Why Powder Coating is Stronger than Paint
When you need to color a metal part, the options were painting and enameling in the past. While this is a time-honored and tested method of adding color, it may not be the best option available. Powder coating is growing more popular as a cost-effective and long-lasting coloring which carries with it many advantages. Learn the differences between powder coating vs. paint, and why powder coating is a stronger option for most parts.
Powder Coating vs. Paint
While painting may seem like a faster and more cost-effective service, powder coating is actually superior for most applications. It is safer, less toxic, easier to clean up and provides a rock-hard protective surface in addition to vibrant color.
Fire Protection
While paint is all-too-often very flammable (even when dry), powder coating is stronger partially because it has no solvents that can catch fire. The fire resistance of powder coating makes it not only a stronger covering, but the lower use of chemicals and need for fewer safety precautions makes it cost-effective as well.
Controlled Thickness
Powder coating can be paper thin or super-thick, depending on the need of the individual job. If you need a perfect fit between two parts, you can still cover them smooth and completely while not having to worry about scratches or fitting problems. Best of all, no matter how thick or thin, the color will look just as even and great.
Curing
Even when you use a hard enamel clear coat over paint, you’re still worrying about uneven thickness and the potential for scratches, gouges and the like. This is because paint is at its most basic a liquid that dries on.
With powder coating you are getting a heat-cured process, not quite like that which creates steel, but of a similar concept. When heat and cold are applied to the powder coat, it is solidly baked on and becomes a rock-hard surface that resists damage, from dents to gouges and scratches.
Flexibility
As hard as powder coating is, it’s flexible and won’t crack or break under strain. Most paint jobs can’t make this same boast. It’s also flexible in terms of usage—there are a broad variety of surfaces that can benefit from powder coating, from metal to plastic to glass and even wood. Technologies for baking on the coating are always improving, and with them, the variety of surfaces that can be coated are also growing.
Powder coating has many benefits that make it a stronger option than paint for your coloring and protective needs. Why waste time with multiple substances to color and protect when one powder coat will do the trick? If you have any questions about what powder coating is or how it works, take some time to read a bit more information and then get in touch with us today.
