Tips to Help Protect Your Powder Coating From Damage
Powder coating is an extremely effective and beautiful way to add a protective coating and colour to a piece of metal. but if you have something that is powder coated, you also need to take steps to protect it. Here are some tips to help you.
Protect Your Coatings
Powder coatings are designed to help protect metal from the elements, but over time, the elements can take their toll on the coating. To ensure your powder coating stands the test of time, you may want to protect your metal as much as possible from sun, rain, wind and other elements.
Rinse Off Salt
If you live in a coastal climate, your powder coated metal is likely to come into contact with a lot of salty air or even salt water depending on the conditions. As the salt builds up, it can start to degrade your coating. To safeguard your coating, you should rinse off the salt on a regular basis.
Keep Electrical Currents Away From the Powder Coating
In some cases, manufacturers use e-coatings in lieu of powder coatings. These coatings rely on an electric current to attract the particles to the surface of the metal. If an electric current comes into contact with this coating, that can cause the coating to come unstuck and start to flake off. Additionally, even if you have a traditional powder coating, the electric current can run through the metal, potentially making the metal electrically charged and possibly hurting people in the area.
Do Patch Repairs as Needed
In a lot of cases, damage only occurs in a single spot. To prevent the issue from spreading to the rest of the powder coating, you may need to do a few spot repairs. Simply, remove any remaining powder coating from the affected area with a bit of steel wool or a wire brush. Then, use a wet cloth to wipe up any dust. Let the metal dry completely, and then apply new powder coating to that area.
Consider a Zinc Rich Primer
Proper maintenance often starts before you even get your powder coating. To give your metal, an extra layer of protection, you may want to ask the manufacturer to add a zinc-rich coating between the powder and the metal. That reinforces the durability of the powder coating and helps it stand up to a variety of conditions.
To get more tips on how to take care of your powder coating and avoid damage, contact a specialist who does powder coating.