Three Crucial Tips for Preparing Metal Surfaces for Powder Coating
You should think about choosing powder coating as the finishing process for your metal fabrication or improvement work. Powder coating is an advantageous procedure because it creates a protective coating which is impermeable to most harmful elements. The coating will also remain strong and resilient for longer than alternative finishing materials like paint. In addition, there are numerous attractive coats to select for your parts and products. If you choose the powder coating finishing method, use these simple preparation guidelines for the best outcome.
Strip Old Coatings
If you are working with a material with an old finishing coat, you will need to strip the layer before beginning the powder coating process. This procedure is not necessary if you are working with a freshly manufactured product. The stripping work involves the use of a chemical to dissolve or loosen the old material. Chemicals are effective and efficient in comparison to mechanical scarification or sandblasting, especially when dealing with an old powder coat.
Texture the Surface
You should plan on texturing the surface of your material before proceeding to powder coating. This process is necessary for materials with a smooth surface which will not allow the strong adherence of a finishing coat. If the surface is too smooth, the coating could peel off prematurely. You can improve the texture of your metal through abrasive blasting. This procedure will not only create an ideal surface for the coat to stick; it will also eliminate contaminants like rust deposits.
Consider Outgassing
If you are working with highly porous materials such as cast iron, you should think about carrying out outgassing. In general, the pores of these metals will absorb some oils. New products will absorb oil during fabrication and old metals will come in contact with grease during use. If these metals are powder coated while their pores are filled with oil, the coating will fail. In simple terms, once the item is placed in the oven, the oil will be squeezed out of the pores. As a result, there will be bubbles beneath the powder coat. You can prevent this problem by baking the porous material to drive the oil out before powder coating. This process is known as outgassing.
Finally, you should plan on cleaning the material before applying the fresh finishing coat. The right approach will depend on the specific item. If the metal product is large, you can use a pressure washer to achieve the desired results. Smaller items can be soaked in an appropriate cleanser.