Straight answers on payment, turnaround, durability, and shipping. Don't see yours — just ask.
Do I pay up front?▼
No labor charge up front, ever. The only thing we require payment for ahead of time is Cerakote product we have to special-order for your job — if we don't stock your color, we ask for payment on that product before we place the order. When you build a quote on our pricing page, you can select up to 5 tester-bottle colors at $40 each if we don't already have them in stock — that keeps us from ordering product on a job that never gets dropped off.
How long does a job take?▼
2–4 weeks, across the board — solid color, two-tone, or full custom pattern. That window covers full prep, coating, cure, and QC checks, not just application time. If we ever expect a specific job to run outside that window, we'll tell you directly when we chat or set up your appointment.
How durable is Cerakote, really?▼
This isn't marketing talk — it's tested. Cerakote's H-Series rates 9H on the pencil hardness scale, the highest rating that exists, and holds up past 2,000–3,000+ hours in ASTM B117 salt spray corrosion testing before showing failure. In independent abrasion testing (ASTM D4060), Cerakote logs roughly 6,700 wear cycles per mil — more than 13 times what bluing manages before it wears through. Rust and corrosion resistance is where it separates itself most: nothing else on the market touches it. We consider it the strongest, most durable firearm coating available today, bar none.
Can you customize a color or pattern for me?▼
Absolutely — we make our own patterns and coatings in-house using our Brother vinyl cutters, and pattern/camo work is where we excel. What we won't do is highly specialized theme builds or custom mixed coatings outside standard Cerakote colors — if you're picturing something in that territory, ask us directly and we'll tell you straight whether it's something we can take on.
Can I see the coating I'm thinking of when I schedule the appointment?▼
Yes, definitively. Every Cerakote color and pattern option is available on our swatch sets, fully cured and baked on — so you see exactly what you're getting, not a screen approximation. Phones and monitors brighten or darken colors more than people expect, and we know how much it matters to get it exactly right. We verify your choice against the physical swatches at your appointment, with every option they offer on hand to check.
Do you take one-off or small individual parts?▼
Yes — with a $250 minimum order. Cerakote is a highly specialized process: prep, coating, and oven time run about 5½ hours from start to finish on any job, regardless of size, and rising energy costs mean we have to set a threshold that justifies the time and oven cycles it takes to do it right. It's not that we won't take a small job — it's that the process costs the same whether it's one part or ten.
What if there's a flaw in the finish?▼
This has never happened to us. We warranty our work and stand behind it 100% — if something's ever off, we make it right. Our QC checks happen throughout the process specifically to catch issues before they leave the shop, not after.
Do you do hydrodipping, anodizing, powder coating, or bluing?▼
No — we specialize exclusively in Cerakote. If you're not sure why Cerakote is the better choice over those other finishes for a firearm, it's worth reading up on the differences before you decide.
Where are you located and who do you serve?▼
We're a by-appointment-only home shop at 3705 Carriage Manor Ct, Wendell, NC 27591, serving the greater Raleigh/Durham/Triangle area in person — we're Cerakote's ranked Customer Choice for Raleigh, NC and 50+ miles out. We also ship nationwide; it's not unusual for us to hear from customers in IL, KY, TN, and as far out as CA, OR, and WA who spotted one of our stickers or found our work through Cerakote's own applicator listing.
Still Have a Question?
Call, email, or just tell us about your build — we'll get back to you directly.
