Powder coating might not be the most popular way of painting something, in fact you may well never had heard of it, but it is one of the most effective ways to protect with paint and it can last for up to 15 years! To give you some more information, we have put together this post looking which explains what powder coating is, how it works and which items around your home that can benefit from being powder coated.
What is powder coating
As a process, it has been around for over 50 years, and it primarily focusses on coating metal with dry paint powder. The powder is placed in an electrostatic gun which contains an electrode. This electrode provides a positive charge to the powder, which is forced out of the gun by compressed air. The piece of metal being painted is earthed, so not only is the paint forced onto the surface by compressed air, but it is attracted to it by an electrostatic charge. Once the entire piece is coated in paint powder, it is baked in a curing oven to strengthen the chemical bond between the paint and the metal. The result is a highly durable and consistent finish.
Obviously you need specialist tools, techniques and an industrial oven so this is not a DIY job. It is easy to find a specialist powder coating company to complete the work for you. While they take care fo painting your metalwork you can get on with sorting out the rest of your garden or home. The finish achieved from powder coating is nothing like traditional paints. It is a thicker layer and there won’t be any drips and runs. The finish is lustrous and can include varied effects which can really add some pizazz to your home or garden. It’s surprising more of us don’t use this technique.
Traditional wet paints contain industrial solvents that evaporate as they dry. These chemicals are not good for the environment during their production or use. If you are trying to do your bit for the environment then powder coating is a better solution than traditional paint.
So which items around your home could benefit from powder coating?
Radiators
With either old cast iron radiators or more modern designs, powder coating a radiator can give it a fantastic finish. This is a great way to recycle or modernise existing radiators and really bring them back to life. Just as with traditional paint, powder coating can be done in a vast range of pigments to fit in with your colour scheme at home. However, what is more important is the benefit to the heat output of the radiator when it is powder-coated compared to just a polished metal like aluminium.
Emissivity is a measure of a surfaces ability to radiate heat, which for radiators is vital. A powder coated surface is much better at radiating heat than a mirrored surface, and this is vital if you’re looking to heat large rooms with high ceilings.
Garden furniture
With our temperamental British weather, our garden furniture can take quite a beating. Metal chairs and tables which have been painted can start to look old due to cracked or faded paint and resulting rust which can stain your patio. Powder coating produces a highly durable coat of paint, which is why it is often used on metals which are going to be in harsh environments. If your metal garden furniture needs a new lease of life, then powder coating could be the answer to keep it looking great for longer.
Gates & Railings
Even more so than garden furniture, which can be covered up or sometimes stored inside in a shed or garage, metal gates and railings outside your house are exposed to the elements all year round. There is also a risk of them getting chipped from passers-by or flying gravel. Having a more durable paint coating can really make a difference in protecting your gates and avoiding chips which will make them look great for a much longer period of time that if you coated them with traditional wet paints.
Door handles
While painting door handles may not be to everyone’s taste, it can look great in the right situations. In modern homes, in particular, it can be really effective and stop your metal door handles standing out too much if you’re going for a minimalist design style. With powder coating, you can also alter the texture of the paint to create something that will be comfortable in your hand when you open the door.
Hopefully, you now know a bit more about powder coating, and it’s given you some ideas of how it can benefit items around your home.
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