubricant with dust and then you drag that dust. The studio is in 78233. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Monday is closed.
Call (210) 201-4847 or schedule your shop ceramic coating consultation. The form does not hold the day. A 20% non-refundable deposit of the quoted total does.
Why the coating waits on a clean panel
Iron fallout, bonded minerals, and grit that survives a wash will sit under a coating if they are not removed first. The coating then locks them in. Decontamination is the wash, the chemical step where fallout is present, and clay when the panel still feels rough. It is not optional prep you skip to make an ad cheaper.
Correction is the next decision, not the same step. A smooth but swirled panel can still be a bad candidate for coating until you decide what to do about the swirls. We stop and re-quote if the paint is worse than described.
Call (210) 201-4847. All of this happens at 11692 Bricken Circle. Tuesday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Monday is closed. The deposit is 20% of the quoted total, calculated after the scope is clear.