What is powder coating? In its simplest terms, powder coating is a powder paint compound that is negatively charged with a special spray gun. The negative charge causes the powder particles to adhere to any positively charged metal object being sprayed. Once the object has been covered with the powder coating, it’s baked in a special oven until the particles melt and fuse together creating a coating with a hard finish.
Powder coat services in Washington have continued to rise in popularity ever since their introduction to the U.S. in the 1960s. But is it really worth all the hype? More importantly, is it really better than painting? If you aren’t completely sold on the idea of powder coating over more traditional forms of painting, this article is for you. We’re about to give you four reasons why powder coating is better than painting.
Efficiency
While the process of powder coating may seem complicated, it’s actually quite simple and time efficient. Similar to spray painting, even a large object can be powder coated with the right equipment in just a matter of minutes. The curing (aka “baking”) process also typically only takes anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours for larger items. Unlike painting, which often requires multiple coats and can take days to completely dry, powder coating from start to finish only takes a few hours.
Durability
Often, powder coating’s number one selling point is its durability. Powder coating is often two to three times thicker than traditional paint, which means it not only stands the test of time, but it is also more resilient against scratches, dents and environmental factors like humidity and extreme heat or cold. At the same time, powder coating also remains flexible and is able to bend with moving parts, which makes it ideal for manufacturing equipment, vehicles and other applications.
Safety
Powder coating is safer than traditional wet paints for a number of reasons. First, powder coating contains no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or solvents, which can cause health issues if inhaled, and are also dangerous to the environment. Powder coating also creates very little waste. Because the overspray is solid, nearly 60 to 70 percent can be reclaimed and reused. With paint, however, that percentage drops to around 30 percent.
Economy
Powder coating does cost more up front, mainly because the equipment needed for the powder coating process is costly and the operating costs of the curing oven are expensive as well. However, when you consider the durability and other benefits of powder coating, the final cost of powder coating per square foot is about one third that of paint in a side by side comparison.
When you compare powder coating to traditional paint methods, there really is no contest. Powder coating is more efficient, durable and cost effective than paint. If you’re interested in powder coat services in Washington, call Powder Vision Inc. We specialize in residential, commercial and industrial powder coating and have been providing powder coat services in Washington since 1997!