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Powder Coating

Gavin and Kristy Fitzpatrick

2003-12-01 10:27:00

QUESTION: I am restoring a 1972 Chevelle SS. What is the process to have the parts powder coated? What are the advantages to powder coating versus spray paint?

ANSWER: First, the parts to be powder coated must be removed from the car.  Next, the previous paint must be stripped from each part so that the metal is smooth and clean (if it's new metal, this step is omitted).  The parts are then washed with a special chemical and rinsed to remove any remaining dirt/oil etc.  The parts are then hung on a trolley and dried off in an oven.  The metal must be clean and dry for the powder to adhere properly.  Once powder color has been selected, the parts are now ready to be coated.  They are rolled into a special spray booth where they are grounded and the powder is electrostatically charged and sprayed onto the parts using a special spray gun.  The parts then go back into the oven for curing.  The powder takes around 15-20 minutes to fully cure.  Sometimes a clear top coat is used.  If this is the case, the parts are half cured, rolled back into the booth for the clear coat then back to the oven for a full cure cycle. The advantage of a clear coat is to enhance the durability of the first coat or to add a richness to the initial color.  This entire process results in a decorative, extremely durable finish.  In addition, powder coating is environmentally friendly as there are no fumes released into the air.

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Powder Coating

Gavin and Kristy Fitzpatrick

2003-11-01 15:24:00

QUESTION:  I have heard you can have metal lawn furniture refurbished by something called powder coating can you tell me how this is done and what it is?

ANSWER: To answer your question lets start with how powder coating works.  Powder coat is dried paint that has been dried and then pulverized into an ultra-fine powder form.  The powder coat is applied by passing the powder through a spray gun, similar to that used with wet paint.  The powder is given a "positive" electric charge while the part to be powder coated is "grounded" or "negative".  When the powder is sprayed it comes out of the gun in a fog like fashion and is attracted to the "negative" part.  A major difference between Wet and Dry paint is the wet paint is blown onto a surface with a lot of pressure and it can cause runs, sags and light spots on the surface.  With the Dry method the surface is sprayed using low pressure causing the fog to be gently pulled to the surface which allows the small cracks and spaces to be filled which leads to a smooth, uniform finish.  Once the metal has been sandblasted you can have just about any metal surface powder coated, it works exceptionally well for lawn furniture and lasts many years.  Some other items that are very popular for powder coating are aircraft parts, car parts, home parts, and other types of lawn & garden pieces.