PPF (Paint Protection Film)

Paint Protection Film, or PPF, is quite different to a ceramic coating. Rather than creating an extremely thin protective layer over the paint, PPF is an actual physical film that's applied over the surface, giving your paint a sacrificial barrier between it and the outside world.

Modern PPF is generally a clear polyurethane based film and is considerably thicker than any ceramic coating. Its real strength is physical protection, helping protect the paint underneath from stone chips, light scratches, scuffs, bug damage and other everyday wear and tear. Many modern films also have self healing properties, where light marks and scratches in the film can disappear with warmth from the sun or hot water.

PPF isn't bulletproof though. A large enough stone can still penetrate it, edges can lift or collect dirt, and the film itself can become damaged. It also won't necessarily give you the same hydrophobicity, slickness or ease of cleaning that people associate with a good ceramic coating, although many newer films now have some of these properties built into their top layer. There are also PPF specific ceramic coatings that get put on top of PPF, but in my experience, they have a very shortened lifespan compared to a ceramic coating that gets applied straight to the paint.

The big advantage is that it's the film taking the punishment rather than your paint. If it becomes badly marked or damaged, it can generally be removed and replaced, with the original paint underneath remaining protected.

You also don't necessarily need to wrap the entire car. PPF is commonly applied to the areas most likely to suffer stone chips and damage, such as the front bumper, bonnet, front guards and mirrors, or you can have the whole vehicle covered if you want the maximum level of physical protection.

Like ceramic coatings, PPF still needs to be looked after. It needs regular washing and cleaning, and things like bird droppings, bugs and other contamination shouldn't simply be left sitting on it indefinitely. PPF reduces the amount of damage your paint is exposed to, but it doesn't make the car indestructible.

If you've opted for a "stealth" or matte/satin PPF, this will need to be treated the same as matte/satin/frozen paint, and as such will need some more specialised products for protection like our matte specific sealant, Flat Matte. We have a detailed and helpful guide for matte/satin finishes here.