Looking for Powder Coating in Colorado Springs?
Powder coating has certainly grown since it’s inception in the industrial realm back in the 1940s. So much so that these days it’s responsible for about 15% of industrial finishing. It begs the question, why is it so prevalent in the automotive world these days? After all, when most people hear the term powder coating Colorado they automatically think of fancy wheels on a car, truck or motorcycle. Let’s talk about why it’s heavily used today and our custom powder coating Colorado Springs location. We’ll also talk about why Colorado Spring powder coating is so important because of the harsh conditions in our area.
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Why is Powder Coating So Popular in the Auto World?
When most people hear the phrase powder coating they automatically think about rims or wheels on a car. That’s fair because it’s safe to say that most powder coating jobs in the industry are just that but those aren’t the only parts of your vehicle that we can powder coat. Multiple engine parts and covers, suspension systems and other parts of the belly of the car are just a few that come to mind. If it’s metal, it can be powder coated. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to powder coat everything on a vehicle. This is due to high cost and the weight of a powder coated products. That’s why you’re more likely to see powder coated wheels than a powder coated quarter panel. It creates a weight issue in most cases.
At Mod Finishes we don’t just specialize on your every day drivers. We’ve also done plenty of powder coating jobs on race cars, dirt bikes, ATVs and more. These examples in particular are good representations that it’s not always about looks. Powder coated metal has very practical and beneficial qualities about it such as a resistance to UV damage, certain chemicals and even impact to a certain extent. That’s why racers (especially off-road) come to us so often wanting their race car chassis powder coated. It creates increased durability for machines that get a beating. Sure these qualities are incredibly important with performance or off-road vehicles but they’re also incredibly valuable for a daily driver.
So why do you see them most often on rims or wheels? It’s simple, it helps decrease the likelihood of scratches or chips in wheel paint. Once you apply that powder coat it creates a really strong structure and it becomes a lot harder to crack the wheel.
But What is Powder Coating… And Why Does it Work
Powder coating really exploded in popularity during the 1960s because of it’s environmentally friendly attributes as well as electrostatic spray powder coating being introduced during that time period. That’s basically a fancy way of saying the ability to get powder particles to stick to a piece of metal.
Once these powder particles are stuck on a piece of metal using a method known as electrostatic attraction, the metal is then placed in a special type of oven and when it’s cured the metal and powder bond.
Once this was discovered, it was a game changer in the industrial world and eventually the automotive world. It allowed paint to be placed on metal surfaces without having to use a polyurethane or similar chemical applicant. On top of that it was and still is much more environmentally friendly than normal paints and clear coats as well as providing extra durability to the metal.
Today, powder coating is used in countless industries but the most well-known is absolutely the automotive industry. Not only is it a way to change the appearance of a vehicle but it’s one of the cheapest ways to treat a piece of metal effectively.
The Pros and Cons
In the cases of most protection products in the automotive space or any other space for that matter, there are positives and negatives to every option out there. Of course, some of these will change based on the part of your vehicle that you are looking to powder coat.
Let’s go ahead and talk about the positives first:
- Cheaper Than Most
When you’re talking about getting automotive protection services done professionally things can get pricey. Everyone understands that. However, this is a very cost-effective option considering the benefits of powder coating. Keep in mind that this is the case when we’re talking about getting it professionally done. There are very specific tools and equipment we use at Mod Finishes to complete a powder coat job, therefore if you try to make this a DIY project it could turn out to be more expensive than other methods and might not even be effective if you make an error.
- It's an environmentally friendly process
Maybe the biggest positive that doesn’t get talked about enough is the reusability of the product. There’s very little waste during the application process. Combine that with the fact that there are no volatile organic compounds or any chemicals released into the air during the process and it’s a win-win situation for everyone.
- It creates an incredibly durable metal
We’re not trying to say it’s impervious to damage but it’s absolutely one of the strongest materials you can put on your vehicle or any metal for that matter. Whether you’re a hardcore off-roader, race car driver or you just want to make your daily driver a heck of a lot tougher, powder coating Colorado Springs is the way to go. It’ll definitely protect your wheels from the little scratches or chips it can take on over time. One important thing to point out is while durable, Colorado powder coating won’t last forever. You may want to get it reapplied after several years for optimal effectiveness.
Now some of the drawbacks of powder coating:
- The quality of the powder coat can be inconsistent
This is why it’s extremely important that you get a powder coat done by a certified professional like our team members here at Mod Finishes. It takes extreme care and attention to detail to make sure that there’s no cross-contamination during the powder coating process. If this happens it can affect the durability and look of the finished product. If you don’t know what you’re looking for you can really screw it up before you even get started.
- It’s not water-repellant
It differs from ceramic coating in this aspect as it doesn’t repel water or make the surface any easier to clean. It can actually be a little tougher to clean because of the thickness of the coating. It tends to trap little dust particles either off the road or from your brakes. If you’re looking to make your wheels easier to clean then we suggest looking into our ceramic coating options.
- Increased weight on the vehicle
If you’re looking to get this done on your daily driver then this really doesn’t apply to you but if you’re putting this on a performance vehicle like a race car then it’s important to consider what the added weight will do to your performance.
What If You Just Want to Keep Your Wheels Clean?
If this is the only thing you’re looking for out of a powder coat then it’s best to look into ceramic coating. A powder coated surface is actually harder to clean than a stock finish in almost every case. The good news is powder coating can help you cut down on wheel repair Colorado due to it’s impressive durability qualities. The powder coating wheels Colorado Springs process is easy and quick for our professionals so we’ll have your fresh wheels along with all of it’s benefits back to the same day. The same goes for powder coating rims Colorado Springs. These benefits will help you to avoid repairing your wheels. Due to the harsh weather in our area we get a lot of people who need wheel repair Colorado.
The Process
- Choosing the Right Product
The right product will depend on what metal your applying it to but of course in this case we’re talking about powder coating in the automotive space. When you come to Mod Finishes we’ll be sure to let you know what product we’ll be using on your vehicle. We’ve been around the block a few times and we know exactly what’s worked for us and our customers. There are several “grades” to choose from and that has an effect on color and also the amount of protection gained.
- Preparing the Metal Surface Before Application
This is probably the most important step of the entire process because if it isn’t done right the coating will be ruined before it’s even applied. When we prep the metal the first thing we’ll do is make sure the surface is very clean and remove things such as rust. For that reason, sandblasting Colorado Springs can be very important. Once the sandblasting Colorado Springs is finished we’re ready to move onto the next step which is to smooth the surface. We don’t want any sharp metal sticking out. Then we’ll apply some acetone to the service just to make sure everything is gone. This includes chemicals that are invisible to the naked eye.
- Applying a Powder Coat Colorado
Obviously, this is where the magic happens. It takes a lot of special tools and equipment such as a spray gun that will make the powder electrostatic before being placed on the metal surface.
- The Curing Process
Think of this in a similar way as if you were creating a piece of pottery and just placed it in the kiln. That’s essentially what happens with powder coated products. It only takes roughly 20 minutes to cook the product and then it’s left to cool off for several hours.
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Get in touch to schedule your free consultation!
Contact Us
We love helping the people of Colorado Springs and we would love to provide you with our services. You’ve had the chance to hear a little bit about what we do and what we’re all about. Hopefully we’ve shown you how much we care about our customers and how passionate we are about these projects and services. Please feel free to give our team a call with any questions you may have about auto detailing, headlight restoration, ceramic coating, powder coating or paintless dent repair. Of course, if you’re ready to book a call we would love to hear from you so we can set up an appointment!