POWDERCOATING 

Powder Choices

There are many types of Powder out in the market and the purchaser should be careful to choose the correct one for the application.

As is specified in the powdercoat colour selection section of our website, the choice of colour is also crucial to the long-term performance of the coating.

The chemistry of the main powder coating products manufactured for use on Architectural Aluminium falls into three brackets.

1. Extra Durable Powder Coatings                 Extra Durable Coatings

2. High Durability Powder Coatings               High Durability Coatings

3. Super Durable Powder Coatings                Super Durable Coatings

The most important features to consider when choosing a suitable powdercoating can be broken down into 4 areas:-

1. Advantages

2. Disadvantages

3. Availability

4. Warranties

Powdercoating Warranties and the Design Environment 

1. Polyester Powder Coatings 

Polyester powder coatings are available in a number of grades:

2. Fluoropolymer Powder Coatings

What determines powdercoat pricing?

While there are many factors that influence the end price of PowderCoating the two below make up a good part of the variation in cost.  

1)     TYPE OF POWDER

2)     STOCKED ITEM

1)     There are many different types of powder available to be used on Architectural Aluminium and the correct one for each application should be chosen (use Powdercoating warranties and design environment).

Most powders in NZ have been made to withstand harsh UV conditions,  they are normally made as an Extra Durable product that will cover a good part of New Zealand , however, as conditions get harsher, such as coastal or Geothermal, then so the powder type should be upgraded. Powders that are designed to withstand these harsh conditions can cost more than six times that of an Extra Durable powder.

 Powders that are not solid colours such as metallics or pearlescents  can also be more expensive to manufacture and are reflected in some pricing.

2)     Due to the number of powders available including different types, colours, gloss levels etc it is impossible for the powder manufacturers or the applicators to stock all the variations of these. Unlike wet paint, powder has a limited shelf life and is manufactured as each individual product and cannot be tinted from a base colour.

Typically popular colours that are coated on a regular basis will be priced in one bracket, then powders stocked by the manufacturer but are only coated infrequently may be in another bracket. From here you can get into an area where special colours, types of powder and  "made to order" products may be priced. Where special powders are manufactured it is typical for all the powder to be charged out whether applied or not as the applicator cannot do anything with the left over.

Some of the higher durability powders have to be stoved (baked) for twice as long as some standard powders and this will also be reflected in the pricing.