What is the pre-treatment process?

An essential part of the powder coating process for any material or item, pre-treatment prepares the surface of your chosen material to allow it to more effectively take a coating. 

Doing so ensures the effectiveness and longevity of a coat and enables a powder coating to bond with the element it is applied to.

It can take the form of chemical pre-treatments such as chromate conversion or the use of zinc phosphate. 

That allows you to maximise the adhesion levels of your finishing layer and provide additional protection for more reactive ferrous metals. 

The process can also involve shot-blasting for steel items or the use of aluminium substrates. 

In short, pre-treatment is a critical part of any coating process and should be given due attention or care. 

Failing to secure the appropriate coating will diminish the quality of your end product and shorten its shelf life. 

That can make it troublesome for new build or heritage products where unique designs can present many challenges. 

What are the advantages?

When it comes to considering pre-treatments, advantages include:

Added protection: A well-applied coating acts as an extra barrier between the material being processed and the space around it. That can help prevent damage from bumps and scrapes, contamination from a hazardous working environment, and daily wear-and-tear from the sun, rain or excessive heat and cold. Pre-treating your item ensures the highest possible standards of quality and care when it is truly needed most.  

Added value: Along with providing an extra barrier of helpful protection, completing pre-treatment will make a final layer to look aesthetically appealing. Each coating comes with a number of options to make it to look as great as it performs, so finding the right one can add extra value for your project and professional client.

Bespoke quality: Choosing a seasoned provider means you can take advantage of their professional experience and guidance. That brings with it the flexibility to meet your unique business requirements, accommodate design elements and protection against complications that could delay delivery of the final product. 

Key requirement: If you are applying any kind of powdered coating to your item it is essential to ensure that you get the most from your project. Skipping pre-treatment risks a diminished final product and potentially invalidates the legal requirements for its professional use in the chosen sector. 

Get in touch

If you want to learn more about pre-treatment, our team as Tomburn have you fully covered. 

With more than 40 years of professional experience operating in the sector, we are happy to work with you to find a solution that fits your unique project, budget, and available timeframe. 

You can view our list of services in full here or get in touch with our team directly to talk through your requirements and let us know exactly what you need.