Benefits of Powder Coating Over Traditional Paint

With regard to protecting the metal surface, powder coating and wet paint are the two most popular types of services. But which of these models is the better option? So let’s take an in-depth look at the benefits and drawbacks of powder coating vs paint in order to make a decision for the next metal coating.

What is Powder Coating?

Powder coating is another technique of coating that is done with powder that has been previously used to prepare an adhesive material. It is constituted of a complex of fine particles of pigment and resin that become coated when heat is applied, so as to make the powder to flow and cure. The powder also adheres through an electrostatic bond, which refers to the charge the particles acquire while the metal is earnd, or grounded.

Benefits of Powder Coating

There are many advantages that powder coated finishes have over traditional paint:There are many advantages that powder coated finishes have over traditional paint:

1. More durable finish

Both of the finishes are quite resistant and are most importantly long lasting when coated with powder. The fine particles of the powder go through a process and form a hard plastic like barrier to the metal and ensures it has a long lasting surface that is not easily scratched, faded or worn out. Powder coats if well maintained can last over 3o years.

2. Resists corrosion

Powder coating creates a layer that has no gaps and covers all the surfaces on the protected metal, leaving it completely shielded from moisture, chemicals, salt, and other agents of corrosion. This makes it very suitable when it comes to withstanding corrosion and rust, thereby making it very suitable for a number of uses.

3. Consistent, uniform finishes  

In the context of powder coating, the procedure benefits from excellent thickness and colour/texture homogeneity due to the reduced coating thickness variance. This enables every coated part of the car or product in general to look the same.

4. Environmentally-friendly 

It is generally accepted that powder coating is more environment friendly than conventional paint since it releases nearly negligible VOCs. Tuning can also be collected and recycled, which makes it almost impossible to waste a lot of powder.

5. Broad spectrum of colors and density

Powder coating powders come in a multitude of standard colours and gloss levels and speciality finishes including: matt, textured and metallic. These colors can be of standard colors or special colors which can be obtained by mixing color powders. This versatility enables a greater number of options to be brought to the aesthetic appearance of coated goods.

Disadvantages of Powder Coating

The drawbacks of powder coating include:The drawbacks of powder coating include:

• Higher initial cost – The former installation of the machinery to carry out the powder coating process cost more as well as the powder coatings. However, as the powder coat finish lasts longer than a traditional paint finish, they can save costs in the long run due to less repaint frequencies.
• Not suitable for all types of applications –This is because in powder coating the coated items have to go through a baking process to cure the powder coating hence one cannot use powder coating on flammable items or heat sensitive items. Some design geometries and finishes of coatings are also detrimental to powder coating to fully set appropriately.

Benefits of Traditional Paint

While powder coating has many perks, traditional liquid paints do still have some advantages in certain situations:While powder coating has many perks, traditional liquid paints do still have some advantages in certain situations:

• More versatility in application areas – paint can be applied to any kind of surface including wood, plastics, concrete, drywall and much more while powder coating works only with conductive surfaces.
• Suitable for small-scale work- paint brushes and rollers are ideal when performing minor paint jobs in Do-It-Yourself projects. Powder coating is a large equipment used in mass coating production hence not suitable for laboratory use.
• Superior hue range – From the electrifying neons to the demure natural tones, special effects, fake finishes and the likes – no other finish on the market can boast as wide a color gamut as paint.
• Lower initial costs – The basic tools, namely brushes and rollers together with paint, can be bought for a relatively small amount of money to be incurred by the handyman most often than not when finishing work needs to be done around the home or shop. It does not require a high investment in capital equipment in order to initiate the business.
• At room temperature, paint tends to dry while powder coating involves using high heat ovens to melt to the powder to a smooth coating after it has been applied.

Disadvantages of Paint

The downsides of relying on traditional paint include:

• Not very long lasting – paint wears off easily and is likely to chip, scratch, fade or wear out easily as compared to the powder coat and this would require frequent touch ups or repainting in the long run.
• Now, while paint does not corrode the metal actively, it does not encase the metal and protect it all around; thus, it only prevents corrosion on the surface while the underneath part of the paint layer is vulnerable to corrosion and rusting.
• Runs and drips – In some cases, it is almost impossible to produce uniform and clean paint jobs when using liquid paint because it readily forms runs and drips. Print irregularity is another factor that hinders a uniform paint coverage across the shape’s surface.
• Solvent release – VOCs are present in most paints and are released when the liquids dry/cure which is hazardous both to human health and the environment.

The Verdict: There is, however, a time to select powder coating as the final finishing technique for surfaced products, and it is as follows:

If the job involves a long lasting, durable finish of materials that are exposed to the elements and weathering or corrosion, then it is clear that powder coating is better than traditional paint. It does make for scenarios where one needs to coat a large number of end products that are of the same or similar type.

If one only needs a couple of cans of paint for a simple do-it-yourself project, then it might be easier and cheaper to go with traditional paint. Paint could also be used for decorative art or other minor coating requirements of the house that is not so demanding as construction.