Paint VS powdercoat..which? (1 Viewer)

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OK, so what is the true benefit of powdercoating VS painting a steel bumper. Is powdercoating cheaper? I presume ipowdercoat won't chip?
airlaird
 
in my opinion, powder coat has less flaws than paint. in other words no runs. it does chip. on my camaro restoration i found it to be less durable than paint. on my frame, inner fenders and rally wheels it chipped pretty easy. powder coat looks better than i can paint.
 
As for another opinion... Powdercoating can be good for a front bumper. I had a trail ready front bumper on another rig that was coated and I never had it chip. My frame and roll cage are powdercoated and are doing fine. It is hard to remove if you want to add on to it(like a shackle reversal on the frame). For me it was easier and cheaper (my time) to just take the frame or whatever to the coaters, have then sandblast it, and then pick it up in 5 days.
 
i've found out that by the time you have everything cleaned up then painted.
you spend more time preping and paint than if you had it powder coated.

i say if you have the $$ to p/c do it.
there are different levels or grades of p/cing.
 
Another powdercoat fan.
 
I know powdercoating holds up a lot better then paint on a 4 wheeler frame, and they take all kinds of a abuse.... Like said previously there are many grades of P/C and it is expensive due to the fact it has to be baked on!
 
Powdercoating - depending on application, but on average my vote is for it. The most important thing about powdercoating is prep. You need a good hard sandblasting of everything to a point where you run your finger over the metal and it feels like sand paper. At that point, 3 layers of powder and it's awesome. The first bumper I ever did I painted it, after wire brushing and sanding of course, and it started to rust before the winter was over. I powdercoated my last bumper and it took some heavy abusing for it to chip, the best part is that once it's applied well the rust is not going to get underneath it and bubble for a very, very long time. I have not been able to find a paint that would be as durable.
 
ARB Powder Coat

Since I am cheap I have bought 2 ARB bumpers used both were received with rust on them one more that the other. I had one painted flat black by a budy at a body shop that did not work out so well. No rust but the paint will come off. My latest ARB has just been blasted $100 to blast front ARB, Rear ARB and sliders for my 60. The powdercoat will cost $175 for the lot. I can not wait to get them on.

MJM
 
before I say the facts I dont want this to become an argument, but powder coatings suck, period. chip it it bleeds until it will all peel off, yes it will period. a well prepped and painted bumper (self etching primer BEFORE epoxy primer) will only chip and not let the rust bleed underneath.... powder coting will.

powder coating is turning out to be some sort of snake oil with everyone, it isnt all that.

in the off road world you will chip and gouge metal, and if it is powder coated it will rust and peel- have you ever done touch ups to powder coatings? no, you cant.

oh yeah, I own a sandblasting business and do ALL types of coatings.... yes powder coating too.

It doesnt cover nearly as well in tight corners due to static electicity passing through the metal, you will have thin spots where 2 peices of metal meet and are not welded.
 
before I say the facts I dont want this to become an argument, but powder coatings suck, period. chip it it bleeds until it will all peel off, yes it will period. a well prepped and painted bumper (self etching primer BEFORE epoxy primer) will only chip and not let the rust bleed underneath.... powder coting will.

powder coating is turning out to be some sort of snake oil with everyone, it isnt all that.

in the off road world you will chip and gouge metal, and if it is powder coated it will rust and peel- have you ever done touch ups to powder coatings? no, you cant.

oh yeah, I own a sandblasting business and do ALL types of coatings.... yes powder coating too.

It doesnt cover nearly as well in tight corners due to static electicity passing through the metal, you will have thin spots where 2 peices of metal meet and are not welded.

excellent info and a great insight.

but why is it that p/c does what you say?
 
before I say the facts I dont want this to become an argument, but powder coatings suck, period. chip it it bleeds until it will all peel off, yes it will period. a well prepped and painted bumper (self etching primer BEFORE epoxy primer) will only chip and not let the rust bleed underneath.... powder coting will.

powder coating is turning out to be some sort of snake oil with everyone, it isnt all that.

in the off road world you will chip and gouge metal, and if it is powder coated it will rust and peel- have you ever done touch ups to powder coatings? no, you cant.

oh yeah, I own a sandblasting business and do ALL types of coatings.... yes powder coating too.

It doesnt cover nearly as well in tight corners due to static electicity passing through the metal, you will have thin spots where 2 peices of metal meet and are not welded.


This is true if you do the cheap ass one coat powdercoating jobs. If you put done a good powdercoat epoxy primer and then powdercoat, and say the top layer does get a chip, it ain't gonna rust. But this is much more costly, and people that do it the proper way can't compete with other companies that do it the cheap ass way. That's why you see alot of companies getting away from that method just so they can stay in business.

And btw, I had an entire tub powdercoat primered, and there was not one place where it didn't completely cover, if anything it covered better than any spray gun could.

So overall, powdercoat is a good system, if it was total crap like you put it out to be do you think it would exist? So yes, powdercoating is good. period. Am I cool now if I type out the word period. :rolleyes:
 
This is true if you do the cheap ass one coat powdercoating jobs. If you put done a good powdercoat epoxy primer and then powdercoat, and say the top layer does get a chip, it ain't gonna rust. But this is much more costly, and people that do it the proper way can't compete with other companies that do it the cheap ass way. That's why you see alot of companies getting away from that method just so they can stay in business.

And btw, I had an entire tub powdercoat primered, and there was not one place where it didn't completely cover, if anything it covered better than any spray gun could.

So overall, powdercoat is a good system, if it was total crap like you put it out to be do you think it would exist? So yes, powdercoating is good. period. Am I cool now if I type out the word period. :rolleyes:


I wont argue with someone who doesnt know what they are talking about.

You just reinforced what I said.... EPOXY PRIMER, there is no such thing as powder coat epoxy primer. it is simply epoxy primer.

I think I do have some expertise in this area since I have applied tons of this s***, have you?

if you are epoxy primering something paint it and be done with it.

powder coating is simply powdered plastic applied with a negative and positive charge on your gun and the part you are spraying, it is done like that to attract the powder to the metal.... for no secret/special reason other than throwing it on by hand just didnt do it. (the "electrostatic" process doesnt bond or adhere anything) then it is baked to allow the plastic to melt onto the part and gloss up.

would you dip your bumper into melted plastic and expect it to hold on as well as self etching primered metal? no.

now explain to everyone how you touch up chipped powder coating to keep its protective integrity, dont say with paint because paint needs primed.
 
why is it that 4 wheeler frames that come factory powder coat hold up 10 times longer then the painted ones...

I have no expertise in thism other then abusing both products...

Paint scratches easily, powder coat seems to hold up alot better in that application... not saying it would on a truck...
 
I wont argue with someone who doesnt know what they are talking about.

You just reinforced what I said.... EPOXY PRIMER, there is no such thing as powder coat epoxy primer. it is simply epoxy primer.

I think I do have some expertise in this area since I have applied tons of this s***, have you?

if you are epoxy primering something paint it and be done with it.

Sure seems to exist to me. Seems you are the one who doesn't know what they're talking about.

http://www.cortecvci.com/Products/single.php?code=10233 http://cgi.ebay.com/1LB-Epoxy-Primer-grey-Powder-Coat-Paint_W0QQitemZ330082114107QQcmdZViewItem
 
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I beg to differ, there are powder primers. But you must know the tricks to applying the top coat over the primer. But it still comes down to how you prep the part.

Second there are ways to beat the Faraday Effect which you refer to on light corners. Done all the time.

Powder coatings have been tweeked so much it is being used to do top coats on alot of rebuilt Harley's etc. 3-4 coat systems is not uncommon. If you do not believe me come up here to snowy Cleveland and I will introduce you to the guy who does it well.

One thing I have learned over my years in the coating industry is never say it can not be done.
 
would you dip your bumper into melted plastic and expect it to hold on as well as self etching primered metal? no.

Yes, I would. Show me where powdecoating has ever just fallen off. Powdercoating can be tuff to touch up, but you can't question it's adhesion. You've supposedly done so much powdercoating, you should know this.

now explain to everyone how you touch up chipped powder coating to keep its protective integrity, dont say with paint because paint needs primed.

I don't find a few chips detrimental to a powdercoating layer. And it's not going to affect the steel especially when you put a good primer done. Lets face it, there is no perfect paint, there is always something that will mess up or alter any paint job.

But when it comes down to this: powdercoat vs. painting a bumper. Powdercoating wins.
 
PERIOD

Man is it hot in here, or is that the powdercoat baking sending the paint into fumes clogging our brains
 
I have never applied powder coating and what I have may be different from what would be applied to a LC, but I have several tractor parts that came brand new with powder coat. Every one of those parts is rusting and peeling where scratches or chips have occurred in the past 4 years.

The tractor probably sees more rough service than a LC, but not much if you are doing any offroading. It makes me shiver to think of spending money on powdercoat and then having it peel off later.

The painted parts are holding up fine.

In my project, I am painting the parts that will see abrasion/chips, and I am powdercoating some of the parts that will not see as much abuse.
 
I agree powder coating wins but for the simple reason it isn't cost effective other then a frame on a 4 wheeler, or bumpers for a truck I would never spend the money on powder coat...
 
Just dropped off my ARB and sliders for Powder

I am haveing 2 coats of Powder put on the first is a Zinc primer the second the poweder. This is for an ARB on a 60 and sliders, when I scratch up the sliders rattle can will be fine. The powder thickness will be 9 mil. This ARB was already rusted by the PO so I will see how this second coating works.
 

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