Why is powder coating better

It can also withstand bending without flaking or cracking. However, from a production point of view, the main advantage of powder over paint is that it is cured in just 20 minutes, which means the piece is ready to put to work almost immediately. Download Process Capability Statements. Download Company Overview Infographi. Download Project Report Card. How Much More Durable is Powder Coating Than Paint Nov 16 Since the 's, powder coating has become a popular process for both decorative and protective finishes in manufacturing.

The Process In order to understand why powder coating is a better choice over wet painting, it is important that you know how it works.

Advantages of Powder Over Wet Paint Powder coating provides a superior finish that eliminates many issues associated with wet paint. Is powder coating better than painting? The answer could really boil down to which of the two processes best meet the following criteria.

When economic factors are taken into consideration, the main benefit of the powder-coating process is its efficiency. Even when you take the leftover amounts into account, all is not lost with powder applications. Once a powder coat has completed, the percentage of powder that falls aside can be collected and put back to use in the next cycle. No such form of conservation is possible with spray paint, which spreads into thin air if it fails to reach its target the first time.

Compared to spray painting, powder coating is a safer process because the active product — polymer powder — is inert and therefore free of toxins. Paint, by contrast, usually has toxic solvents and volatile organic compounds that can be harmful if inhaled. While you do need to wear protective gear when applying powder coats, the process itself is generally cleaner and free of health-related risks. That said, it is crucial to keep the powder from making contact with your skin, but this is easy to achieve thanks to the low amount of overspray that results from the process.

The eco-friendly advantages of powder extend well beyond the application process itself. Since there are no toxins or volatile organic compounds found in powder polymers, unused portions do not emit greenhouse gases, whether used or unused. Since the majority of a given powder supply ultimately does get put to use, the option is also easy on landfills.

To the contrary, each application of spray paint sends toxins into the atmosphere. From a mechanical standpoint, powder coats offer greater degrees of strength and flexibility than spray-painted finishes. For starters, a powder finish has a thickness that is stronger and more difficult to crack or peel. Powder finishes are also more bendable, and this makes powder a better option for items that change shape, as well as for anything with moving parts.

The flexibility of powder coats makes powder the ideal option for transportation equipment, which is subject to constant movements and vibrations.

Powder-coat finishes have also shown to be more resilient in the face of pebbles, flying debris and other hazards that get kicked up by the tires of a moving vehicle.

Powder coats also help speed along the production process thanks to the short time it takes for powder polymers to cure on a surface. Unlike paint, which may need days to fully dry, powder will fully cure in 20 minutes or less. A powder-coated part could ultimately be put to work even before it has cooled down from its time in the oven. Due to the durability and streak-fee quality of powder coats, the process involved with powder applications is now seen as a necessary skill at production plants, where the process is commonly taught to staff.

When it comes to color-matching, wet paints offer the advantage of showing their final, dry-state colors right from the start. This makes it easier to mix and match paints with greater accuracy and achieve hues that are slightly off the basic color scale. Any place you turn to for wet paint, the supplier can easily mix primary and secondary colors to achieve the exact match of a required hue. Alternately, the supplier could add black or white into the mix and equal the tint, tone or highlight of a specified color.

By contrast, the blending of powder colors involves a specialized production, in which the hue of a given color relies on the polymers that are broken down to form the powder. Consequently, the hue of a mixed color can be difficult to determine in advance.

Unlike liquid paints — which blend properties when mixed — different powders will not coalesce into a pure, uniform color. Instead, a speckled combination of colors will form when powders mix into one. When it comes to metal surfaces, the purpose of a paint or powder finish is twofold.

On one hand, the coat is meant to offer aesthetic appeal, especially if the surface is part of a commercial product, such as a home appliance or automobile. More importantly, however, are the protective qualities of paint and powder finishes, which safeguard metal surfaces from the corrosive effects of environmental elements.

If left exposed to water or moisture, metal can develop rust in spots. The object is cleaned with particular attention to the removal of any debris and oil which can inhibit the attachment of the dry powder.

Next, the dry powder is applied electrostatically—a process by which the particles of the powder and the object are charged through a high voltage electrostatic surge. Less paint is wasted and the metal object is fully coated. The sprayed powder coating is then cured at temperatures as high as degrees for ten minutes so that the finish can set onto the object.

While setting, the powder melts and flows around the object. The heat not only melts the powder but binds the polymer into a heavier polymer that bonds in a tight network-like finish. The curing not only coats the sheet metal product, but it also binds the polymer into a tighter, heavier finish.

The benefits of the process of powder coating are numerous. First, powder coating results in a thick, dense finish on metal products which can be more durable and longer-lasting than conventional painting.

Second, powder coating is typically a one-coat finish so the process can be quite quick and easy. Third, powder coating can include multiple custom finishing colors and textures as the powders which are sprayed onto the item can be expertly manipulated. Fourth, powder coating is an environmentally safe finishing process because it produces few volatile organic compounds.

Finally, powder coating creates the most even finished surfaces horizontal and vertical surfaces because the powder is sprayed and heated across without drips or application traces. There are two major drawbacks to the powder coating process.

First, powder coating produces a thick finish to metal products. It can be quite difficult for this coating to produce thin finishes, particularly because as the polymer is thinned it tends to produce a bumpy texture similar to the peel of an orange. Second, smaller sheet metal jobs might prefer a less expensive or complex finishing process.

Powder coating requires spray materials, electrostatic booth, and an oven—all items which can be expensive and involved for smaller projects. Wet paint is the traditional although technologized process of applying liquid paint to a metal product for finishing. The complexity of the powder coating process makes it very challenging for anyone who is not a professional.

You can buy DIY powder-coating kits, but they are only useful for small objects. You also typically need special equipment to powder coat anything large or medium-sized, whereas painting can be done in your own home or backyard very easily. FIXR provides cost guides, comparisons, and term cheat sheets for hundreds of remodeling, installation and repair projects. Log In.

Loading, please wait Password Recovery. Get Local Cost. Find Pros. Texture When comparing powder coating and painting, you will notice a difference in texture. Application Process Powder coating makes use of a powder of resins and pigments that is carefully applied to a surface using a special electrostatic spray deposition system. Durability When applying any kind of paint or coating to a surface, you want it to last as long as possible without needing to touch it up or reapply it.

Environmental Concerns If you want to help the environment, powder coating is probably the more eco-friendly option. Was this guide helpful to you? Yes No. Feedback Send. Thanks for your feedback! Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet Definitions in laymen's terms, cost considerations, pictures and things you need to know. See full cheat sheet. Fence posts are placed at regular intervals, and the other parts of the fence are attached to them. They are usually found on the sides of staircases, and can also be found in bathrooms, for example, to help persons with disabilities.

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