A Very Non-Technical Description of the Powder Coating Process
You’ve seen it enough to know you love the look of it. And you’ve probably heard a lot about it. But you’re still wondering, what is powder coating? We’ll answer that question here, once and for all, by tracing the fundamental steps of the process.
We start with sandblasting with garnet sand, which serves two purposes: One, it deep-cleans the surface and, two, it also scours the surface, which improves adhesion. From there, we run over the piece by hand with steel wool, removing as many of the remaining imperfections as we can. Then we clear the resulting debris with an air gun and apply the masking, if it’s necessary.
The piece is then hung from a cart and placed inside our 400-degree walk-in oven for a brief period. This initial baking, as it’s called, is designed to expel internal gases and, in the process, increase the piece’s temperature, which helps the powder adhere and flow out sooner.
It’s finally time, now, for the powder coating. Electrically-charged powder is applied with a piece of equipment that looks like an elaborate paint gun while the part remains in place, grounded on the cart on which it was baked. As soon as the application is completed, the piece is returned to the walk-in oven for another round of baking. When the powder is baked, the resins and fillers in the powder melt and fuse together to form the finished appearance, which feels as smooth as it looks—after it cools.
If all of this has now left you wondering, why is powder coating better than painting, the result mostly speaks for itself. The finish is thicker and, in turn, more durable, than paint without the countless coats that paint would have required. And it’s less expensive. For any of your items that need a powder coat in San Diego, contact Electro Tech Coatings at (760) 746-0292 and we’ll provide you with a free estimate and answer any questions you have. See for yourself. Contact us
Comments 1
Thank you for the post on what powder coating is exactly. I love the look that can be achieved through powder coating car rims like the matte desert brown or the always nice matte black. I never realized so much went into the process though, like baking the item at 400 degrees. I wonder if there is a special way to powder coat an entire car or if it’s just the rims that can be done?