Can I put a ceramic coating on my windscreen?

Professional ceramic coatings can be applied to windshields and windows because they are optically clear and very hydrophobic, making the ideal glass coatings, although we do not recommend it for the front windscreen because the water, unable to cling to the windscreen, instead clings to the windscreen wiper causing an effect which some people find annoying. Thus, we recommend having all glass wear coated except your windscreen, but you can have it done if you want to.

Ceramic coating on windscreens work very well when you are travelling at over 40mph because you effectively have a 40mph wind pushing all the water up and off your windscreen. In many cases, you don't even need to use your windscreen wipers (although we wouldn't recommend this). 

At very low speeds, the angle of your windscreen means that gravity will take care of the water droplets, and they will roll down your windscreen.

However, at speeds in between, around 30mph, gravity and wind speed are in near equilibrium and water droplets will loiter on your windshield. You can clear this by using your windscreen wipers, however the hydrophobic effect of the coating can cause the water to form a sheet of water which follows the wiper blade.

This phenomenon is not unique to ceramic coatings on glass, and the exact same often happens when using products like Rain-X. The difference being, if you find this very distracting, you can remove Rain-X with some alcohol, while a ceramic coating is there to stay. So we would suggest you try Rain-X before asking for a ceramic coating on your windscreen.

Not all products marketed as ceramic coatings are real ceramic coatings. Some are just wax sealants that contain ceramic beads, and are riding the marketing hype. These products may contain lots of silicone oils in order to get the hydrophobic effect. This type of product has been around for far longer than ceramic coatings, and were previously used for hiding scratches on older cars by diffusing light. An oily product with light diffusing properties is the last thing you want on your glass.

We highly recommend getting your windows and glass wear ceramic coated because when your windows look dirty, your whole car looks dirty. Although your windows might only take up 20% of your car's surface, every professional car detailer knows that if you clean the windows, you make the car look about 60% cleaner. It's also safer to have windows you can see out of, but if you really like your car looking clean, a ceramic coating on the glass is well worth paying a little extra for.

What this question is really about

When you ask if you can put a ceramic coating on your windscreen, you are really asking two things. First, is it safe to use these products on glass with wipers running across it. Second, is it actually better in real life than the usual rain repellents and glass sealants.

The short version is that you can coat a windscreen, but you need the right type of product, proper preparation and realistic expectations about wipers, noise and maintenance.

Paint coatings versus dedicated glass coatings

Not all ceramics are the same, and this matters a lot on a windscreen.

• Dedicated glass coatings or rain repellents are formulated specifically for glass, wiper contact and high speed water behaviour.
• Some modern coating systems include separate products for paint, glass, wheels and trims, each tuned for those surfaces.

What a glass coating on the windscreen actually does

A good glass coating changes how water and grime behave on the windscreen, especially at speed.

• Hydrophobic behaviour - rain forms tight beads and sheets away more quickly, so at higher speeds you often need the wipers less.
• Easier cleaning - bugs, traffic film and greasy smears usually release more easily when you wash the car.
• Less wiper drag when fresh - with the right product and good blades, the wipers can glide more smoothly across the glass.
• Slower fogging and film build up - some coatings help reduce how quickly the outside of the screen films up again.

You notice the difference most on motorway runs and in heavy rain, where the water is blown up and off the glass instead of sitting there.

Limits and common issues on coated windscreens

There are also a few downsides that marketing tends to gloss over.

• Wiper blade cling - Water is unable to cling to your windscreen, but can cling to the wiper blades, cause a puddle of water to follow them. This can be a problem at lower speeds. 
• Wiper judder - if preparation is poor, the wrong coating is used or the wipers are old, the blades can chatter and skip.
• No miracle at low speeds - at town speeds you will still be using wipers; coatings help, but they do not replace them.
• Coating wear under the wiper sweep - the area the wipers touch wears faster than the rest of the glass, so behaviour can become patchy over time.
• Smearing if contaminated - silicone dressings, traffic film or washer additives can sit on top of the coating and cause hazing until the screen is properly cleaned again.

This is why some people love coated windscreens and others are put off – the difference is usually down to preparation, product choice and maintenance.

When a windscreen coating makes sense

There are plenty of situations where coating the windscreen is genuinely worthwhile.

• High mileage or motorway driving where heavy rain is a regular reality.
• Cars that live outside and pick up a lot of traffic film and tree fallout on the glass.
• Winter driving, where salt spray and grime quickly reduce visibility.
• Drivers who are happy to wash and maintain the car properly so the coating can work as intended.

In these cases, a properly applied glass coating can make night and wet weather driving noticeably less tiring.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 08/12/2025 15:38