Where to Find Ceramic Fallout 4

If you’re asking “where to find ceramic Fallout 4”, you’re not alone — ceramic is one of those annoying mid-tier crafting components that suddenly becomes absolutely necessary the moment you start building turrets, armor mods, or settlement items. This guide gives you everything: the best locations, what junk to scrap, vendor shipments, farming routes, useful console commands (PC), and practical tips so you never run low again. Written in a friendly USA tone with step-by-step advice you can put into action right away.

Quick summary — what ceramic is and why it matters

Ceramic is a crafting component in Fallout 4 used for a variety of weapon and armor mods and many settlement and crafting recipes. You obtain it by scrapping specific junk items (coffee cups, plates, vases, teapots, ashtrays, etc.), looting the world, buying shipments from merchants, or using console commands on PC. Knowing the high-density spawn locations (and which junk yields the most ceramic) saves hours of scavenging. (Fallout Wiki)

Which junk items give ceramic (and how much)

When you’re out scavenging, prioritize items that scrap into ceramic. Below is a list of common junk and typical ceramic yield (game sources vary slightly but these are the reliable numbers players report):

Teapot — 5 ceramic.
Vase (various types) — 2–3 ceramic.
Ceramic Bowl / Clean Bowl — 2 ceramic.
Red/Teal Plate, Dinner Plate — 2 ceramic.
Teacup / Coffee cup — 1 ceramic (but super common).
Ashtray / Dirty ashtray — 1–2 ceramic.
Bathtub / Toilet / Sink — 1–2 ceramic (big items, but not as convenient to haul).

(These junk-to-component results are documented by community resources and game wikis — tag ceramic in your HUD and check item scrap details to confirm local yields.) (Dot Esports)

Best single locations to loot ceramic (high density)

If you want places that reliably spawn lots of ceramic items, head to these spots. These locations are proven by the game’s loot tables and community farming tests.

1. Vault 95 (Southwest of the map)

Vault 95 is famous for coffee cups and ashtrays — the vault’s shared living areas and cafeterias contain dozens of mugs and plates. Players commonly report 40+ coffee cups and numerous ashtrays, making it one of the fastest one-time hauls for ceramic. (Fallout Wiki)

2. Vault 114 (Back Bay / Downtown area)

Vault 114’s kitchen areas and dining rooms are loaded with plates and mugs — it’s another vault where the prewar occupants left behind mountains of ceramic. Expect huge yields if you clear and search thoroughly. (Fallout Wiki)

3. Police stations (example: South Boston Police Department)

Police departments are great because they have break rooms and desks with many coffee cups. South Boston PD is frequently recommended by players as a high-ceramic hotspot. (Dot Esports)

4. Wildwood Cemetery (vases)

If you want vases (2–3 ceramic each), Wildwood Cemetery north of Covenant has lots of decorative vases and urns. Vases add up fast and are less “scattered” than coffee cups — one cemetery run nets a good stack. (Dot Esports)

5. Restaurants, diners and kitchens across the Commonwealth

This is the general rule: anyplace with many tables, counters, and crockery — restaurants, diners, cafeterias, and kitchens — will spawn many plates and coffee cups. When doing a city sweep, prioritize these rooms and behind counters. Community guides emphasize diners as the best routine farm. (Steam Community)

Best merchants who sell ceramic shipments

If you have caps and want ceramic fast instead of scavenging, buy shipments from vendors — shipments give dozens of ceramic at once and restock, letting you repeat the buy/sleep loop.

Myrna / Percy (Diamond City Surplus) — sells Shipment of Ceramic (25). Stock refreshes every 1–3 in-game days. (Tip: Myrna and Percy swap shifts; if one doesn’t have it, check the other or wait a bit.) (Fallout Wiki)
Trashcan Carla (caravan merchant) — can sell Shipment of Ceramic (50) when in stock (she moves locations; her inventory is huge when she has shipments). (Fallout Wiki)
Mr. Handy vendor at the unmarked Science Center gift shop (Cambridge) — sells Shipment of Ceramic (50). This vendor is stationary in the Science Center’s gift shop and can be an excellent one-time buy if you find him. (Fallout Wiki)
Brother Ogden (Crater of Atom) — sells shipments (25). (Fallout Wiki)

If you want the absolute fastest cap-to-material conversion, buy shipments: sleep until vendors restock and repeat. Remember vendor inventories have caps limits so it’s not infinite without waiting or save-reloading exploits. (Dot Esports)

Farming routes & practical route plans

Here are a few tried-and-true routes optimized for time and ceramic per minute. Adjust to your playstyle and fast travel distances.

Short loop (20–30 minutes, great early game)

Fast travel to Diamond City — buy shipments from Myrna/Percy if present.
Head to nearby South Boston Police Department — clear and loot desks.
Run a quick sweep of nearby diners/restaurant interiors (search counters).
Back to Diamond City or a nearby settlement to scrap and store ceramic.

Vault crawl (1–2 big hauls)

Plan a trip that hits Vault 95 and Vault 114 in one play session. These vaults are packed with ceramic and make looting worth the travel time. Clear the vaults methodically and collect every cup, plate and vase. Return to settlement to scrap at a workshop. (Fallout Wiki)

Caravan + vendor loop (caps permitting)

Travel to Trashcan Carla (when you find her) or the Science Center Mr. Handy and buy shipments of 50 ceramic. Sleep 24–72 hours for restock and repeat. This is best if you’re building a settlement and don’t want to wander. (Fallout Wiki)

Gameplay tips that multiply your yields

Tag ceramic as a target in the crafting menu

When you’re low on ceramic, open the crafting menu and tag ceramic. Tagged components appear highlighted in the world (press the scrapping/key prompt), making it easy to spot coffee cups and plates while looting. This shortcut cuts scavenging time massively. (GameFAQs)

Use the Scrapper perk and relevant perks

Some junk provides more components when you have the Scrapper perk (useful for circuitry, etc.), but ceramic mostly comes from items not heavily improved by Scrapper — still, investing in crafting-adjacent perks speeds overall resource returns and lets you salvage weapons/armor for more parts. Always check item scrap breakdown before selling. (Fallout Wiki)

Build supply lines & share resources between settlements

Unlock Local Leader and connect your settlements with supply lines. When you scrapping into a settlement workshop, resources become shared among connected workbenches — so you don’t have to transport ceramic manually across the Commonwealth. This is a huge quality-of-life gain when building large bases. (Fallout Wiki)

Use containers and scrapping strategy

Scrap at a workshop: If you’re building, place junk into a workshop and scrap it there — the components go to the settlement inventory.
Don’t sell valuable junk before scrapping: Some items sell for caps but are worth more in components for long-term building. If your goal is ceramic, scrap first.

Console commands (PC) — quick spawn and shipment IDs

If you’re on PC and don’t mind console usage, you can spawn ceramic or shipments instantly. Use the console (~) and type:

Spawn ceramic: player.additem 000AEC5E [amount] — replace [amount] with desired number.
Spawn shipment (25): player.additem 001EC13B 1 — gives one Shipment of Ceramic (25).

(Use these responsibly — console commands bypass normal gameplay balance.)

How many ceramic do you need? Rough demands and budgeting

Ceramic crops up in mid-game mods (armor plating, certain weapon mods) and in settlement constructions (furniture, decor, some defensive items). A typical small base or a few power armor mods might burn tens to low hundreds of ceramic, while a large settlement center with turrets and manufacturing benches can need several hundreds. If you’re building a big Commonwealth empire, aim to stockpile 500–1,000 ceramic over time — shipments and vault runs make that target realistic.

Advanced tricks & community-backed shortcuts

Save before vendor purchases: Vendor shipments can be repeated by saving, buying, sleeping until restock, then reloading if you want to exploit inventory. This is a common community trick for fast bulk buying.
Use companion inventories: Let companions hold heavy junk while you loot; then return to a settlement and scrap everything. This avoids inventory weight problems and multiple trips.
Target specific map zones: When looking for ceramic, prioritize map markers that imply interiors: diners, office buildings, police stations, hospitals (some tubs/sinks), and vaults. Interiors with kitchen or break room geometry almost always yield cups/plates.

What to avoid (time sinks and common mistakes)

Hoarding low-yield single items only: Hunting for isolated bathtubs or toilets is slow. Focus on high-density rooms (diner, vault cafeterias).
Selling junk before scrapping: If you sell items that would scrap into ceramic, you’ll regret it later when building. Scrap first.
Expecting infinite vendor stock: Vendors restock, but not instantly. Plan purchases and combine with scavenging runs.

Checklist: fast run plan you can copy/paste

Tag Ceramic in crafting menu.
Fast travel to Diamond City. Buy shipment from Myrna/Percy if available.
Run to South Boston Police Department (or nearby diner) — clear and loot every coffee cup, plate, and ashtray.
Fast travel to Vault 95 — methodically loot cafeterias and sleeping quarters.
Return to a settlement workbench and scrap everything; put items into workshops to share via supply lines.
If low still, locate Trashcan Carla/Mr. Handy and buy shipment(s). Sleep for restock and repeat if desired. (Fallout Wiki)

Resources & references

For deeper item lists, IDs, and community farming discussions check the Fallout Wiki, Game8 farming page, Fextralife guide, and Dot Esports breakdowns — they compile item IDs, vendor shipment IDs, and community-tested hotspots. I used multiple community and wiki sources to compile this field-tested guide so you can skip the guesswork and get scrapping. (Fallout Wiki)

That covers everything you need to stop asking “where to find ceramic Fallout 4” and start gathering it like a pro. Want a printable farming route map (two vault routes + three diner loops) or a condensed checklist you can pin in-game? I can create a printable one-page route plan and step-by-step scavenger checklist next — tell me whether you prefer Vault-focused, Vendor-heavy, or Fast-loop (city diners) and I’ll make it right away.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Where to Find Ceramic in Fallout 4

Q1. What is the easiest way to get ceramic in Fallout 4?

The easiest way to get ceramic is by collecting and scrapping junk items like coffee cups, plates, and vases found in kitchens, diners, and vaults. If you want large quantities quickly, buy Shipments of Ceramic from vendors like Myrna or Percy in Diamond City Surplus or Trashcan Carla when she’s around.

Q2. Where can I buy ceramic in Fallout 4?

You can purchase ceramic through shipments from several vendors:

Myrna/Percy (Diamond City Surplus) – Shipment of 25 Ceramic
Trashcan Carla (Caravan Merchant) – Shipment of 50 Ceramic
Mr. Handy at the Cambridge Science Center Gift Shop – Shipment of 50 Ceramic
Brother Ogden (Crater of Atom) – Shipment of 25 Ceramic

These shipments restock every few in-game days, so you can repeat purchases after sleeping or waiting.

Q3. What junk items give ceramic when scrapped?

The most common junk items that provide ceramic include:

Coffee Cups and Teacups
Plates (Dinner, Teal, Red)
Bowls and Teapots
Ashtrays and Vases
Bathtubs, Toilets, and Sinks

Collecting these items and scrapping them at any workshop gives you a steady flow of ceramic.

Q4. Where is the best place to farm ceramic?

The best ceramic farming locations include:

Vault 95 – loaded with coffee cups and ashtrays.
Vault 114 – plenty of plates and cups in cafeterias.
South Boston Police Department – tons of coffee mugs.
Wildwood Cemetery – great for decorative vases and urns.
Diners and Restaurants – reliable small hauls from plates and cups.

If you rotate through these locations regularly, you’ll have more ceramic than you need.

Q5. How do I tag ceramic for easier scavenging?

Open any crafting station menu, scroll to a recipe that requires ceramic, and select the Tag for Search option. Now, whenever you see junk containing ceramic in the world, it will appear with a magnifying glass icon, making it easier to spot while exploring.

Q6. Can I get ceramic from scrapping buildings or furniture in settlements?

Yes, some furniture, sinks, bathtubs, and toilets in settlements can yield ceramic when scrapped. However, not every item provides it, so use the workshop “scrap” view and watch for ceramic in the preview breakdown before dismantling.

Q7. How often do vendors restock shipments?

Vendor inventories typically refresh every 48 to 72 in-game hours. You can sleep or wait to pass time, then check back for new shipments. Some players also use save/reload loops to refresh inventories instantly (especially when stockpiling materials for building projects).

Q8. Is there a console command for ceramic in Fallout 4 (PC)?

Yes!

To add ceramic directly:
player.additem 000AEC5E [amount]
To add a shipment of 25 ceramic:
player.additem 001EC13B 1

Replace [amount] with the number you want to spawn. These are helpful for testing builds or saving time in creative runs.

Q9. What are the main uses for ceramic in Fallout 4?

Ceramic is used for:

Weapon and armor mods (especially energy weapon parts and armor linings)
Settlement items (lights, furniture, power armor stations)
Defensive structures (turrets and traps)
Crafting benches and decorations

If you enjoy building detailed settlements, ceramic becomes one of the most frequently needed materials.

Q10. Are there any mods that make finding ceramic easier?

Yes — several PC mods make resource management easier. Mods like Scrap Everything or Crafting Highlight Fixes expand what you can salvage or highlight components more clearly. Always read mod descriptions carefully to ensure compatibility with your load order.

Conclusion: Become the Ceramic King of the Commonwealth

Ceramic may seem like a small, forgettable crafting material at first, but once you start building settlements or modding your gear, you realize how essential it is. Knowing where to find ceramic in Fallout 4—from vault cafeterias brimming with coffee cups to vendors selling big shipments—can transform your gameplay efficiency.

If you’re early in the game, target diners, vaults, and police stations. For mid- or late-game, rely on vendor shipments and supply lines to streamline your resource management. And if you’re on PC, keep those console commands handy for testing or creative playthroughs.

Ceramic is everywhere once you know what to look for—it’s hidden in plain sight on the tables of the Commonwealth, waiting for scavengers like you to clean it up and turn it into armor, turrets, or sleek home décor. Combine smart farming with vendor shopping, and you’ll never again be short on ceramic when your next crafting project demands it.

With this complete guide, you’re ready to collect ceramic faster than ever—turning those coffee cups and ashtrays into the building blocks of your Fallout 4 empire.