The Secret of Powder Coating vs. Painting

When given the choice between powder coating and wet painting, you might be unsure about which metalworking services work best for your particular project. Understanding the important
differences between the two will make your choice easier.

Metal Powder Coating

Powder coating is not as common as other metalworking services. Powder coating is a streamlined finishing process where a specialist applies a final dry
powder coating to a metal surface and then heats the surface to produce a thick, hard finish. Using a powder coating provides a tougher finish than
what you would find in conventional paints. In fact, powder coating uses less paint and reduces the finishing process by 95 percent or more, according
to experts.

Using Wet Paint

Most consumers are familiar with the process of applying wet paint to a metal surface during the finishing process. Most metalworking services use a spray
pump or pressurized container that distributes the paint evenly. A specialist will clean the metal object thoroughly before it is wet-blasted with
paint at an even thickness. Wet paint works best on metal that you cannot heat for powder coating. It also allows you to use a broad range of colors
not available through powder coating.

Wet painting provides a thinner finish than powder coating. Many metal products demand this finish, especially on smaller equipment and materials. However,
wet paint is not as durable as powder coating and is prone to cracking and splitting in harsher environments. Wet paint also requires more maintenance
and refinishing over the long term than powder coating. Since wet paint starts with a liquid, it doesn’t guarantee the perfect finish on metals – a
rather significant downside.

Learn more about other metalworking services, including powder coating and wet painting, by contacting our team of experts at Metal Masters today.