A protective coating system includes a substrate that has an exterior surface exhibiting a degree of valley/hill surface irregularity including a plurality of hills and a plurality of valleys and a first coating layer formed directly on to the exterior surface of the substrate and that conforms to the exterior surface of the substrate such that the first coating layer has a non-uniform coating thickness over the substrate. The protective coating system further includes a second coating layer formed directly on to the exterior surface of the first coating layer. The second coating layer includes a plurality of pores within the second coating layer. Still further, the protective coating system includes a third coating layer formed within at least some of the plurality of pores within the second coating layer.