Waxes, sealants, coatings… oh my! The paint protection industry is evolving every single day. New technology is pushing out new products faster and faster, and consumers now have so many options it can be a bit overwhelming. Today we are going to talk about one of those options, Gyeon CanCoat.
Gyeon CanCoat is essentially a coating in a can, designed to help you save time when protecting your paint! We all love coatings, the glossy look and durable protection they provide, but they can be time-consuming to apply. Gyeon set out to develop a product that will help you achieve the look you receive from a coating, all while saving you time during the application process. The protective layer left behind helps protect the paint from UV rays, strong chemicals, bird droppings, road salt and other road grime for up to 6 months. CanCoat will also provide extra depth to dark-colored paint, extra reflectivity to metallic paints and a super slick finish. Add on the amazing water beading and hydrophobic properties and you have yourself another winner in the Gyeon line of products.
Is it a Coating or a Sealant?
I’ve discovered that Can Coat is a bit of a unique product. In my opinion, it falls somewhere between the two categories. Can coat claims to provide many of the benefits of a true coating such as strong protection against chemicals, environmental contaminants, and UV rays, however it does not offer the same durability that most coatings can provide. Can Coat is like a more potent version of a spray sealant such as Gyeon Cure, but a less potent version of a coating like Gyeon Mohs. Can Coat may be applied on top of an existing coating or as a stand alone layer of protection.
A few characteristics of the product have caught me off guard throughout my testing. First, Can Coat will harden inside of the sprayer after use, ruining the sprayer. Second, if you are spraying the product onto an applicator or towel above or up wind of a panel and overspray lands on the car, wipe it off quickly! I realized far too late that some overspray had landed on my windshield, which was not an area that I was inspecting/wiping as I worked, and let me tell you, it took some effort to remove. With these two observations, I can say that this spray protection is certainly in a different league than your typical spray sealant, and is more along the lines of what you would expect from a proper coating.
Application
It is extremely important to ensure the vehicle is thoroughly cleaned. A proper car wash should be done at the very least. Use Gyeon Prep to ensure the surface is free of any oils and be certain that everything is completely dry before applying Can Coat. The paint should be cool to the touch prior to application. Do not work in direct sunlight.
I made some fundamental errors during my first attempt at using Can Coat. Since I had associated the product with other coatings, I treated it like a normal coating application. I sprayed the product onto a microfiber applicator and then spread the coating onto a section of the paint using overlapping, cross-hatch motions. I then wiped the residue away and moved on to the next section. This was easy enough, though I did notice some residual product or light streaking from time to time that required additional attention to completely remove. As I continued to work I began to understand that with this product, less is more. Over application provided no benefit. It just took more time, created more work, and made for a more stressful process.
Upon further review of the directions (yes, sometimes I fail to fully read the directions) I noticed that it is recommended to simply spray the coating onto a microfiber towel, wipe onto the paint, then immediately wipe away with a second towel. This proved to be the key to success. I was able to spread the product onto an entire panel with just one or two sprays onto a plush towel. The entire vehicle was coated in just 20 minutes. It was quick and painless. I had no issues with streaking and no smeary residue to battle. This application was as easy as using Gyeon Cure.
The results were gorgeous…
… and let’s not forget about my favorite part. Without further delay, I present to you, the beads!
Gyeon claims that Can Coat should be fully cured within 24 hours and it is best to avoid strong chemicals during the first week after application. Can Coat may be topped with Gyeon Cure if you wish. I recommend removing the sprayer from the bottle and cleaning it out with water after each use so you can re-use it. Store the bottle in a cool area with the cap secured in between uses.
I’ve been impressed with what I have seen from Can Coat. I have not been testing it long enough to comment on the extent of its durability claims, however Gyeon states it can last up to 6 months. With as easy as it is to apply, and as little product as I feel I have used, it seems like a great product to have around for boosting the protection and gloss on top of our coated vehicles from time to time.