Abstract: A protective coating is made by polymerizing at ambient temperatures a silicon-oxygen bond compound selected from a group consisting of oxysilanes having side groups selected from the group consisting hydrogen and alkyl, aryl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl and hydroxyalkoxyalkyl groups containing up to six carbon atoms, where there are at least two hydrolyzable side groups for polymerization, and where the number of repeating units of the oxysilane is in the range of from 1 to 5, and/or silicone intermediates with side groups selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, the hydroxy group and alkyl, aryl and alkoxy groups having up to twelve carbon atoms and having an average molecular weight of up to 5000. The polymerization is catalyzed by a basic compound selected from a group consisting of mercaptans, silane substituted amines, polyamides, polyimides, amidoamines, and aliphatic amine compounds and aromatic amine compounds; and an organotin compound.