Do you use a spray application for ceramic coatings?
Quick answer: No - we don’t spray-apply professional ceramic base coats. They’re hand-applied wafer-thin and levelled for best results; spraying is wasteful, needs masking/extraction and offers no benefit as you still have to level by hand. We do use trigger-spray toppers/detailers for maintenance between washes.
We don't use spray application products currently. As yet, no supplier has offered us one, although I am aware that some manufacturers have said their products can be spray applied.
Pro coatings are designed to go on wafer-thin and be levelled by hand. You only need the thinnest layer, measured in microns. Spraying an HVLP fan at it is wasteful, throws product into the air, and needs masking, extraction and a booth area where overspray won’t land on anything. Add the time, materials and risk, and it gets expensive fast – with no real benefit because you still have to level it by hand for an even finish.
We stick to hand application for base coats because it’s controlled, consistent and clean – no overspray, minimal waste, better results.
With that said, I could possibly see a reason to spray on a ceramic coating for coating intricate shapes, although I can't think of any complicated shapes on a car that would need this kind of treatment. I have also considered applying ceramic coatings to the needles in my collection of airbrushes to prevent 'tip-dry', so there is a possibility it could be something I experiment with in the future.
We do use trigger-spray products for maintenance. Top-up sealants and SiO₂ detailers work brilliantly on coatings, and many retail “ceramic wax” products are spray-on, sometimes rinse-off. They boost slickness and hydrophobics between proper washes – different job to the base coat, and the right tool for it.
Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 24/10/2025 16:05