Questions and answers · ICON Rocklear Ontario
The questions we get asked.
Twenty-one of them, answered the way a certified shop would answer them at the counter. If yours is not here, send it over.
The coating
FAQ / 01Is ICON Rocklear a ceramic coating?
ICON Rocklear is its own category. It was engineered in 2016 and reformulated most recently in 2023, and it is built to do three jobs at once: protect, correct, and stay easy to clean. Ceramic coatings came out of the early 2000s and have stayed largely the same since, focused on water beading and easier washing.
Is it an alternative to a ceramic coating?
ICON Rocklear corrects and protects in one step. With a ceramic coating, a repair means stripping the coating and correcting the paint again, which thins your clear coat every time. ICON Rocklear adds material instead of taking it away.
How thick is it?
Certified technicians build 63 microns, 2.5 mils, in a single application. Because it goes on thick, there is no need to cut into your clear coat first. ICON Rocklear only adds.
How strong is it?
A single layer puts 63 microns of protection on the car with 75x the tensile strength of a ceramic coating. That is what stands up to the everyday things: road debris, grit thrown off a truck, and actual car key scratches.
How glossy is it?
Because the coating goes on thick, it magnifies the depth of the paint underneath. It corrects while it protects, so swirls, scuffs and light scratches go under it rather than showing through it. What you see is your own paint, brought up.
How long does the coating last?
The automotive coating carries a 15-year automotive warranty, backed by lab and real-world testing against daily outdoor exposure. One install, no yearly re-coats.
On marine gelcoat the cover is seven years, built for saltwater, algae growth and constant UV. It also does well on travel trailers, race trailers and RVs, where the UV performance is what matters most on a large roof.
What it protects against.
Does ICON Rocklear have UV protection?
Yes. ASTM D4587 testing showed no change in appearance after 4,000 hours of extreme UV and condensation exposure.
Will it protect against road salt?
Yes. ASTM B117 salt spray testing: 1,000 hours with no visible change. That matters in Ontario, where salt is on the road five months of the year.
Will it protect my car from scratches?
It resists scratching, and when a scratch does happen it can usually be repaired. In lab testing a key was dragged across a half-coated panel: the bare side showed a clear scratch, and on the coated side the scratch was barely visible.
Minor swirl marks from washing often come out with a one-step paint correction. A serious scratch is repaired on the panel rather than by stripping the car back and starting again.
Will it protect me from rock chips?
ICON Rocklear was impact tested to ASTM D2794 at 120 in/lbs, so it takes far more of a hit than a thin coating will. For maximum rock chip protection, paint protection film is still the specialist product, and PPF can be applied over ICON Rocklear.
Stone chip damage is not covered under the coating warranty. The full exclusion list is on the warranty page.
Getting it installed
FAQ / 02What is the process, and how long does it take?
Installation takes one day, and your vehicle is ready for pickup the next. Full cure takes 30 days and you can drive it that whole time. Just do not wash it for the first seven days. The coating cures in any temperature, from -40°C to +40°C.
Can I apply ICON Rocklear myself?
ICON Rocklear is applied at licensed facilities by technicians who have been through installation training. The paint preparation and application is a seven part process carried out in a contaminant, temperature and humidity controlled environment. That control is what makes the finish last.
My car has scratches and pre-existing damage. Can it go over that?
Yes, and it is one of the main reasons people choose it. ICON Rocklear goes over damaged paint and covers swirls, scuffs, faded paint and scratches, while thickening and strengthening a clear coat that has gone thin.
My car has oxidation. Can it go over that?
Yes. Same answer: the coating goes over oxidised paint and covers it, and it builds the surface back up instead of cutting it down.
Can you apply PPF over ICON Rocklear?
Yes. If you want the maximum protection package, paint protection film can always be added on top afterward. Vinyl wraps and decals go on over it too, and the coating stays underneath acting as a barrier for your paint.
Can I paint over ICON Rocklear?
Yes. ICON Rocklear is body shop safe and can be painted over later. It does not need to be stripped off first. Ask your ICON Rocklear facility for the details before the work is booked in.
One install, no yearly re-coats.
FOUR SEASONS · COATED FINISH
Living with it.
Does it need annual servicing?
Your coating needs one inspection within 18 months of the install to keep the warranty active. That is the only scheduled service, and there are no yearly re-coats to buy. Plenty of owners book the inspection at the 30 day mark, once the coating has fully cured.
What do I use to look after the coating?
Regular car soap and water. No clay bars, no waxes, no sealants, no ceramic toppers.
Do I still need to wax the vehicle?
You do not. If you want to add a wax or a ceramic topper you can, though we advise against it because it dulls the finish. Either way, wait until the 30 day cure is done.
How long until I can wash it?
Wait seven days before the first wash. Light rain during that week is fine, just let it air dry.
Can I use an automatic car wash?
Avoid touch and automatic car washes, and the foam brush at a self-serve bay. Those brushes carry grit from every car washed before yours and can scratch a coating even after it has fully cured. That advice holds whether you have ICON Rocklear, PPF, or nothing at all.
Wash by hand with a mitt and two buckets where you can. A touchless automatic wash is fine. Nothing is scratch-proof, not even PPF.
Still have a question?
Ask your nearest certified shop, or send it to us and we will answer it. If it is about a vehicle you already own, tell us what you drive.
Contact ICON Ontario