How does powder coating work and what do you need to do?

On the surface, the process of powder coating is a simple one. It is underpinned by a complex understanding of chemical reactions and many years of studying ways to make metal more durable. That’s why you need the expertise of a company that offers a powder coating service to take care of all the hard work for you. As a client, your role is simple.

Step one

The first thing you need to do is decide what you need finishing as this will hugely affect the end costs. Things that influence the cost of a powder coating include the size of the metal you need covering and the type of metal that needs covering as different metals sometimes require different treatments.

Then you also have to consider the colours. If you need a specific colour, you’ll need to know the RAL colours you require so the company can colour match and produce the powder coating accurately. 

Step two

The company you contract to produce your powder coating will then get to work on your metal design. The metal will need to be pre-treated before they can apply the powder coating. This could involve:

• Blasting - a method that shoots sand and shot at the metal to remove metal scale, laser scale, rough welds, or heavy rust. It can also remove a previous powder coating for re-coating.
• Washing - pressure washing, automatic washing, or dipping using specially formulated soap.
• Wiping - the simple hand-and-cloth method of cleaning.

Which cleaning method used will depend on the type of metal involved and is at the discretion of the professional technicians.

Step three

Next comes the second part of the pre-treatment which will likely be phosphating or etching. Again, choosing which process to use depends on the type of metal, its quality, customer specifications, and the intended use. 

Etching is best suited to smooth metals like aluminium. It removes oxidation and corrodes the surface of the metal. The surface of the metal becomes rough providing a better surface for the powder coating to cling to, ensuring a long-lasting finish.

Phosphating is similar as it also creates a rougher surface for the powder coating to cling to. But, this method uses acidic products to treat the metal surface. It is a popular method of pre-treatment prior to powder coating.

Step four

It is now time to apply the powder coating. Powder coating is based on the principle that objects with opposite electrical charges attract. The powder particles are negatively charged as they pass through a special spraying gun resulting in an electric field between the spray gun and the earthed component. The powder particles then stick to the metal. After this, the powder coated product is baked at around 160 to 200 degrees celcius for approximately 20 minutes.

Step five

The final step is getting the now more durable, long-lasting, valuable product delivered to where you need it which you should discuss with your chosen company.

Powder coating with Tomburn

At Tomburn, we have perfected the art of powder coating to help our clients save money by making their metal last longer, and look better for longer. We offer a wide range of technically outstanding powder products for aluminium (BS 6496), galvanised steel (BS 6497), mild steel, and various other substrates at excellent value. 

To get a quote or simply see how our services can be of value to you, give us a call on 02392 692 020.