When choosing an appropriate coating for your project, there are several factors you should consider. The surfaces the coating needs to be applied to, the project duration, and the lifespan of the coating are some important things to bear in mind when selecting a coating. One good coating you may want to consider for your project is powder coating. It offers a superior finish, and the best powder coating can be used on various metal surfaces. But is powder coating ideal for your next project? This post explores frequently asked questions about it to help you determine if it is suitable for your next project.
1. What Are Powder Coatings?
Powder coating is a dry finishing process that accounts for roughly 15% of the total industrial finishing market, so it’s fairly popular.
The finish aside, powder coating itself is a fine powder made of polyurethane, polyester, nylon, epoxy, or a blend of all four.
Powder coatings are usually applied electrostatically and then cured with heat to form a solid and durable layer.
2. What Surfaces Can Be Coated?
Unlike liquid coatings, powder coatings can be used on various metallic surfaces such as steel, titanium, brass, copper, bronze, aluminum. However, while it’s ideal for various metallic surfaces, powder coating is unsuitable for rubber, plastic, wood, and other surfaces that easily melt at high temperatures.
3. Why Get a Powder Coating?
Powder coating has several advantages over traditional wet paint.
Powder coating is durable. With proper treatment and application, coatings can last a decade or longer, depending on the quality of coating and the environment. What’s more, powder coating offers better resistance against the elements, and it’s less prone to peeling, fading, and scratching compared to liquid paint.
Powder coating is also more cost-effective than liquid paint for several reasons. It requires less labor because it only needs a single coating, and it dries faster than liquid paint. What’s more, powder coating can be reduced or recycled, meaning there is minimal waste.
What’s more, the best powder coating is more environmentally friendly than liquid paint. Liquid paints usually contain solvents that produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs can lead to serious health problems when inhaled, and they are bad for the environment because they deplete the ozone layer. Powder coatings are non-toxic, non-volatile and they produce negligible VOCs, making them safer to store, less harmful to human health, and better for the environment.
Powder coating is also faster to apply and cure. While the cure time depends on the metal thickness, it can take as little as half an hour.
Finally, the best powder coating offers a superior finish. Powder coatings are excellent at retaining color, and they offer better gloss retention compared to liquid coatings.
4. How Much Does Powder Coating Cost?
The cost of a powder coating will vary from project to project, depending on various factors. The type of material, the size of the surface, the powder type are some factors that can influence the price. For more information on how much the best powder coating for your project is likely to cost, contact us to get a quote.