Metal earns its place in a space the moment light starts moving across it. A warm brass line on a reception desk. A deep bronze plane behind a bar. A satin surface on a kitchen front that feels precise and calm. But once a project leaves the studio and enters daily life, the story shifts from appearance to endurance.
For architects, interior designers, and fabrication partners, the question is practical. How does an architectural metal finish hold up when it is touched, cleaned, and exposed to real conditions, from coastal air to high touch interiors.
This is where Modulux specifies LuxCoat Ceramic Clear as a top tier clear topcoat across our metal finishing systems, particularly when elevated resistance is non negotiable.
Two demanding environments, one performance requirement
Some finishes fail in the sea air. Others fail in the kitchen.
Along the shoreline, salt carried by wind settles into seams and edges. Humidity cycles through day and night. Exterior elements see UV, heat, and sudden temperature shifts. In this environment, a clear topcoat is the protective barrier that helps preserve the finish and the fabrication investment.
In high end kitchens, the stress is different but just as unforgiving. Cabinet fronts and panels are touched constantly. Rings, zippers, and utensils introduce daily abrasion. Cleaning is frequent. Light is often directional, which makes micro scratching visible. Here, the topcoat has one main role: keep the surface composed under contact.
LuxCoat Ceramic Clear is specified for both realities, because the requirement is the same. A finish that stays stable, readable, and refined over time.
What LuxCoat Ceramic Clear is
LuxCoat Ceramic Clear is a thin film ceramic clear topcoat designed to add a hard, resilient protective layer over architectural metal finishes, without muting the character of the surface.
It is used as the final protective step over:
It does not replace the finish. It protects the finish.
Scratch resistance for high touch architectural surfaces and kitchen fronts
Scratches are one of the fastest ways a finish stops looking architectural. They show up first where contact is constant: pull handles, elevator portals, reception surfaces, bar fronts, and especially high end kitchen fronts.
LuxCoat Ceramic Clear is selected for these zones because ceramic clear systems are engineered for elevated surface hardness and scratch resistance compared to conventional clear coats. Surface hardness is commonly evaluated through standardized methods such as pencil hardness testing. What matters on site is the outcome:
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Fewer visible micro scratches under raking light
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Better resilience in high contact areas
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A finish that keeps its quiet clarity between cleaning cycles
For kitchen fronts, this is the difference between a surface that looks pristine only on installation day, and a surface that continues to feel intentional in daily life.
Coastal weather resistance is a system, not a single layer
Coastal durability is often oversimplified. A topcoat helps, but performance is built as a coating system.
Modulux approaches exposure through four controls:
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Base finish selection aligned with substrate and environment
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Surface preparation with an edge and seam strategy
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Controlled application for consistent film build and cure discipline
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Sample validation that matches the real project build and geometry
This is why LuxCoat Ceramic Clear is positioned as the preferred topcoat when elevated durability is required, whether the stress is salt air or daily contact.
Where we specify LuxCoat Ceramic Clear
LuxCoat Ceramic Clear is recommended when a project includes:
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Direct proximity to the sea
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Exterior metal elements in coastal architecture
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High touch interior surfaces such as doors, portals, and reception desks
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Hospitality cleaning regimes with frequent wiping
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High end kitchen fronts and cabinetry where scratch resistance is essential
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Matte, satin, or high gloss aesthetics where reflectivity must remain stable
It is also the practical choice when designers want to specify a finish system with confidence and reduce long term aesthetic risk.
How to specify LuxCoat Ceramic Clear with confidence
A specifier friendly approach:
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Define the exposure category: interior high touch, kitchen fronts, exterior sheltered, exterior coastal direct
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Define the visual intent: matte softness, satin clarity, high gloss reflection
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Align maintenance expectations: cleaning protocol and likely wear patterns
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Confirm substrate and geometry: flat panels versus complex shapes, edges, reveals
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Request a sample that matches the real build: substrate, finish, and topcoat sheen
Every project is site specific. Every surface is a dialogue between design intent and environment.
A quiet conclusion
LuxCoat Ceramic Clear represents a disciplined approach to performance. It is the topcoat we use when the finish must perform like a material, not like a photograph. When a project sits near the sea and the metal must hold its composure. When a kitchen front is touched every day and still needs to read as intentional.
If you are developing a coastal project or a high touch interior element, we can help you define the right finish system and build a sample that answers the real question. Not how it looks today, but how it will look when it becomes part of life.