How Long Does Powder Coating Last?
Powder coating provides an attractive and protective finish for steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and other materials. Its longevity depends on several factors, including surface preparation, coating quality, and upkeep.
With the right pretreatment and when used in the right environment, a powder coating’s lifespan can reach 15 to 20 years.
What Is Powder Coating?
With powder coating, a surface such as plastic, steel, or concrete is treated with a metal finish. It is a dry process where electrostatic powder is applied to the surface and then bonded with heat through curing. Powder coating achieves aesthetic and functional purposes and resists wear. Some of its applications include:
- Architectural finishes
- Wire insulation
- Aerospace components
- Indoor and outdoor metal furniture
- Military vehicles
- Food molds
- Light fixtures
- Mechanical parts
- Medical metal components
- Valves, pumps, and pipes
- Trucks, cars, and subways
Factors Affecting Powder Coating Longevity
Powder coating is made of an electrostatic powder mixture containing additives and plastic resin. This mixture, combined with the electrostatic and thermal curing process, makes it durable and long-lasting due to the strong bond between the substrate and paint.
Environmental factors and poor treatment can affect powder coating, causing it to degrade faster than usual. Some factors that affect the lifespan of powder coating include:
- Abrasive cleaners: Strong solvents can wear the coating, and using steel wool, scouring pads, or harsh cleaning brushes can worsen the effects.
- Environment and weather: Some environmental factors, like blowing sand, exposure to salt spray and water, and strong ultraviolet (UV) rays, can affect the coating service life.
- Exposure to hazards: Powder coating degrades quickly when exposed to industrial chemicals like acids and caustics.
How to Effectively Preserve Powder Coating
Though the type of material and the quality of the coating process are important, surface preparation and proper aftercare play a significant role in preserving the powder coating.
1. Pretreatment Checklist
A proper pretreatment coating process strengthens the material for a strong bond:
- Clean the surface: Clean the surface appropriately with a solvent or acid to remove dirt, grime, wax, or oil.
- The correct sandblasting method: Use a thorough sandblasting method to remove mill scale, corrosion, rust, and to profile the surface properly.
- Apply a primer: Improve the coating’s adherence by applying a primer.
Once you have completed pretreatment, you’re ready to apply the powder coating.
2. Post-Coating
When used correctly, powder coating is relatively low maintenance:
- Clean occasionally: Only clean when necessary, as a powder-coated surface needs minimal attention.
- Use non-abrasive cleansers: Clean the powder-coated surface with solvent-free products to prevent damage.
How Superoxalloy Abrasives Enhance Powder Coating Longevity
At 10X Engineered Materials, we manufacture high-quality superoxalloy abrasives for sandblasting to prepare the material for the powder coating process. Superoxalloy media contains durable tempered abrasive particles, providing effective abrasive sandblasting to clean surfaces for better adhesion and helping to prevent the powder coating from premature failure.
Promotes a Strong Mechanical Bond
Superoxalloy abrasives effectively clean surfaces and prevent embedment, leading to a smoother finish. They do not penetrate the substrate, facilitating a strong bond between the surface and the powder coating.
Creates the Ideal Surface
Superoxalloy shapes include rounded, sub-rounded, angular, and sub-angular. These shapes do everything from cleaning to cutting, creating the right surface for powder coating. Superoxalloy allows you to complete multiple sandblasting steps in one process, limiting extra work.
Facilitates Proper Adhesion
By sandblasting the surface clean and keeping it free from embedment, powder coating gets direct contact with the substrate and achieves better adhesion. The abrasive action of superoxalloy abrasive media also provides a ready-to-coat surface, furthering adhesion.
Prevent Premature Powder Coating Fading With 10X Engineered Materials
By adding superoxalloy abrasives to your sandblasting preparation, you can be confident that a durable powder coating bond will last. Superoxalloy media provides exceptional safety because it is biosoluble in human lungs, and it is even used as a soil amendment, all while producing minimal dust during blasting operations.
Check out our range of superoxalloy products and contact us for more information.
