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Powder Coating - The Invincible Paint

By Peter Stewart

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 21Feb2012
Word count: 1419
Viewed: 47 time(s)

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Have you ever wondered how everyday items such as our automobiles and even dishwasher racks get such a beautiful smooth paint-like finish? For the answer, read on!

This type of finish can only be attained through powder coating. It is impossible to achieve it from conventional paint. Powder coating isn't only for big manufacturers as I found out when I had my old door handles treated by a powder coating company. They came out beautifully and cost a fraction of the price of buying new handles!

Why powder coat?

Powder coating is a paint-like finish that is extremely durable, far tougher than the finish that is obtained from a regular paint. The finish comes in a hammered look or a smooth look. The end result is beautiful and very professional looking and along with regular cleaning should last a life-time. Powder coating is becoming increasingly popular because it is so long lasting.

The process of powder coating.

- Choose your color: Powder coating comes in a wide range of colors. The colored powders have to be pre-ordered from the powder manufacturer as colors cannot be mixed on site.

- Preparation: The metal item to be powder coated needs to be prepared in order to get rid of any dirt or grease which would affect the bond between the powder coating and the metal. Sometimes the item is sandblasted.

- Powder application: The item is either immersed into a tank of electronically charged liquid and powder mixture, or it can be sprayed on in a powder coating booth.

- Curing process: The items are then cured in a powder coating oven for about 10 minutes. The normal temperature for successful curing is between 200 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit (160 to 210 degrees C). These high temperatures melt the powder particles causing a chemical reaction to take place. This chemical reaction, known as crosslinking, completes the curing process, covering the item with a strong "paint-like" film.

Requirements of Powder coating ovens.

Powder coating ovens vary in size and are often manufactured to the exact specifications of the powder coating company. When you think of it, it does seem obvious that a dishwasher tray and a car part would need different size ovens. These ovens are powered by either gas or electricity and come with infrared or convection modes of heating. The airflow control and the temperatures of the ovens need to be very fine tuned as the item being cured can be damaged by excessive heat.

Maintenance.

The occasional wash with soapy water is really all that's needed to keep the item looking as good as new. Correctly cured powder coated items won't crack, chip or peel and should stay looking beautiful for a very long time.

Powder coating is the way to go for a long-lasting, durable and an attractive finish to any of your metal objects. Go get the full scoop from our powder coating oven site now.

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