Tips when Storing Powder
It isn’t uncommon for us to see a customer buy an “inventory” of powder for themselves. Even if you’re a home hobbyist you may want to have a number of colors on hand to allow you to do custom effects or change your color on the fly. This means that you may store your powder for long periods of time until you get to use them again. If you follow the tips below you can be assured that you have good, usable powder when you pick it up to use again.
- Temperature Matters- Where the powder is stored and the climates they’re exposed to over time does make a difference and even though it might not get hot enough to “flow” the powder; extended periods of high temps or humidity can ruin powder over long periods of improper storage. We suggest extended storage to be held in temperatures that see less than 80 degrees regularly and the humidity is under 60% humidity. If your shop or storage gets very hot during the summer you could see clumping or solidifying of the powder over extended times. We suggest long term storage in a climate controlled area like a cool basement if possible.
- Most powders come from the manufacturer in a sealed bag or bottle that keeps the moisture and contaminants in the air out of the powder. We suggest checking that your packages or bottles of powder have a good seal and aren’t cracked or exposed to the open elements for long periods of time as contaminants can get into the powder just from sitting. If you find a powder supply is cracked or ripped you can buy spare powder storage bottles from Eastwood.
- Special Powders Need Special Care- Some powders that provide special finishes like chrome, translucent, mirror colors, etc. may need to be stored out of direct sunlight or heat exposure as they may still flow out when applied, but the final finish could change or be reduced due to improper storage.
If you take care to store your powders properly we have seen customers store powders for years and be able to spray them again. As with all coatings there is a shelf life, but with powder it is much longer if stored in a proper area. To see all of our powder coating colors and supplies you can visit our site HERE.