Benefits of Using Powder Coating for Steel

Many people choose to work with steel over other metals because it offers several advantages that not all metals can provide. It is an extremely durable and strong metal, and also very lightweight so it is a cost-effective option. Finally, it’s extremely customizable and even recyclable, so you can get exactly the steel you want from the steel supermarket at Wasatch Steel while still being earth-friendly. Powder coating is one finish that you can use for steel that allows you to customize the color of your steel and protect it, and there are several benefits to using this process.

What is Powder Coating?
The process of powder coating uses a dry powdered paint compound that fuses together to create a paint finish on your steel from Wasatch Steel that is durable and long-lasting. During the process, electrostatically charged powder particles are sprayed at a low velocity from a paint gun, and the electrostatic charge keeps the paint particles on the surface; these specialized pigments, resins, and fillers then fuse together during a high-temperature curing process (which can be 350 degrees or more).

Benefits of Powder Coating
Durability. One of the main benefits of using a powder coating on steel is corrosion resistance. Over time, when steel is exposed to the elements, it can corrode over time. It is a strong and durable metal, but in order to preserve it and keep it strong for many years, you want to prevent water from damaging the steel. It is also resistant to cracking and peeling, which makes it ideal for many different applications.

Environmentally Friendly. Another reason that many people prefer to use powder coating over other options for protecting steel is that it is an environmentally-friendly process. There are no chemicals or other solvents used during the process, which is different from using wet paint systems on steel. Powder coating processes use electrostatic charges to hold the paint on instead of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), so you don’t have emissions problems.

Versatility. There are hundreds of different paint colors and textures that you can use with powder coating, and it can be used for almost any kind of steel that you can get at Wasatch Steel, as long as it can hold an electrostatic charge and tolerate the high level of heat used in the curing process. Everything from mild steel to galvanized and electroplated steel, as well as stainless steel and most steel alloys can be powder coated.

Keys to Good Powder Coating

In order to get the best powder coating, there are a few things to consider:

• First, do you have experienced technicians to help finish the project with high quality and in a timely manner?
• Second, are you using high quality paint so you get a good finish every time?
• Third, will your project require disassembly in order to do the powder coating? If so, you need to make sure you can complete the tear down service, or you work with someone who can disassemble it in a timely manner.

Once you have these questions answered, you can get your steel from the steel supermarket powder coated so it looks great and is protected for the future.