Cerakote Ceramic Coating
Cerakote sprays a thin ceramic-filled polymer coating onto a prepared part and cures it, giving wear and corrosion resistance in a very thin film.
- Part
- Finishing
- Revised
- 2026-08-11
At a glance
- Family
- Additive
- Typical tolerances
- Adds about 0.001 in (25 µm) per coated surface; budget 2× on a bore diameter and roughly 4× on thread pitch diameter, or mask
- Surface finish
- Even matte to satin, set primarily by the blast profile beneath the film
- Typical volumes
- 1 part to a few thousand; hand-sprayed, so it does not scale like powder or e-coat
- Lead time
- 1–3 weeks at a specialist applicator; oven cure itself is about 2 hours
- Materials
- Metal, Plastic
What it is
Cerakote is a family of proprietary thin-film ceramic-filled polymer coatings sprayed onto a blasted, degreased part and then cured. The defining number is film thickness: a typical application is around 0.001 in (25 µm), roughly a quarter of a powder coat and an order of magnitude thicker than PVD. That range makes it usable on parts with real fits and moving surfaces where a 2–4 mil powder film would not clear.
The H-Series oven-cure products cure at roughly 250 °F (121 °C), low enough not to affect the temper of hardened steel or the properties of most aluminum. Elite and other air-cure series remove the oven requirement and can be applied to polymers and assembled parts. The C-Series high-temperature products are rated for continuous service far above what an organic coating survives, and are used on firearm suppressors and exhaust components. Substrates include steel, stainless, aluminum, titanium, and — with the air-cure chemistries — many polymers.
How it works
- Degrease completely. The coating is thin and its adhesion depends entirely on a clean, high-energy surface. Parts are solvent-cleaned, then often baked to drive out oil from pores and threads. Any residual oil, silicone or fingerprint produces a fisheye or a delamination.
- Blast. Abrasive blasting with aluminum oxide, typically in the 100–120 grit range, at a controlled pressure creates the mechanical anchor profile. Too coarse a profile telegraphs through a 1 mil film; too fine and adhesion suffers. Blasting also removes any residual oxide or old coating.
- Mask. Threads, bores, bearing surfaces, sealing faces and any lettering that must stay crisp are masked with plugs, caps and high-temperature tape before spraying.
- Mix and spray. Most products are two-component, mixed with a hardener at a specified ratio and reduced to spray viscosity. An HVLP gun with a small tip — commonly around 0.8 mm — is used at low pressure, and the coating is applied in light passes to a target of roughly 0.001 in (25 µm). Because the film is so thin, film build is controlled by pass count and gun distance, and inspection is by measured dry film thickness rather than by eye.
- Flash and cure. Solvent flashes off, then the part is oven cured. H-Series schedules are typically around 2 hours at 250 °F (121 °C). Air-cure products develop full properties over days at room temperature; handling strength comes much sooner.
- Demask and inspect. Dry film thickness by magnetic or eddy-current gauge, adhesion by cross-hatch tape test to ASTM D3359.
Where it sits between other finishes
Thicker and more forgiving than PVD, thinner and lower-cure-temperature than powder coating, far more wear resistant than ordinary paint, and available in a much wider color range than anodizing. The trade is that it is a sprayed organic-ceramic hybrid: line-of-sight application, operator-dependent, and not a metallurgical bond.
Design guidelines
Budget about 1 mil per surface and mask the rest
At roughly 0.001 in (25 µm) per coated surface, a bore closes about 0.002 in on diameter and a thread's pitch diameter grows by roughly 0.004 in — enough to interfere on a Class 3 fit. Mask threads, dowel holes, bearing journals and sealing lands, or machine them after coating.
Set the appearance with the blast profile
The film is thin enough to follow the substrate. A 100–120 grit aluminum oxide blast gives the characteristic even matte; a coarser profile shows through as visible texture, and a polished substrate under a thin film reads glossier. Use the surface finish chart to choose a prep that matches the intended look, and specify the blast media and grit on the drawing rather than leaving it to the shop.
Design for line-of-sight spray
Like any sprayed coating, deep bores, blind pockets, internal channels and sharp inside corners receive less film than exposed faces. Where an internal surface must be protected, either provide gun access or select an immersion process.
Check the cure temperature against the assembly
H-Series at 250 °F (121 °C) for 2 hours is well below the tempering temperature of hardened steel and does not affect most aluminum tempers, which is the main reason Cerakote is chosen over powder coating for finished, heat-treated parts. It is still too hot for many elastomers, plastics and adhesives — use an air-cure series or coat before assembly.
Break sharp edges
As with any sprayed film, edges receive less coating and wear through first. Break outside edges to at least 0.010–0.020 in (0.25–0.5 mm) where the part will be handled or holstered.
Verify performance claims against the specific product
Corrosion, abrasion and chemical resistance vary substantially across the product series, and published test data is per product and per film thickness. Specify the exact product code, the target dry film thickness and the acceptance test rather than the brand name alone.
| Feature | Recommended | Limit | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry film thickness | ~0.001 in (25 µm) | Excess film reduces wear performance | Thin-film chemistry is engineered for a specific build |
| Blast profile | 100–120 grit aluminum oxide | Coarser profiles telegraph through | The film is too thin to fill a heavy profile |
| Bore allowance | 2 × film thickness on diameter | Mask instead | Film builds on both walls |
| Thread allowance | ~4 × film on pitch diameter | Mask instead | Thread geometry multiplies radial build |
| Oven cure (H-Series) | ~2 hours at 250 °F (121 °C) | Check elastomers and plastics | Low enough for hardened steel, not for all polymers |
| Outside edge break | 0.010–0.020 in (0.25–0.5 mm) | — | Sprayed films thin at sharp edges |
Cost drivers
Cerakote is applied by hand at specialist shops, so it is priced by labor and part complexity rather than by area, over a lot minimum.
- Masking. This is the dominant cost on any part with threads, bores or fitted surfaces. Every plug and every tape edge is manual work applied and removed once per part.
- Prep. Degreasing, oil bake-out and blasting are separate operations. Parts that arrive with oil in porous castings or old coatings in place cost substantially more.
- Color count and multi-color work. Each additional color means another mask, spray and cure cycle. Patterned and graphic work is priced by the hour.
- Batch size. The oven cycle is fixed; a full oven costs little more than a single part.
- Rework. A defect requires stripping — usually blasting the coating off — and a complete recoat.
Cost-reduction tactics:
- Reduce masked features. A design that puts fitted surfaces on a separate component removes the largest cost driver.
- Specify a single color unless the second color has a functional purpose.
- Batch parts to fill the oven cycle.
- Give the shop clean, oil-free parts; bake-out is chargeable time.
- Where the part is not heat sensitive and has no tight fits, price powder coating against Cerakote — powder is generally cheaper per part at volume, and the thin film is only worth paying for when the fits demand it.
Questions
6 questionsHow thick is Cerakote?
A typical application is around 0.001 in (25 µm) per surface — roughly a quarter of a powder coat. That thinness is the point: it lets a part with real fits and moving surfaces be coated where a 2–4 mil powder film would interfere.
What temperature does Cerakote cure at?
The H-Series oven-cure products cure at roughly 250 °F (121 °C) for about two hours, which is below the tempering temperature of hardened steel and does not affect most aluminum tempers. Air-cure series remove the oven entirely and can be used on polymers and assembled parts.
Does Cerakote need masking on threads?
Usually yes. A 0.001 in film grows a thread's pitch diameter by roughly 0.004 in, which will interfere on a Class 3 fit, and a bore closes about 0.002 in on diameter. Mask threads, dowel holes, bearing journals and sealing lands, or machine them after coating.
What surface preparation does Cerakote require?
Complete degreasing — often with an oil bake-out for porous or threaded parts — followed by abrasive blasting, typically with aluminum oxide in the 100–120 grit range. The film is too thin to fill a coarse profile, so blast grit and pressure directly control both adhesion and final appearance.
Cerakote or powder coating?
Cerakote for thin film, low cure temperature and parts with tight fits or heat-sensitive tempers. Powder coating for a thicker, tougher film at lower cost per part in volume. Powder cures at 350–400 °F (177–204 °C) and lands at 2–4 mils, which rules it out where fits or temper are the constraint.
What substrates can be Cerakoted?
Steel, stainless, aluminum and titanium with the oven-cure products, plus many polymers and assembled items with the air-cure series. Any substrate must tolerate abrasive blasting and, for H-Series, a 250 °F (121 °C) bake.