General News

Light or heavy coverage, contamination, out gassing, bleed through, and surface defects are all reasons that may require you to rework a powder-coated part.

Both aluminum and iron castings can have porosity problems, but the physical properties of the aluminum make it more likely for this porosity to become an issue when the parts are powder coated.

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When it comes to finishing, that couldn’t be truer. All finishes are like works of art, but only the customer can say that a finish is beautiful.

As we have become more involved in architectural coatings we have seen a significant increase in the amount of aluminum extrusion we finish. Most of this material is mill finish stock length and is anywhere from 10 to 24 feet. We pre-treat and powder coat it per customer specifications, usually prior to any fabrication or cutting operations. Due to the nature of the product and its’ high visibility, superior quality is expected, and defects due to dirt or contamination are not acceptable.

There are a few things you want to understand before your next project. Most powder manufacturers offer their own primer/topcoat systems for improved corrosion resistance. Though these systems are most often used on iron products, some are used on aluminum as well. Three more common primers are zinc rich primer, zinc free epoxy primer, and epoxy e-coating. The question is, how do they differ, how much do they cost, and which one is right for the job?