When you buy a new car, chances are you always want it to look like the first time you laid your eyes on it. You never want it to change.
In order for this to happen you need to take care of your care and protecting your paint from the unwanted scratches and force of nature is the first thing you must do. There are a couple of ways to protect the exterior of your car and in this quick guide we will discuss about protective films or “clear bra”.
What is PPF and What It Does for Your Car
PPF or Paint Protection Film is known by names: Clear Mask, Clear wrap, Invisible Shield, and Clear Bra. In this article we will refer to it as PPF or Clear Bra.
The main purpose of a PPF is to ensure that your car retains its brand new looks for a long period of time. This is all PPF is made to do. It is however the most complete form of defence between your surroundings and the appearance of your car.
A clear bra coating will usually have high resistance and it will prevent the paint from scratches and chips cause by debris. PPF is made out of urethane and this film is resistance to acidic contaminants as well. So apart from chips and scratches a PPF coating can also help prevent your car against acid rain, bird droppings, UV rays, bug splutter and mineral deposits.
The top layer of a clear bra is also self-healing. This means that if someone deliberately tries to scratch your car. The elastomeric polymer layer will absorb this and will stretch but then later return to a natural state.
However, this not miracle coating either. Heavy scratches can sometime puncture the film and bird droppings can corrode if left for too long on the surface. So, this is not a one stop defence solution.
However it is definitely worth the investment so try it out now.
How is PPF made?
Before wrapping you brand new vehicle in a mysterious coating I’m sure you’ll want to know what it is made of.
The main ingredient of a PPF is urethane. It is a lightweight and transparent compound made from carbamate links. It is very much different to plastic even though it is both transparent and lightweight. Urethane is also used in household caulk. This is the thing used to line your bathroom tiles because it prevents the growth of fungus and seals moisture.
Apart from the urethane layer, a PPF has 2 or 3 other layers. There is an elastomeric polymer layer which has self-healing abilities mentioned above. Apart from this property the clear coat on top also prevents things like bird dropping from interfering with the main urethane film.
The second layer is usually made out of an acrylic adhesive which give the film its flexible properties. This is vital because the film has to stretch and contour every angle of your vehicle.
Even though there are other solutions to protecting the exterior of your vehicle, a clear bra coating is the most comprehensive and long-term solution available.
