Which Materials Can Be Powder Coated?
Powder coating has immense benefits as an alternative to wet paint, especially for the manufacturing industry. It creates a smooth layer on the material it's coated on, all the while being quite resistant to any kind of damage during normal usage. Powder coating also requires less application than wet paint does and can be used to make products attractive too.
But here's the deal, not every surface or material can be powder coated due to the extreme temperature it's subjected to during the curing process.
If you're looking for powder coating as an option for covering materials, you should know which items qualify for its effective application and which don't. Knowing which products can be powder coated becomes all the more necessary when you require it for your business items.
But before we look into the application of powder coating, let's look at what it is.
What is Powder Coating
Powder coating is a coating process used in metal finishing to replace wet paint. It's mostly used on industrial equipment, common in the manufacturing industry. The powder is cured in a hot oven and applied electrostatically on a metal. Powder coatings provide a high-quality finish to products with extra durability, long-life and making them more attractive.
The powder coating doesn't only make products durable, but they're also flexible. It can be used on a variety of surfaces, both indoors and outdoors. Manufacturers prefer powder coating for their metal equipment because they're cheaper as well as compared to traditional paint.
Benefits of Powder Coating
Powder coatings are highly favored in the manufacturing industry due to their numerous benefits. Apart from durability and beautifying the product, powder coating has the following benefits:
- Cost-Effective Powder coating is a cost-effective solution over wet paint. Over time, a powder coat will cost you much less than other kinds of coating jobs. Moreover, powder coating doesn't require extra layers of finishing over them, which means it needs to be applied less than a paint coating, which further drives down the investment needed for a powder coating job.
- Environment Friendly
Powder coating is eco-friendly as well, with the ability to be reusable and recyclables. Coatings made on thermoplastics can also be reshaped easily, and powder coating also ensures minimal wastage. If you're using wet paint, the chances are that overspray would lead to wastage, and this isn't the case with powder coatings.
Lastly, powder coating also doesn't pose any health hazard like wet paint does.
- Easy To MaintainPowder-coated surfaces are pretty easy to maintain. It gives a polished look to products it's coated on and repels chemicals and moisture, making them easy to clean and maintain in the long haul.
Powder Coating Applications
By far, the most common type of material that can be effectively powder coated is metals. Almost every kind of metal can be easily powder coated; brass, aluminum, stainless steel, steel, you name it.
This is because metals in the manufacturing industry can be electrically underground, so it's fairly easy to use static electricity and powder coat the metal surface. However, metals aren't the only surface that qualifies for powder coating. For other surfaces, the powder coating has to be cured in a hot oven at specific temperatures before it's applied.
Let's take a look at all the materials that can be powder coated:
- Metals
The most commonly applied powder coating surface is metals, such as aluminum, brass, and stainless steel. As established above, it's far easier to coat metal surfaces as they require a simple static electric charge. This means that the powder coating clings onto the metal, which also lasts longer than powder coating on wood or glass.
The exception here would be aluminum (along with other non-metals), as it requires to be heated up to a specific temperature, as per the curing process. Once it's heated to the optimum level, it's sprayed with powder that melts immediately upon contact. But this kind of coating has an uneven appearance than powder-coated metals. They, however, still possess the many advantages of powder coating, including durability and prolonged life.
- Wood
Wood and fiberboard can also be powder coated, apart from metals. Common kitchen utensils like cutting boards are commonly powder-coated products. This is due to the fact that although wet paint can guarantee a similar outcome in appearance, it has the tendency to crack and flake off. This makes it unsuitable for usage in the kitchen.
The reason wood can be effectively powder coated is that the autoignition point of many types of wood is lower than the temperature during the curing process of the powder coating. Powder coating has been favored for certain kinds of woods over wet paints due to its extra durability and long life or the product it's used on.
- Glass
Glass has a high resistance against heat, making them a suitable material for powder coating during the curing process. Almost all kinds of glass can be powder coated, especially the ones made in factories. Common powder-coated glass products include windows, but even showpieces of glass like a flower vase are suitable.
Powder coating can also be done on ceramic materials such as plates, bowls, and baking appliances.
- Composites
Carbon fiber and other kinds of composites can also be powder coated, though due to being quite rugged and durable themselves, a powder coating doesn't benefit composites as it does to other materials. Composites are used in the automobile industry, precisely as automotive parts. A powder coating layer enhances the appearance of a composite board but doesn't add to its sturdiness and durability.
Schedule a Powder Coating Session with the Best in Business
As this article explains, your metal surfaces aren't the only materials that can be powder coated. Its application extends far beyond metals, including glass, composites, woods, and even concrete. If you want to know more about the powder coating process and its immense benefits, contact the experts at Rusty Lions.
Our specialist team can help you with any kind of coating job on any surface. You can also schedule a consulting session with us and find out more about how powder coating can benefit your home appliances or business equipment.
