Liquid paint offers an almost limitless array of color choices, while powder coating may have limited selections available to them. When selecting the shop that can best meet the needs of your project in terms of timeframe and colors available.
Powder coating comes in various textures, gloss levels and effects for you to choose from. Choose an eye-catching textured finish like river vein to add an individual design element while protecting surfaces against impact or corrosion.
1. Gloss
Powder coating offers more colors than liquid paint; however, not all shades are offered at each gloss level; some only come in matte or satin finishes and require special manufacturing runs to produce, leading to longer lead times for production runs.
Selecting the appropriate level of gloss is crucial because it affects how much light is reflected from a finish. In general, higher gloss levels reflect more light and are usually more vibrant. Therefore, when selecting powder paint products it is imperative that they provide quality results with consistent and accurate colors that last through every project phase.
Certain industries and use cases prefer a low-gloss powder coat that doesn’t show wear and tear as readily, especially if your product will be exposed to harsh environments. A lower gloss may prove more durable.
If you’re applying a powder coating with a high sheen, add a clear topcoat for even greater luster and protection from corrosion. Metallic and chrome powder coatings in particular tend to oxidize quickly without proper protection, so adding this additional step may extend its longevity.
2. Texture
Selecting the ideal color and texture combination for your metal object is crucial to its aesthetics and function. Not only will this impact its aesthetic appeal, but it can also alter how the item performs its duties.
Powder coating offers many textures for applications – matte to satin gloss, wrinkle to hammertone, metallic vein and antique finishes are among many available choices that will add value and make your product more noticeable in the marketplace.
Consideration should be given to the environment in which your product will be used when choosing its texture. If it will be exposed to chemicals, moving parts, and abrasion, for instance, a tougher and more resilient finish might be more suited.
Another important consideration is the thickness of powder coat layers. Applying thick coats makes it harder to create smooth, texturized surfaces than when using thinner powder coats, and switching colors during powder coating can make consistent texture-free results more challenging.
Liquid paint can be mixed on-site while powder coats must be manufactured according to specific production runs based on their composition of plastics, creating issues with matching stock or custom colors when switching back and forth, lengthening lead times considerably. Professional powder coating services can assist you with selecting an appropriate hue and make sure that it matches with what is expected of them.
3. Durability
Powder coating provides a thicker and more resilient finish than liquid paint, withstanding impact, moisture and chemicals to make an abrasive environment safer while eliminating touch up costs in the future. Furthermore, its electrical insulation properties make it an excellent insulator and its scratch resistance is impressive.
Powder coating provides longer-lasting colors than liquid paints, particularly those formulated with TGIC or TGIC-free polyester formulations. Furthermore, these powders offer superior weatherability by withstanding harsh environments like humidity and salt while being more resistant to chalking due to a breakdown of resins.
Powder colors don’t just rely on durability for success in extreme environments; their performance also depends on how well their metal substrate has been prepared for coating, such as surface blasting and cleaning to remove any dirt that might impede adhesion of powder coating.
Switching colors during powder coating processes can result in cross-contamination, detracting from product quality. Therefore, it is crucial that dedicated spray booths be utilized and all powder materials stored safely when not in use to avoid unnecessary time-consuming and costly touch ups in the future.
4. Light Reaction
Mindful of how different lighting conditions affect powder coating colors, it’s wise to bring a sample to where it will be applied before selecting one. This will prevent rejects due to color fading or other appearance issues after powder has been applied.
RAL color systems are an invaluable asset for powder coating service providers, yet may remain obscure to those outside the industry. Customers can quickly order standardized hues through this system similar to Pantone’s printing industry standards and with it comes consistent color application across applications.
Wet paint contains solvents that make them flammable; powder coatings on the other hand, are non-flammable and eco-friendly, since they do not release VOCs during application or curing processes.
Powder coatings offer numerous advantages over wet paint in terms of durability, such as their ability to resist scratches, impact damage, corrosion and fading as well as provide superior abrasion resistance.
Due to these advantages, powder coating is an attractive choice for industrial applications like metal furniture, fencing and lighting fixtures. However, its advantages can be offset by high costs associated with applying and reapplying it on existing parts.
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