Manufacturers across multiple industries have come to rely on powder coating to provide reliable, durable finishes for their products. Powder coating is a highly effective method to seal components to protect them from the elements and regular wear and tear.
Yet is powder coating durable enough for your specific applications? It depends a great deal on the type of coatings you select, as well as the conditions under which your product will be used. Read on to learn how well various powder coatings can stand up to abuse.
What is Powder Coating?
Before discussing powder coating durability, it’s important to understand what powder coating is and how to apply it. Unlike liquid paints, this surface protector begins as a dry mixture of powdered polymers, pigments, and other additives. It is applied to a product using a spray gun, which gives each particle an electrostatic charge to ensure that it adheres to every nook and cranny of the component.
After the part is completely covered, it enters a curing oven. There, intense heat melts the polymers and causes them to form the finished coat. Not only does this process involve less waste than traditional liquid spraying operations, but the lack of solvents also means it is friendlier to the environment.
Providing Protection
The primary benefit of powder coating is how well it safeguards the product. For example, marine companies often treat equipment with these finishes to shield against saltwater contamination. For defense contractors, powder coating brings another important quality to the table like protection against chemical agents. Under certain conditions, powder coating’s corrosion resistance can last thousands of hours. Vehicles and weapons covered in this manner tend to be much better at repelling chemical attacks, keeping personnel and gear safer.
Another advantage of powder coating over standard paints is how well it resists chipping, cracking, and fading. Although it is not indestructible, when applied properly, the finish can absorb occasional dings and scratches more successfully and without exposing the metal underneath it.
Factors That Influence Powder Coating Durability
The durability and effectiveness of powder coating depend on several factors. You want a powder coating to be strong and last as long as possible. That’s why preparing surfaces correctly before powder coating is applied will ensure they last longer. Give surfaces a proper cleaning, blasting, stripping, or degreasing, when necessary, as part of the industrial powder coating pretreatment process. If you don’t take these steps, you’ll have surfaces prone to early flaking or corrosion.
Powder coating thickness and consistency are also key to making them last longer. Make sure your coating has an even film build over the surface; otherwise, thin coatings can result in chipping. Apply additional coats if needed on a consistent basis, as this will prevent weak spots or thin areas from forming.
Proper curing is another critical factor in the powder coating process. Time and temperature during the curing process directly affect the coating’s hardness, flexibility, and chemical resistance. Inaccurate curing can weaken overall performance, leading to reduced durability and premature failure.
The other major impact on powder coating durability is the environment in which the surface is exposed. Prolonged UV rays, chemicals, humidity, and abrasion are more demanding on powder coating and may indicate that those surfaces need more advanced or specialized powder coating formulas for protection.
Choosing the Right Type for You
Not all powder coatings are alike; they can be made with different materials, each of which offers various benefits for certain applications, including materials which can be powder coated. Here are the most common types of powder coatings and their typical uses:
- Epoxy — Although this variety provides excellent performance against most environmental conditions and chemicals, it does have some significant limitations. Most importantly, prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause it to fade and weaken, making it best suited for indoor use.
- Polyesters — Alternatively, polyester powder coatings offer strength and exceptional resistance for indoor or outdoor applications.
- Fluoropolymers — A good choice for outdoor usage, powder coatings made with fluoropolymers can retain their color and gloss levels for an extremely long time when compared to other finishes.
- Urethanes — These coatings have a similar composition to most polyester blends, but with a slightly harder finish. This makes urethanes more expensive than other options, since they provide the highest degree of durability.
How Powder Coating Performs in Real-World Environments
Powder coatings are designed to handle the elements and changing environments. Here’s how certain powder coatings hold up in real-world applications:
- Outdoor Conditions: UV-resistant powder coatings like polyesters and fluoropolymers withstand prolonged sunlight, moisture, and temperature changes with minimal degradation. Indoor-only coatings such as epoxies are not suitable for extended UV exposure.
- High-Corrosion Environments: With proper surface pretreatment, powder coating offers long-lasting corrosion resistance in harsh conditions. This performance makes it a common choice for marine, industrial, and defense applications.
- Heavy Wear or High Impact: Powder coatings generally resist chipping and scratching better than liquid paint. Their cross-linked structure creates a tougher, more impact-resistant finish.
- Chemical Exposure: Some powder coating formulations are designed to resist oils, solvents, and harsh chemicals. Choosing the correct resin system is critical for industrial environments.
Powder coatings typically outperform liquid paint due to thicker film builds, greater hardness, and stronger adhesion, resulting in improved overall durability.
How Long Powder Coating Lasts (And When to Expect Wear)
The typical lifespan of powder coatings can vary, but many last between 10 to 20 years in the outdoors under normal weather conditions, and they can last even longer indoors. Early signs of wear are surfaces that are fading, chalking, or showing minor corrosion at edges. As some of these early signs of wear appear after a few years, it can be difficult to discern between simple cosmetic wear and structural issues of the powder coating. Powder coating that has a slight loss of gloss or fading is fine, while coatings that have adhesion loss or under-film corrosion may need to be reassessed or reapplied.
To make your powder coating last longer, regularly wash surfaces to remove dirt and debris, especially if they are continually exposed to harsh conditions. Early wear of powder coating can also depend on where it is applied on the surface or product. If the coating is applied to a unique part shape, corners, welds, or moisture-trapping areas, wear will appear earlier than expected.
Count on Rhinehart Finishing
As recognized experts in the field, Rhinehart Finishing is your go-to source for virtually any type of industrial powder coating services. We have extensive experience with the most common materials, as well as with more advanced formulas. We are proud to be certified as a TACOM-approved applicator of military-grade finishes, demonstrating the depth and quality of our capabilities.
If you want to learn more about our services or if you have any questions about these coatings, get in touch with us today. Our representatives are ready and able to help you with your next project.