Why Powder Coating?

Frequently Asked Questions

Nov 8

Written By Guest User

There are already dozens of articles about wet paint vs. powder coating.

Professional Finishing: Paint Vs. Powder Coat

Finishing Systems: Powder Coating Vs. Paint

Powder Coating Vs. Painting | Which One is Better?

Along with so many others.

So I’ll take this article in a direction that isn’t conventional for us. Instead of weighing the differences, I’ll go into detail about why our standard practice is to powder coat our products.

Occasionally our clients will ask why we powder coat our products, especially when painting is a seemingly more cost-effective alternative. Sometimes, painting is the best option, but more often than not, powder coating is superior for what we do. We work primarily with Columbus Powder Coat.

Durability

For exterior projects, we use the two-stage powder coating process. The first stage is a zinc primer. Zinc primers offer another layer of protection to the substrate mental (in this case, the steel of your fabricated project). It also allows the second stage of the powder coat to adhere better to the project. How exactly does a zinc primer protect against corrosion?

Tomburn Powder Coating Company states: “Zinc forms zinc patina, which is a by-product of the metal that acts as a protective barrier when applied to metal surfaces. This barrier keeps out the moisture which can speed up the corrosion process. That is because zinc corrodes significantly more slowly than other metals.”

There are a few factors that will naturally cause the finish to break down over time: moisture, exposure to UV rays, and incidental damage like chips, scuffs, or scratches.

Polyester and Urethane powder coat are inherently UV resistant. (Tuscan black is by far our most requested color, which is a polyurethane-based powder). Most sources6,7,8 indicate powder coating finishes (when applied properly) can last up to 20 years before refinishing will be needed. It should be noted that each of these sources also goes on to say that excessive exposure to UV light, inclement weather, and abrasion will reduce the lifespan of the powder coating finish.

Since powder coating is plastic-based, it’s also more resistant to scratches, scuffs, chips, and abrasions in general. After binding to the surface, it has a tendency to want to move with the metal since it is a little more pliable than dried paint.

Unless requested, we will typically forego the zinc primer on interior railings because it can help reduce the price, and is superfluous for something that will be installed in a comfortable and controlled environment.

Consistency

In the last section that talked about how long the finish will last when applied properly. The same thing is true for both painting and powder coating. Powder coating is generally considered to be easier than painting in terms of consistency, and thickness of coats. Powder coating can not be applied in a thin layer, where the paint will need multiple thin coats to create a thick, durable finish. According to Powdertech: “Powder coats are usually a one-pass finish. Because the coating is created by heating the powder into a gel, there are no drips, runs, or application marks.”9

This ease of application ensures a consistent, and good-looking finish time after time, where painting leaves room for variables in terms of user error.

Environmental Impact/ Health and Safety

I can’t claim this is a major reason why our company’s standard practice is to powder coat, but it certainly is important to us. Reliant and the Powder Coating Institute state that powder coating emits a “negligible” amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) which damage the ozone layer and can be harmful to those applying the finish.10, 11

If we can avoid the use of harmful chemicals in our process, we see it as a bonus to the superior durability and consistency of finish.

With all of that in mind; paint may seem like an inexpensive alternative to powder coating, but in terms of working life, and risks/benefits, powder coating is actually quite affordable in the long run.

Okay, so when would you recommend a paint finish?

There are some things that just aren’t practical to powder coat. The most common things we will opt out of powder coating for are larger items that won’t fit inside the baking areas. Stairways and structural beams are a few examples. To add to that: a structural beam won’t be handled the same way a railing would be for example. These things would have to be powder coated before being welded, and welding would destroy the parts of the powder coating that is most important: the joints. This is why we powder coat after test fitting, so we are installing a perfectly finished product. If a finish is desired on these types of projects we will either request the client hire a contractor specializing in painting, or would be happy to apply a primer or base coat in the meantime (if it needs a finish at all).

These cases are typically for larger commercial products, and we have yet to see a residential project that falls into this category. If a client is absolutely determined to have a paint finish, we will oblige them, but offer our traditional word of warning that we can not warranty a paint finish the same way our contractors warranty their powder coat finish. We do genuinely believe that powder coating is the highest quality finish for most applications, and this is why we are adamant about its use in our products.