For some unknown reason a lot of car guys are very hesitant to take the plunge into the world of powder coating. This means a lot of people are missing out on all the benefits powder coating has compared to other types of coatings. It seems like there is some fear of powder coating that is preventing car enthusiasts from buying the equipment and starting to coat on their own. You might be surprised to learn that in some cases it’s actually cheaper to powder coat something than painting. The truth is that there are fewer tools and materials needed to powder coat compared to painting. For instance there are many more consumable materials needed when painting and thats not including the paint itself. If you were to compare the differences between painting or powder coating a part for your car, the first step would be to take it down to bare metal.
From here the processes are different, and also vary in the time required to complete each.
Painting:
If you’re coating the part with a traditional 1K or 2K paint the piece must be sealed to prevent corrosion and rusting. Using epoxy primer, which can be applied directly to bare metal is the best option. Automotive paints generally shouldn’t be applied directly to bare metal because there could be adhesion issues. If you’re spraying the part with a 2K primer you will need the correct activator which means another cost associated with the job.
Ok so now that you went out to buy more activator and sprayed the piece with primer, you then have to apply a top coat. Not only will you need the paint, you will also need the reducer and activator if you are using a 2K top coat. Just when you think you’re finally done you realize there is still one more step, applying clear coat. The clear coat requires its own activator as well, that’s more money out of pocket if you don’t already have it. At this point you think you may have spent too much time and way too much money, but the end result does look great.
With Powder Coating you first make the investment in a powder gun and oven. From there all that is needed is to buy the powder itself. Pretty much any electric oven will work (just don’t use one you cook food with!). No special activators, reducers, or other chemicals are needed (other than PRE, to clean the bare metal). Prepping a metal object to paint or powder coat is a similar process, the only difference is that any non-metal pieces must be removed since they will not be able to withstand the heat needed to cure the powder.
Lets see how they match up.
When comparing paint and powder, durability is always #1 on the list. Before we compare the two we first have to mention the different types of paint. Generally speaking, 1K paints in an aerosol can are worlds apart from the paint on your car. Most 1K aerosols paints are usually enamel paint. The down side to enamel paints are that they never fully dry, they just harden when exposed to air. Additionally they will break down and essentially melt if they come in contact with a solvent. The paint on your car is known as a 2K catalyzed paint. This means that before the paint is applied an activator is mixed into the paint. The catalyzed paint will actually change its chemical make up and cure, making it resistant to solvents. While a catalyzed paint is much stronger than aerosol paints it still does not compare to powder.
Density
Once powder fully cures it’s much harder than traditional paint, making it much more scratch and chip resistant. There’s a reason almost all high-end custom cars have powder-coated frames! A powder coated part that is exposed to extreme conditions is less likely to chip off and peel like paint would.
Flexibility
Powder isn’t just harder than paint, it’s also extremely flexible. We’ve tested the flexibility of powder by applying it to tin foil, crumbling it up, and flattening it back out. The results were incredible, none of the powder had flaked off! Try doing that same test with spray paint, more will end up on the floor than the foil!
Thickness
One of the visibly noticeable differences between powder and paint is the actual material thickness. A functional coat of powder can be up to 10X thicker than paint. This means that there is a greater protection between the outside world and the bare metal.
Corrosion Resistance
When prepped and applied correctly, powder does an incredible job of preventing corrosion because of how strong it is. When a painted surface is scratched it is much more likely to go down to bare metal. At that point corrosion will begin and start to spread. Since powder is so much harder than paint the chance that a scratch will reach bare metal is very unlikely, making it the perfect coating for chassis and suspension parts.
Ease of Cleaning Up
If you’ve spray painted before, you’ll know how awful overspray can be. No matter how much you prepare, it seems to get everywhere. Cleaning up overspray can be very difficult because it requires the use of harsh chemicals. In its raw form, cleaning up powder is no different than cleaning up sugar and flour spilled in the kitchen. Simply sweeping it up or using a vacuum is all that will be needed.
Reclaiming/Reusing Powder
2K paint must be used once it is mixed, powder does not require any additives. This means you can use it at you own leisure. Powder under normal circumstances does not dry out or cure even when it’s left out.
If you really want to be frugal, powder that doesn’t stick to your part can be reclaimed and reused by sweeping it up and sifting. Just make sure you use a very fine screen to sift so that there are no other contaminants in the powder. This may be very tricky to do at home, but with some care it can be done.
Eco Friendly Application
Traditional paint guns atomize the liquid paint into the air while a powder coating gun uses air to propel the powder towards the part. As the powder is leaving the gun a slight charge is added to the powder. The powder sticks to the grounded part because the powder has a slight charge when it leaves the gun and it’s then attracted to the grounded part.
Unlike liquid paints that are sprayed, there aren’t any may health threats to being in the same room without a mask on. Powder coating does not even require the use of a typical carbon filter mask, just a simple dust mask to keep from directly inhaling the powder when spraying. Because powder is heavier than atomized paint, overspray will fall on the ground right around the part and won’t float in the air for extended periods of time.
Check out the Eastwood Blog and Tech Archive for more How-To’s, Tips and Tricks to help you with all your automotive projects. If you have a recommendation for future articles or have a project you want explained don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
– James R/EW
Nice article. I’ve been using Eastwood’s systems industrially since they came out in the 90’s, (before that I used to liquid coat my parts for projects). They have saved a lot of time and made good money for me.
Still in all that time I have only worked up to an industrial oven big enough to fit 22″ wheels.
I’ve always been interested in the UV lights you sell but I need to see them in action before I drop 2 grand on a set. Please do an article/video on your UV light set curing a car frame or engine block.
While it technically could be possible, as long as your checking that the temps are within the curing temp range with a heat gun (don’t trust an old oven thermostat) it is ok to use a home style oven or UV lamp.
Hi Steve,
Yes powder coating does emit some fumes while curing. If you’re garage is attached to the house or isn’t ventilated very well we’d suggest adding a fan behind the oven to blow the fumes out of the shop. They aren’t as bad as 2K paint, but there is a definite odor.
great read, i have been doing some reading on powder coating and i am ready to jump in a couple of weeks from now. i have moved my oven into the garage for this purpose, yes i replaced the one in the house and know not to cook in it again. my question is does it produce any toxic fumes when curing? i mounted some caster wheels on my oven so it can be wheeled outside while i still work inside. or is it safe to leave the oven in the garage without finding me at room temperature on the floor of the garage the next day?
I read an article not long ago that that the heat source needed for powder coating needed to be controlled within a very narrow range of degrees that conventional oven’s switches do not provide (temperatures actually swinging several degrees to either side of setting before cutting in/out heat elements). Stated that switches in true powder coating ovens have tighter tolerance and less temp swing. Argues that large temperature swings causes problems with coating’s finish and durability. Is there truth to this? IF this is true, I can’t fathom how you could control that with UV lighting and it would be a joke to even think of using a heat gun. Thoughts?
Did you mean it can be cured using IR vice UV? http://www.eastwood.com/ir-cure-system-with-dual-voltage-gun.html?reltype=2&parent_id=3720
Love the article on comparing the pros and cons of powdercoating to painting and the inputs from readers.Myself, I ‘ve found that there is a lot of upkeep /maintenance to paint .I’m willing to try powder coating if it means less upkeep for months down the road. Thanks
If you have a UV lamp or an oven that it will fit in, yes you could coat a house door. Just remember you would need to remove any insulation or paper products inside/on the door before coating as they won’t withstand the heat needed to cure the door. Our full line of powder colors can be seen here: http://www.eastwood.com/paints/hotcoat-powder-coating.html
Hi Johnny,
Yes UV lamps can be used in that situation and you can cure the frame in sections.
Craigslist usually can net free or very cheap electric ovens you can use in your garage or a small toaster oven works for small parts. Alternatively we offer UV lamps that can cure larger parts.
True, but UV lamps can be used to cure these larger parts if you do not have an oven large enough.
Hi John, we have videos of the chrome in action on our Youtube channel. You can see them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9XW8zokU8w
Most plastics won’t be able to handle the high heats needed to cure the powder.
If you mean the same booth used for automotive coatings? Generally speaking, no. They usually don’t get hot enough to cure the powder. There are large walk-in powder ovens that large parts can be rolled into.
Hi Robert,
A heat gun could be used on small parts, but wouldn’t be ideal for anything large. We sell UV lamps you can roll up to the part and bake in a similar fashion though!
Hi Anthony,
You’d need a metal filler like lead solder. There is no plastic filler that will work with the heat needed to bake powder onto a surface.
You could apply a new coat of powder over the entire part. If you have an UV lamp you could potentially spray and bake the powder on the spot.
I am getting ready to do my 1960 Corvette frame.The big thing for me and a lot of other people I have talked to, is if the power coat gets chipped how do you touch it up?
I am wanting to powder coat my Willys Jeep. What kind of body filler would I need? That can without the heat from the oven, about 400 degrees. Thanks, Anthony
Hey ! …… Thanks ! , usefull article
. I believe the unknown reason that the average guy still chooses to paint instead of powder coat is most people don’t have room for an oven in the garage. Also, you are limited to doing small parts. For sure the powder coating is more resistant to scratches .One must also figure the cost of a sandblasting cabinet as this gives the best surface for both paint and powder coat to bond to.
Interesting article. Thanks
Powder covers irregular parts better than paint. Powder gets in, around & behind folds, edges & corners…where paint covers direct line-of-sight only.
Once powder cools, it is done. Pick it up and install it. With enamel, especially it has to “dry” before touching it. Could be days later and you still leave finger prints. That never happens with powder.
As you state at the beginning of your article about many of us are hesitant to try powder coating, my self included, the biggest drawback to me is curing. Did I read somewhere that a heat gun can be used to cure pieces too large to fit into an oven? The oven Eastwood markets is rather small compared to even suspension parts and pieces. I think I’ll jump in and give it a try.
Excellent well prepared article. Thank you.
Can’t figure it out, to me powder coating, say coating under your vehicle, frame and suspension parts is less expensive than spray painting, I beg the difference. Have you checked out what a heat lamp cost? The article about using the powder coating procedure fails to mention about the expense of drying/curing.
Can a spray booth be used to cure powder coated material?
Can I use it on plastic
I would like to see powder coating videos for Chrome looking alternative. And. For An Aluminium alternative . Ant thing that looks cad plated or gal , nickel. Plated. ?
Prep work of material required prior to coating ?
The biggest obstacle in using Powder Coating Products is not cost, but the availability of large ovens for baking fenders, doors,quarters and frames
The biggest reason that I have not gone to powder coating is how do you cure the part. If it is small OK but what if you can’t fit it in an oven? And do you have to have an oven installed in your garage?
Hi James,
Great article. How would a guy at home powder coat a car frame in his garage? do those heat lamps really work, and can you powder coat in sections?
Thank you
Johnny
Can Power coat be used to paint exterior house doors???? What colors are available?
The main disadvantage to powder coating at home is the limitation on part size imposed by the oven. I use powder coating services for many of my car parts, but most would not fit into a conventional oven. Given this limitation, I’d rather send all my parts out for powder coating than to do some at home and send some out.
I switched from paint to powder coating whenever I can. I’m lucky as there is a large powder coating vendor down the street from me who can coat complete vehicles in there oven. This level of efficiency works great on large items mostly costing less than expensive paint. For smaller items I use Eastwood powder coat products doing the work myself. The results are stunning. I only wish I had started power coating years ago as the finish is near destruction proof and always looks great.
bullshit….powder is dying because nobody leaves their rig alone for ever…every idiot that powdercoated their bike frame in the 90’s have come to realize what a paint in the ass it is to remove …its dull and grainey compared to paint that can be polished and buffed..i talk guys outta powder coating every day and todays urethanes and epoxies are durable as hell…just say no to powder
I bought a trailer that was powder coated. Before the first year was up it was rusting and chipping. In order to make it look better and preserve it I had to spray it with rust oleum satin black. The rust oleum is easy to get and cheap to use and seems to hold up as well as that original powder coating or even better. That’why I would be hesitant to powder coating.
There’s another reason powder provides better protection against rust. Liquid paint is made of solvent and paint, and when applied, the solvent must evaporate for the paint to dry. This is called outgassing. You can imagine that as the solvent outgasses, it leaves tiny pinholes as the solvent microscopically bubbles up through the paint since all the solvent must have an escape path in order to evaporate. These pinholes mean the thinnest part of the paint is very very thin and very susceptible to corrosion. This is also why 2 coats of paint is much better than one. Exceptions to this rule include two part epoxy paints.
Powder coat doesn’t have this problem as it is simply a plastic coating that melts on to the part. There is no outgassing required, so there are no pinholes and the part is protected much better.
Nice piece, very instructive. I think some follow up in the realm of fillers would be helpful. That was/is my biggest concern with PC, althoug& I seem to have solved it fairly well.