What is powder coating? 

Powder coating is a paint application consisting of fine dry powder pigment and resin. It is applied electro-statically to metal parts and heated to a temperature of about 400°F. The powder reacts at this high temperature, resulting in a beautifully smooth, highly durable finish. Our complex process requires a phosphate wash, rinse, and dry-off before proceeding to the coating booth. To learn how to get the best powder coating results, please read our Technical Guidelines.

What advantages does powder coating have over wet painting methods?

Powder coating has many advantages over liquid paint applications. This includes producing a more durable and corrosion resistant finish. Powder coating is also a more environmentally-friendly choice as it eliminates the need for an evaporating liquid paint carrier and cleaning solvents. Powder coating material is free of both flammable and vapourizing components, so they do not pose a danger to us or to our environment. Also, powder coating finishes last much longer than liquid paint applications, and with only a single application.

What are some examples of powder coated items?

We are surrounded by powder coated parts. Patio furniture, store shelving, fencing, automobiles, light fixtures, appliances, and bridge materials are all items that are commonly powder coated for superior corrosion resistance and durability. Visit our sample products page for pictures and more examples. To see some colour samples visit our colour samples section.

Do you provide chemical or mechanical removal of previous finishes?

We do not provide metal stripping services at Colourific, nor can our pre-treatment process remove previous finishes, oxides or scale.  The only solution is mechanical or chemical re-finishing of the substrate, which cannot be done at Colourific. 

Is it necessary for materials to be shipped to Colourific to be processed?

Yes. Products must be powder coated on location at Colourific. All material must be hung on our production line to be properly cleaned, coated, and cured.

Are there different types of powder?

The two main types of powder coatings are polyester and epoxy. Epoxy is best for indoor applications because, while it provides a highly durable, shiny finish, it eventually forms a dull film in reaction to direct sunlight. However, polyester does not have this problem, so is well suited to outdoor applications.

What does your powder base consist of?  Do you apply Teflon®?

We coat with polyester, polyurethane, epoxy and hybrid powders. Our process requires powder to be electro-statically applied and cured in an oven with temperatures reaching 400°F. Unfortunately, we cannot coat with Teflon® (polytetrafluoroethylene) as it requires a curing temperature greater than 400°F.

What is the maximum size and weight that you can powder coat?

The maximum size that we can coat is 40 inches wide (centered) by 72 inches high, by 30 feet long. The maximum part weight is 600 pounds.

I am looking for a very specific colour, how large is your selection?

As custom powder coaters, we can match thousands of colours using our many powder suppliers, and our large in-stock selection. With high, medium, and low gloss, metallic, textured, and clear powders, there is no limitation on the selection of powder coating finishes available. 

How quick is your turn-around?

Our turn-around time is about three to four days after the product arrives, depending on seasonal conditions. (Check with the Production Manager for times that are more specific.)

What colours do you do most often?

We have "standard colours" which we run more frequently. These include: black, white, grey and yellow, all in their high-gloss form, as well as semi-gloss white, and semi-gloss black.

Do you do any wet painting or chrome plating?

As we are an environmentally-friendly company, we only apply powder coatings to metal substrates. However, we have the ability to apply a chrome-free conversion coating to aluminum substrates that gives a level of protection that can equal or exceed traditional chrome specifications.