STEK PPF Rough Surface

23_M50i_Guy · 11-20-2023, 07:18 AM

Hi all. Have a Carbon Black M50i and did the whole car with STEK gloss PPF. Added SB3 ceramic coating on the whole car. The passenger fender and hood have a rough feel to them. Rest of the car surface is smooth as silk. Any ideas on what could be going on here? Any advice on how to remove? Took back to installer and they clayed the areas...was slightly better but still way rougher...almost like sandpaper feel...I don't like doing harsh things like clay and/or polishing over the PPF/ceramic. I did have the car parked near a construction site where they were grinding concrete and saw dust clouds...could that be it? Whatever it is, any recommendations other than a PPF reinstall....?

Westside Guy · 11-20-2023, 09:59 AM

If it was residue from the construction site wouldn’t the entire car be affected?

23_M50i_Guy · 11-20-2023, 10:57 AM

Car was parked at an angle to the dust, exposing the passenger fender and hood to the direction of the dust. I'm wondering if the sun heated up the PPF and the concrete dust particles landed/etched into the PPF...what I can't figure out is how that would happen with a ceramic coating on the surface as well. That coating was only on for 5 months, so it should be pretty darn resilient I would think...don't know what to do to try to get the rough grit feel off the surface of the PPF now.

chris719 · 11-20-2023, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23_M50i_Guy

Car was parked at an angle to the dust, exposing the passenger fender and hood to the direction of the dust. I'm wondering if the sun heated up the PPF and the concrete dust particles landed/etched into the PPF...what I can't figure out is how that would happen with a ceramic coating on the surface as well. That coating was only on for 5 months, so it should be pretty darn resilient I would think...don't know what to do to try to get the rough grit feel off the surface of the PPF now.

Most ceramic coatings are just durable hydrophobic coatings. They don't really repel anything else. For example, water spotting is usually even worse after you get a ceramic coating. The protective properties are extremely oversold. If claying it doesn't work then you can try polishing with a PPF specific product like Gyeon PPF Renew, but replacement is probably your top option.

allinon72 · 11-20-2023, 05:59 PM

Whatever it is or what caused it, the PPF will have to be replaced on the affected areas.

shimmy23 · 11-21-2023, 10:19 AM

concrete dust is bad stuff and can ruin paint if left on. i'd imagine it getting on ppf then sitting in the heat would result in etching of some sort.

Pheonix · 11-21-2023, 10:49 AM

Bring it back to the installer and see if they will replace the affected areas under warranty. Of course, there might be some fine prints of warranty excluding such even. However, a reputable installer will try his best to make the customer happy.

11-20-2023, 07:18 AM	#1
23_M50i_Guy New Member 14 Rep 27 Posts Drives: X5M, X5 M50i Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: College Grove, TN iTrader: (0)	STEK PPF Rough Surface Hi all. Have a Carbon Black M50i and did the whole car with STEK gloss PPF. Added SB3 ceramic coating on the whole car. The passenger fender and hood have a rough feel to them. Rest of the car surface is smooth as silk. Any ideas on what could be going on here? Any advice on how to remove? Took back to installer and they clayed the areas...was slightly better but still way rougher...almost like sandpaper feel...I don't like doing harsh things like clay and/or polishing over the PPF/ceramic. I did have the car parked near a construction site where they were grinding concrete and saw dust clouds...could that be it? Whatever it is, any recommendations other than a PPF reinstall....?
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11-20-2023, 09:59 AM	#2
Westside Guy Brigadier General 5721 Rep 4,404 Posts Drives: 2022 Z4 M40i, 2021 228i GC Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Hallandale Beach, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2022 BMW Z4 M40i [9.81] 2021 BMW 228i Gran ... [7.83]	If it was residue from the construction site wouldn’t the entire car be affected?
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11-20-2023, 10:57 AM	#3
23_M50i_Guy New Member 14 Rep 27 Posts Drives: X5M, X5 M50i Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: College Grove, TN iTrader: (0)	Car was parked at an angle to the dust, exposing the passenger fender and hood to the direction of the dust. I'm wondering if the sun heated up the PPF and the concrete dust particles landed/etched into the PPF...what I can't figure out is how that would happen with a ceramic coating on the surface as well. That coating was only on for 5 months, so it should be pretty darn resilient I would think...don't know what to do to try to get the rough grit feel off the surface of the PPF now.
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11-20-2023, 05:59 PM	#5
allinon72 Brigadier General 4922 Rep 3,806 Posts Drives: 20' M2C, 23' X1 Join Date: May 2017 Location: Indianapolis, IN iTrader: (2)	Whatever it is or what caused it, the PPF will have to be replaced on the affected areas.
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11-21-2023, 10:19 AM	#6
shimmy23 F15 daddymobile 2350 Rep 3,510 Posts Drives: GS X5 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: WA iTrader: (3)	concrete dust is bad stuff and can ruin paint if left on. i'd imagine it getting on ppf then sitting in the heat would result in etching of some sort. __________________ -brandon F15 Glacier Silver journal
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11-21-2023, 10:49 AM	#7
Pheonix Major 378 Rep 1,001 Posts Drives: 2007 Z4 M Coupe 2012 e93 M3 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (8) Garage List 2007 BMW/Z4MC [0.00]	Bring it back to the installer and see if they will replace the affected areas under warranty. Of course, there might be some fine prints of warranty excluding such even. However, a reputable installer will try his best to make the customer happy.
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