The roads in the DMV area are tough on vehicles. Highway debris, road salt, potholes, construction zones, and gravel are a constant presence — and every mile adds potential damage to your paint. Rock chips on the hood, scratches on the bumper, and etching from bird droppings and road tar all add up over time. Paint protection film is the only product that creates a physical barrier between your paint and all of it.
We are certified STEK PPF installers serving customers throughout Montgomery County, Maryland including Germantown, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Damascus, Clarksburg, and surrounding areas. Whether you want to protect just the high-impact front end or the entire vehicle, we’ll work with your specific goals and budget.
We chose to install STEK PPF specifically because of its performance and the confidence the product gives us in our work. Here’s what sets it apart:
STEK film is engineered for durability against the things that actually damage paint in everyday driving — UV rays, rock chips, road debris, bug splatter, and environmental contaminants. It won’t yellow over time and carries a 10-year manufacturer warranty.
The self-healing capability is one of the most impressive things about the product. Light scratches and swirl marks on the film’s surface disappear with heat — either from direct sunlight or a quick pass with a heat gun. The film essentially resets itself from minor everyday contact.
The clarity is excellent — properly installed STEK PPF is nearly invisible on the vehicle. It preserves the original color and finish without altering the appearance of the paint underneath.
Maintenance is straightforward. Dirt and contaminants don’t bond to the film the way they do to unprotected paint, which makes washing easier and keeps the car looking cleaner between washes.
For the highest level of protection, we recommend combining PPF with a ceramic coating applied on top — the PPF handles physical impact protection while the ceramic coating adds hydrophobic properties and makes the surface even easier to maintain. It’s what we’d do on our own vehicles.
Price is based on size, condition, and the type of coverage you’d like on your vehicle. We can work with what you specifically want!
Paint protection film is a thick, transparent urethane film applied directly to your vehicle’s painted surfaces. It acts as a physical barrier between the paint and the outside world — rock chips, road debris, bug splatter, bird droppings, minor abrasions, and UV exposure all hit the film instead of your paint. Unlike ceramic coating which is a chemical bond, PPF is a physical layer you can actually feel if you run your finger across the edge. It’s the most comprehensive paint protection available and the only product that can prevent rock chip damage.
Yes — STEK PPF has self-healing properties. Light scratches and swirl marks on the film’s surface disappear when heat is applied, either from the sun on a warm day or a heat gun. This means the film stays looking clear and pristine even after minor contact that would scratch an unprotected surface. It doesn’t heal deep gouges or cuts, but for the kind of everyday light scratching that accumulates over time it essentially resets itself.
STEK PPF comes with a 10-year manufacturer warranty. In practice, properly installed and maintained film can last the full decade and beyond. The main factors that affect longevity are how the car is washed, whether it’s garaged, and exposure to extreme weather conditions. Unlike wax or ceramic coating, PPF doesn’t require reapplication — it’s a one-time installation that protects for years.
They protect against completely different things and work best together. PPF is a physical film that absorbs impact — it’s the only thing that will stop a rock chip from damaging your paint. Ceramic coating is a chemical bond that repels water, contaminants, and UV rays and makes the car significantly easier to clean, but it won’t stop a rock chip. For maximum protection the ideal approach is PPF on high-impact areas combined with ceramic coating over the top — you get physical protection from PPF and the hydrophobic, self-cleaning properties of ceramic coating. Many of our customers do exactly this.
If you’re buying a new car or a vehicle you plan to keep for a long time, yes — especially on high-impact areas like the hood, front bumper, and fenders where rock chips are most likely. The cost of PPF on the front end of a vehicle is significantly less than a respray of those panels later. For luxury vehicles, sports cars, and daily drivers on highways where debris is a constant issue, it’s one of the most practical investments you can make. It also preserves resale value — a car with a protected, chip-free hood sells better than one that’s been hammered by five years of highway driving.
Any painted surface. The most common approach is front-end coverage — hood, front bumper, fenders, mirrors, and A-pillars — which are the areas that take the most impact from road debris. We also do partial coverage like hood-only or full vehicle wraps where every painted panel is covered. We can work with whatever level of coverage makes sense for your budget and how you use the car. Full vehicle PPF is the ultimate protection and is especially popular on new vehicles coming straight from the dealership.
Yes — and we recommend it. Applying ceramic coating over PPF gives you the best of both worlds. The PPF handles the physical protection against chips and impacts while the ceramic coating on top makes the film hydrophobic, easier to clean, and adds gloss. The ceramic coating also protects the PPF itself from contaminants and UV degradation, which extends the life of the film. This combination is what we recommend for customers who want the highest level of protection available.
It depends on the coverage. A hood-only installation can be done in a few hours. Front-end coverage including bumper, fenders, and mirrors typically takes a full day. Full vehicle PPF can take several days depending on the size and complexity of the vehicle. We’ll give you a specific timeline when you bring the car in — the prep work before installation is just as important as the installation itself and we don’t rush it.
The same basic principles as a ceramic-coated car — hand wash with pH-neutral soap, avoid automatic car washes with abrasive brushes, and dry with a clean microfiber towel. Avoid high-pressure washing directly at the film edges. Beyond that, PPF is genuinely low maintenance — that’s one of the main points of having it. We give every customer specific care instructions at pickup.
Our pricing starts at $1,500–$1,800 for front-end only coverage, $2,500 for front and sides, and $3,000–$7,000 for full vehicle coverage. The final cost depends on the vehicle size, its condition, and the specific panels you want covered. We’re certified STEK installers serving customers throughout Montgomery County including Germantown, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Damascus, Clarksburg, and surrounding areas. Reach out for a quote specific to your vehicle.
We provide the following services beside PPF:
