Every day, residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout the country enjoy the benefits of powder coating, often without even realizing it. Though it makes up for only 15 percent of the total industry, powder coating is growing rapidly in popularity. With any less well-known tech, of course, it’s only natural to wonder: “Is powder coating safe?” For our customers in Washington state, here’s your answer.
What is powder coating?
For those who may not know, powder coating is a means of protecting metal objects in much the same way as paint. A unique chemical powder is applied to a given object with a spray machine. From there, the coated piece is placed in a furnace, where intense heat bakes the powder coating into a thick crust.
The result is a metal piece that looks identical to a painted piece. The only significant functional difference is that a powder coating finish is much tougher than conventional paint.
Avoid VOCs
Traditional metal paint manages its shine and strength through the inclusion of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde. As your paint job wears down, these substances are released into the atmosphere. Not only are they harmful to the environment, but VOCs can also prove toxic to certain people.
Powder coating, meanwhile, contains almost no VOCs, yet its color remains sharp and brilliant.
No hazardous waste
When a metal object is painted in regular fashion, mistakes are common. There are runs and thin spots that need to be removed and reworked. The only way to remove paint is through the use of hazardous chemicals that dissolve the paint so that you can try again. Both the chemicals used to strip the paint and the stripped paint itself are considered hazardous waste. They’re not only rough on the environment, but they’re also a pain to clean up.
If you catch a mistake in your powder coating work early enough, it’s a breeze to fix. You can simply wipe it away with a cloth or blow it away with compressed air. The excess powder can then be swept up and disposed of along with the rest of your trash without issue. For those curious to know, “Is powder coating environmentally friendly?” that’s likely the best evidence that it certainly is.
Powder is recyclable
When you finish a paint job, the extra paint left over can be a pain to get rid of. The remaining powder coating you’ve got once you’ve finished a task, however, may be recyclable. If you painted your objects in one (or even two) colors, then you can speak to your local powder coating expert about having it reclaimed. Not only does this help mitigate the costs of a powder coating project, but it also cuts down on overall waste.
The powder coating pros
For more than 20 years, the team at Powder Vision Inc. has worked tirelessly to help our friends and neighbors in the state of Washington. We’re immensely proud that every one of our clients can ask, “Is powder coating safe?” because we can respond, “Absolutely.”
Not only is powder coating environmentally safe, but it’s also longer lasting and more durable than traditional paint. Cars, trucks, industrial machinery, patio furniture and more—powder coating can restore and protect your favorite pieces. Call Powder Vision Inc. today and we’ll take care of the rest.