PPF
PPF and Ceramic Coating: The Correct Order
Short answer. Correct paint first, then apply PPF, then apply ceramic coating over the film and any exposed paint. Coating applied before PPF prevents the film bonding properly and has to be stripped, which means paying for the same work twice.
Why the order isn't arbitrary
PPF adhesive needs to bond to the clear coat. A ceramic coating is engineered to be slick and hydrophobic — the opposite of what an adhesive wants.
Film applied over coating is prone to lifting at edges. The fix is stripping the coating from every panel being wrapped.
The full sequence
Decontaminate — remove bonded contaminants the wash left behind.
Correct — machine polish to remove swirls, because both film and coating lock in whatever is underneath.
PPF — apply to the panels being protected, wrapping edges where possible.
Coat — ceramic coating over the film and the remaining exposed paint, giving a uniform hydrophobic surface across the whole car.
Why coat over film at all
PPF's top coat is good but a coating on top makes it easier to clean and helps it shed contaminants.
It also means the whole car behaves the same when you wash it, rather than having filmed panels behave differently from bare ones.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put PPF over an existing ceramic coating?
Not reliably. The coating must be removed from the panels being wrapped so the film adhesive can bond.
Should I coat on top of PPF?
Yes. It improves cleaning and gives consistent behaviour across filmed and unfilmed panels.
Does PPF need paint correction first?
Yes. Film magnifies and locks in whatever is beneath it.
What if a shop offers coating first?
Ask why. The standard sequence is correction, PPF, then coating.
Ready to book?
Get a quote with your car model and we'll come back with a fixed price.