What is the process of getting a ceramic coating?

In order to get a ceramic coating, first, we recommend you find a reputable agent who is accredited with at least one major brand of coating.

If the car is available, an initial assessment of the car might be done at this time to ascertain its condition. Even new cars straight from the showroom sometimes have hidden scuffs, scratches and dents. If any kind of repair-and-repaint is required, it is important to do this several weeks before application of a coating.

Discuss with them the options, they will help you choose based on your circumstances, such as how long you are keeping the car, your budget, specific problems you are trying to overcome or what you want to achieve.

1. The car is washed in detail, decontaminated using both chemical and mechanical methods, to remove existing wax coatings, rail dust, tar etc.
2. Now that the car is properly clean, the car is inspected for damage. If there are any dents, these may need to be removed by a dent technician. Any areas with deeper scratches or stains can be marked for paintwork correction.
3. The car is machine polished all over. Even new cars are polished to smooth out raw paintwork, although these might only require a single stage polish. Used cars will usually require two to four stages of polishing, depending on the condition of the paintwork.
4. The car is cleaned again, this time with alcohol or panel wipe. This is to remove any oils which are used as lubricants in cutting and polishing compounds. The car is inspected once again using inspection lights to show up any marring in the paintwork. This is to ensure the car is polished to the agreed standard* before application of the coating, and is an important step in quality control.
5. The coating is applied by hand in thin layers using an application pad in a controlled environment with managed temperature and humidity. The exact details of how it is applied to depend on the brand of coating. Some are multi-stage or have two coats. The coating is applied evenly across the body panels and allowed time to flash off before it is removed by hand with a soft cloth.
6. The coating then needs to cure. We usually do this overnight so that any coating has had at least fourteen hours to harden.
7. Lastly, there is a final inspection. This is done with inspection lights and under sunlight. We may move the car several times to see it in different light in relation to the sun.

Lastly, the car is ready for collection, at which point you will be offered advice on how to maintain their ceramic coating in a way that best suits you.

*With older cars, some compromise may need to be made over the final result as they may have deeper scratches, stains and etching. It is often the case that the customer will agree to an improvement, it may also be the case that they plant to have a panel resprayed at a later date.

What this question is really about

People asking about the process are usually trying to work out what they are paying for, how long the car will be off the road, and why ceramic coating is more involved than a simple wash-and-apply service.

Why the process takes time

• Most time is spent on preparation, not coating
• Rushing increases the risk of defects being locked in
• Careful curing improves longevity and performance

Common misconceptions

• “It’s just wiped on” - preparation is the real work.
• “More layers mean less prep” - prep is never optional.
• “It can be done in a couple of hours” - quality work takes time.

Best-practice takeaway

• Ceramic coating is a multi-stage process
• Preparation and correction define the result
• The coating protects the finish that is already there
• Time spent before application determines long-term success

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 23/01/2026 17:12