What are the Different Types of Powder Coating Supplies?

There are many powder coating supplies needed to start or maintain a powder coating business, with the most obvious being the powder coating gun itself. This gun is an electrically-operated powder dispenser that sprays the powder coating onto the object. The various powders used to produce the desired finishes are also a main staple in powder coating supplies. The oven used to cure the coating is perhaps the most expensive of all powder coating supplies; depending on the size of the work performed, this could be an oven large enough to drive a vehicle into. Minor, yet critical, powder coating supplies are plugs used to protect bolt holes from becoming full of coating, tape and cleaning solvents.

Powder coating is a process that involves spraying a positively-charged powder onto a negatively-charged metal component. The powder sticks to the metal and it is placed into an oven to melt the powder into a liquid and is then allowed to cure or harden onto the piece. This finish is much more durable than paint, and the various powder coating supplies are nearly the same price as paint supplies for a comparable job. Unlike paint that is sold by liquid measure, powder coating supplies are sold by weight.

One major difference between paint and powder coating is that powder coating must be ground off if the area requires repair. This makes it difficult to weld without extensive preparation. The powder coating is much more durable and will resist chipping and flaking much longer than a comparable paint job. This durability and difficulty in removal is why special silicone plugs must be used to protect bolt holes from having powder coating melting inside of them. Any exposed bolt threads must be covered by tape or other powder coating supplies to protect them as well.

Several automobile refinishing companies offer small, do-it-yourself powder coating kits that allow a home enthusiast to coat small items that will fit into an average household oven. It is imperative, however, that the oven be of the electrical type as the powder coating supplies will burn and explode when exposed to the open flame of a gas oven. Any item that will not melt and will fit inside of the oven is a candidate for at-home powder coating. With many textures and a myriad of colors, the home enthusiast can obtain professional results with a minimal investment in basic powder coating supplies.