Posts by Mike

The True Cost and Value of Professional Ceramic Coatings Investing in a true professional-grade ceramic coating can carry a larger upfront cost than some expect. For others, considering what it protects, it’s a minor line item. Value is relative, but the tangible protection a high-grade coating offers is universal. Entry-level professional coating packages typically start…

And I’m not just saying that because I sell ceramic coatings. I sell ceramic coatings because I believe that. Today’s Modern Automotive Paint Systems They aren’t what they used to be. As with most things, the 1990s and early 2000s were peak times for automotive paint systems. But as time ticks on, the thick, hard,…

Ceramic coatings have been on the market for some time now. For over 12 years, ceramic coatings have been receiving a ton of attention, and rightfully so, for being highly durable, super long lasting, very strong layers of protection for your vehicles. Far superior in almost every way to waxes and sealants, ceramic coatings provide…

HD Bond is a process developed by Mike at Horizon Detail that utilizes specialized raw ingredients formulated to increase ceramic coating density and performance. Why HD Bond? Mike came up with the HD Bond Coat and HD Bond process because that’s simply the way he thinks. Pushing envelopes, always making things better. Ceramic coatings are…

The game has evolved. The way we protect paint has fundamentally shifted because the paint itself has fundamentally changed. If you’re still sticking to the “wax it every xx amount of months” routine, you’re playing a losing game. Modern Paint is “Alive” We are currently dealing with some of the thinnest paint systems in automotive…

Let me explain… Don’t get me wrong. I can answer your questions about polishing metal. I can actually do it pretty well, and I can certainly get you decent to great results in most cases. But if you have something advanced, something vintage, original, thinned out brass plating, or something that requires a true “master-level”…

Ceramic Coated Vehicles vs Non-Ceramic Coated We talk a lot about “hydrophobic properties” and “surface tension,” but sometimes a Northern Indiana winter does the explaining for us. We recently had a “lightbulb moment” in the shop parking lot. We were jockeying vehicles around after a fresh snowfall and noticed a striking contrast between two cars…

3rd Party vs Manufacturer’s vs In-House There’s a number of warranty options out there, shops advertising 3rd Party warranties, shops offering manufacturer’s warranties, and shops like us that offer in-house warranties. 3rd Party Warranties Some shops offer 3rd party warranties, which sounds great on paper, until you actually need to use one. The problem is…

Reinforcing the Finish: The Science of Molecular Rebar At our shop, we don’t just “apply” a coating; we developed an entire system designed to deliver a superior product and experience to our clients. To understand how our HD Bond™ and HD Strong Coat™ systems work, think of how concrete gets reinforced with rebar. Concrete on…

In the detailing world, there’s a big difference between knowing how to apply a product and knowing how that product actually works. Most people don’t know that I didn’t start by just opening a shop and hanging a sign. I started by getting under the hood of the industry itself, traveling the country, working with…