When considering the finish for your fabrication project, there are several options to choose from, including powder coating and paint. Paint is the more traditional approach, but comes with many limitations in color and finish. Powder coating is often the more advanced option for finishing your metal fabrication project and can often be provided at the same cost of paint. According to the Powder Coating institute, the primary benefits of powder coating are a quality appearance, improved durability, and reduced environmental impact of your products. These benefits are just a few of the many advantages to choosing powder coating for your next stainless steel fabrication project.
Powder coating has a wide variety of standard and custom colors available to you to provide the perfect look for your part or product. You can even include texturing and patterns through the powder coating technique. With these texture options, you can provide added traction for manufactured walkways and handholds or add glitter or wrinkles for custom parts. Powder coating creates a better overall quality of covering than paint. The powder melts and flows together, creating an even surface. There is no risk of uneven coating, running, or dripping like paint. At the end of application, it will not require sanding or refinishing like paint does. Finally, it creates a coat twice as thick as paint, ensuring that the coating is strong and will last.
A powder coating is a much more durable covering than paint options. The coating is much more flexible than traditional paint, allowing for a small amount of bending and flexing as the parts vibrate and move. Powder coating helps stainless steel parts stand up to wear and tear caused by weather and other factors, as it is highly resistant to scratching, flaking and corrosion. It can help prevent corrosion of the steel part and extend the life of components used outdoors or in a working environment. When you powder coat your steel products, you increase the lifespan of the parts at a benefit to you and your clients.
Powder coating is a much more environmentally friendly option than paint. Liquid finishing products typically include solvents called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause damage to the environment when released into the atmosphere. Not only have VOCs been linked to environmental damage, but also to serious health problems to those exposed for long periods of time. The EPA has issued warnings against these solvents, stating that they have caused cancer in laboratory animals and are associated with other health concerns such as headaches, nausea, and dizziness. When you opt for powder coating over liquid finishing products, you will avoid these potential damages to the environment.
The process of applying powder coating is much more efficient than paint. Because of the electromagnetic charge used to hold the powder to the part, little waste is produced. The applicator can spray the exact right amount needed for the application, wasting as little as possible. Because no extra drying time is needed before the next step of the process, you will save time and money. The raw materials needed for the job can be purchased based on the project’s exact size and specifications, meaning you will not waste money on extra materials. The powder itself is less expensive than paint, further cutting costs. Lastly, storing powder coating takes up less space than paint cans, meaning minimal space will be needed for storage.
It's crucial to do your research when choosing a metal fabrication, as not all companies are capable of completing the same quality of work. CAMM Metals has years of experience, honing our skills across the board to deliver a quality product and measurable bottom line value to our customers.