Powder coating is an environmentally friendly way to finish parts and products. It’s a type of dry paint that contains pigment, binder, and polymeric resin powder. The final product is very durable — it has a rust-resistant surface that can last more than 10 years with little or no maintenance – and the only waste generated by the process (bar some excess powder that can be reused) is contained within the enclosed booth where it takes place.
The main advantage of powder coating is that, unlike liquid paints or even most standard industrial coatings, it’s not susceptible to being blown off by the wind or washed away by water. If you’ve ever tried painting a car in winter, you’ll know that the product will flake off within months; if you want to paint a car in winter, you need to use a liquid paint.
Powder coating looks better than liquid paints, too: it’s very shiny and bright, and can be any color under the sun (literally). It also costs less overall than liquid paints.
Powder coating is used in all sorts of situations, from the automotive industry to the marine industry. It’s also commonly used for things like furniture and household appliances.
But what do you need to get started with powder coating? Well, a good place to start would be a professional powder coating gun , which comes in both air-assisted and air-less versions. More on those later, but first let’s look at the different types of powder you can use:
Types of Powder Coating Powders
There are two main types of powders used for this process. The first is polyester powder, which comes as a white dust and is bond using either silicon dioxide or aluminum oxide. Polyester is the most common powder, but it’s also the least durable – it can lose its color after as little as six months of use.
However, if you need a temporary solution for coating an item – or if your product isn’t going to be used outside – polyester is fine.
Epoxy powder is more expensive, but it’s considerably more durable. This is because epoxy powder coats are polymer-bonded, which means that the product has a polyurethane or acrylic base instead of just being dust that covers your item.
Epoxy resin powders are available in white, black, and transparent forms. The most common choices are white and black, but for some items it’s better to use transparent powder.
Let’s take a look at the different types of guns you can use with these powders.
Types of Powder Coating Guns
Air-Assisted Coating Gun or Airless Coating Gun?
So what are the main differences between an air-assisted coating gun and a conventional airless powder coating gun?
Let’s focus on the air-assisted version. This is a device that uses compressed air to atomize paint as it leaves the gun, which results in an even more consistent and professional finish than you’d get from a standard paint gun. In order to work, these guns use both an air compressor and a propellant tank that pressurizes the powder before it’s sprayed.
There are many pros and cons to both air-assisted and airless powder coating guns. An equipment specialist will be able to answer any questions you may have.
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