General Powder Coating Questions
The effects of ultra violet light, pollution, dirt, grime and salt deposits can all accumulate on your powder coated surface over time. A very simple regular maintenance program should be implemented to ensure the removal of any residues and extend the effective life of your powder coatings.
As a general rule, cleaning should take place every six months. However, in areas where pollutants are more prevalent, especially in coastal or industrial regions, a cleaning program should be carried out on a more frequent basis (i.e. every three months).
To clean your powder coated surface:
- Carefully remove any loose deposits with a wet sponge.
- Use a soft brush (non abrasive) or cloth, and a mild household detergent solution to remove dust, salt and other deposits.
- Rinse off with clean fresh water.
Detergents that recommend the use of gloves when handling should be avoided as this is a good indication that the detergent is harsh and, therefore, unsuitable for cleaning your powder coating.
Although some strong solvents are recommended for removing sealants or other building residues, these may be harmful to the extended life of the powder coated surface and should also be avoided as the damage may not be visible immediately and may take up to twelve months to appear. If paint splashes, sealants or other residue need to be removed, then either Methylated Spirits, Turpentine, or White Spirits may be used safely.
We mainly use Dulux and Interpon powder coatings and offer a large selection of their colour ranges as a standard option. We are able to supply colours from their entire range, so if you have something specific in mind we can arrange this for you.
We can also offer colours from Jotun, PPG and Oxyplast so please contact us if you have any enquiries or click here to view some of our colour options.
The powder coating process involves the following;
1. Pre-treatment - Mechanical and chemical methods of cleaning, preparing
and protecting a substrate prior to the application of powder.
2. Powder Application - Electrostatic application of a dry powder to a
substrate
3. Curing - Heating substrate to cause powder to flow and form a uniform
coating
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Powder coating is environmentally friendly compared to
spray painting. It produces less hazardous material.
- Powder coated products can be recycled
- Powder coating is a cost effective finish with a broad range of effects available
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Durable - the finished coating has a high resistance
to scratching, chipping and marking
This is a very common question. There are many aspects to consider when determining the longevity of powder coatings including the nature of the application and the surrounding environment. Salt, pollution and general deposits will effect the lifespan of the product and it is suggested that you follow a maintenance program to assist the longevity of the coating. Click here for more information on how best to maintain your powder coating.
From the perspective of adhesion and film integrity, with experience like
PCS has, correctly applied and pre-treated powder coated metal can and has
lasted since it was first applied more than 40 years ago.
Powder coatings are considered extremely resilient, and are a coating of
choice for use on gas or oil pipelines which are buried in the earth or
underwater. Powder coatings are also commonly used on automotive parts and
commercial and residential appliances because of their excellent chip
resistance, hardness and or chemical resistance.
From the perspective of resistance to light and UV degradation, some
powder coatings are outstanding, being used on the facades and window
sections of large buildings.
The standard range of powder coatings are designed for general outdoor use
and applications. They offer good weathering resistance, excellent film
integrity and very good hardness.
Whilst not ideal it can be done with dark colours but it will bleed through with lighter colours. The blue primer itself does not have great adhesion to the steel so to ensure better adhesion of the powder to the substrate, we prefer to abrasive blast the blue primer off prior to powder coating.
We have our own abrasive blasting equipment at PCS and can manage the entire job for you.
To get the very best result, powder coating should be done on new material or on a clean surface.
In the case of old paint we recommend that the paint is totally stripped off by either sandblasting or with chemicals prior to powder coating. We can provide this to you as we have our own abrasive blasting and chemical stripping equipment at PCS.
With years of experience in the business, contact us to discuss your specific project.
No, PCS specialises in powder coating only however, we have a range of powder coating colours designed to simulate anodising. By using this method you can also eliminate the colour variation that you get from anodising process.