As far as finishing goes, powder coating is a dry finishing process that represents over 15% of the total industrial finishing market. It’s increasing in popularity for a variety of reasons, but it’s still relatively unknown outside of the finishing industry itself.
Before we start dropping industry jargon, we’re going to start at the beginning with some conceptual knowledge that’ll help you grasp powder coatings with information directly from the mouth of the professional powder coating industry. Let’s get started.
What Are Powder Coatings?
It’s a dry finishing process. Where a liquid coating is a wet paint application, dry powder coating is a polymer resin combined with several other elements, heated and mixed together. Then they’re allowed to cool and the cooled product is pulverized into the powder used to coat a product. Just like that, the powder is now ready to fulfill its destiny. Powder coatings can add a durable and attractive finish to many materials, whether it’s steel, aluminum, or some other form of metal.
How Does Powder Coating Work?
Once the powder is ready to be applied to a surface, it’s most commonly applied through a process called electrostatic spray deposition. Applied to metal surfaces through this process, the powder particles are electrostatically charged and become attracted to the grounded metal surface. After application, the powder coated pieces go into a kiln where the heat makes the coating form an incredibly powerful bond at the molecular level. When the product comes out of the kiln, it’ll be cool to the touch and have an attractive and durable finish.
Why Get A Powder Coating?
Powder coating is incredibly strong and it looks excellent. In fact, you’ve probably interacted with more powder coated products than you’re aware of. It’s more durable than liquid coating and, as we’ll discuss in more detail later, a great deal better for the environment, making it more and more popular as a sustainable finishing option. Don’t be surprised if you start noticing powder-coated finishes on everything from your bicycle to household appliances.
In future articles, we’ll go more in depth about the intricacies of the powder coating industry. Today, we’ve covered the basics. From there, the extent to which powder coatings can be utilized is only growing. You’ll find it almost everywhere. It’s becoming the preferred choice for many industries, from automotive and construction to furniture and outdoor equipment.
Whether you’re looking for powder coating, sandblasting, liquid coating, precision masking, or a pleasant combination of a few services, we’re the best option the Bay Area has to offer. Contact us and we’ll earn your trust with our professionalism and expertise in all your industrial finishing needs.