A problem when painting parts that may flex is the possibility of the paint cracking over time. In the auto body industry flex agents have been added to paints and clear coats to help them flex with a part and reduce cracking. Powder coating is a much more durable coating than liquid paints. In fact it has two-three times the impact resistance and is preferred for parts that are exposed to extreme conditions.
So can you powder coat parts or items that will move and flex? The answer is YES! Powder coating is extremely flexible and is a preferred coating on things like automotive suspension springs, engine parts, and more. Obviously if the part is being rubbed/abraded like the center of an engine pulley the powder may break down over time, but much slower than liquid paints.
We suggest applying light to medium coats of powder on extremely flexible parts as a extremely thick coating of powder might not flex as well as a light or medium coat. We showed the durability of powder by crumbling up a piece of tin foil after coating it with powder. You can crumble and flatten the tin foil many times without the powder cracking. Just keep in mind this had one light coat of powder and didn’t have a high build like you may do on other parts. To see our full line of powder coating colors and supplies visit our site HERE.
