To keep it simple, powder coating is a process of painting metals (especially steel and aluminium). Unlike traditional painting where liquid paint is applied to the surface and left to dry, Powder coating works by applying dry colour powder to a metal surface, before ‘baking’ the colour onto the surface using heat to form a hard finish. The colour powder is applied electro statically using a power gun. This means that it is sprayed on using compressed air, passing over an electrode in the gun.
Carefully remove any loose surface deposits with a wet sponge.
Use a soft brush (non abrasive) and a dilute solution of a mild detergent, eg, pH-neutral liquid hand dishwashing detergent in warm water (DO NOT use solvents) to remove dust, salt and other deposits. Ensure you thoroughly rinse the surfaces with clean fresh water after cleaning to remove all residues.
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While sometimes not visible, oils, dirt’s, and rust particles can interfere with the powder coating process causing imperfections in the finish, flaking, and premature wear and fading. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend sandblasting all steel jobs before powder coating. Please consult with your powder coater before starting your job.
The right surface preparation will prevent your steel from corroding or rusting. You can use sandblasting for this. By properly preparing the surface of your steel structure, the coating will stick to it better.
Powder coating must be applied to clean, bare metal. If the part you are working with has a finish, like chrome, you must sandblast the part to remove the finish so that the powder coating can adhere to the surface. The generally accepted industry standard is that coating takes place no more than 4 hours after completing the blasting process.