In recent years, powder coating has become an increasingly popular method for protecting and styling various types of metal. From kitchen appliances to vehicles, more and more people and companies want their products to be powder coated to have all of the benefits that come with it and avoid the issues that come with other types of coating.
In this article, we will take a closer look at what powder coating actually is, what it is used for, and what these benefits are that make it the best way to protect and style your products today.
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What is powder coating?
Powder coating is a type of treatment that is layered over metal objects as a means of protecting and applying a finishing layer on them. The powder has proven to be very beneficial and is excellent for protecting metal from corrosion, fading, rust, and pitting.
It is used on various kinds of metal objects and can cover bronze, aluminium, brass, copper, steel and titanium. The only thing required from the object is that it is made of a metal that is suitable for holding electromagnetic charge and that can also handle the heat from the curing process.
Powder coating usually takes place for industrial machines, cars and their parts. The powder itself is made up of a curing agent, a polymer resin, colour pigments, flow modifiers, levelling agents, among other ingredients that are all melted and mixed together before being left to cool entirely.
Once the different ingredients have cooled completely and are formed into a block, the block is then ground into a powder used for the coating process.
The powder is then attracted to the metal object thanks to the electric charge. The powder needs to be applied using a specialist powder coating gun with a positive charge for the process to work, as it will stick to the negative charge on the metal product.
Then, once the coating process is over, the final product is put through intense heat in order to solidify the chemical bond between the powder and the metal, providing the product with a perfect finish.
Different products need different layers of coating, and, as you can imagine, the thicker the layer of powder coating, the more protected the product will be.
What is powder coating used for?
Powder coating is generally used for certain household appliances, signage, furniture, vehicles, tools and machines. Since it is so adept at protecting the metal surfaces and providing an ideal finish, it has become increasingly popular for cars. More and more car owners would like for the exterior and certain interior parts of their vehicles to be powder coated for the perfect finish, style, and protection for their vehicles. Powder coating uses can be very versatile!
Powder coating benefits
There are multiple benefits to powder coating, including:
Durability: Powder coating has proven to be very beneficial for supporting the long-lasting protection of metal objects. It provides better protection for the products than liquid coatings as it can protect them from scratching, corrosion, chipping, fading, rust, and other damages. For vehicles in particular, being able to keep the shine and strong colour on the exterior is an excellent benefit.
Versatility: Unlike many other liquid coatings, powder coating can easily be layered to a thickness that better suits the client and the product. This provides deeper, richer colours, better protection, and can be adjusted for different styles, too. A powder coating can be finished in a satin, glossy, clear, glittered, metallic, matte, smooth, wrinkled or rough finish. This makes it super versatile and easy to adapt to any kind of style and need for the product. Not to mention, it can also be produced in a much wider range of colours.
Ecological: Unlike most other coatings, powder coating is far better when it comes to air pollution and has proven to be a much greener and ecological way of coating products. Since powder coating does not use solvents, as other coatings do to maintain the coating, powder coating is far less polluting. These solvents contain what are called VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), which are naturally very detrimental to the environment. Powder coating also requires no hazardous waste disposal, no primer, uses fewer carbon dioxide emissions – it’s generally safer for all involved.
Cost efficiency: Since powder coating is far stronger and deeper than liquid coatings, renewed coatings require much less material. This makes it a top cost-effective option as you will likely only need your products to be layered with the powder coating once.
Style: Although this is relatively less known, powder coating can provide a wider range of colours and styles for metal products than any other type of coating. This means that it is generally a preferred option for many people, as they have more control over how their products turn out.
Where can I get my products power coated?
Since powder coating has become such a popular way of protecting and styling various types of metal, there are more power coating factories than ever before. Of course, in order to ensure that your products will be coated in the safest, most efficient way possible, you will need to find a company that you can rely on.
If you live in the Midlands, then the experts at Vibrant Coatings are just around the corner! Situated in Chesterfield, Vibrant Coatings provide more than just powder coating. We will be with you from collection and consultation, all the way through pre-treatment, shot blasting, masking, powder coating, assembly, and back to the packing and delivery right back to you.
We provide our services for the entirety of the UK, not just the midlands – and use our state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that your products get the best possible coatings and care.
If you are interested in learning more about powder coating benefits, or would like more information regarding our services, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 01246 20384533 or email us at info@vibrantcoatings.co.uk.