The invention relates to a method for producing ceramic layers by spraying. A cold gas spraying method is used to produce polymer ceramics from pre-ceramic polymers. According to said method, a cold gas stream, to which particles of the pre-ceramic polymers are added via a conduit, is generated by a spray gun. The energy for creating a layer on a substrate is produced by injecting a powerful kinetic energy into the cold gas stream, thus preventing or significantly restricting the thermal heating of the cold gas stream. This permits the heat-sensitive pre-ceramic polymers to be spray-applied as a coating on a substrate using a cold gas spraying method. Polymer ceramics can thus be used in an economic method for the rapid production of layers with a relatively large thickness. The invention allows for example armoured layers, thermal protection layers and other functional layers to be produced.