Powder Coat or Rust Bullet Coatings?
Rust Bullet Coatings – Your Best Option
Powder coating, a free-flowing dry powder is typically applied electrostatically and cured in high heat specialty ovens. Due to its powder form this coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. Powder coatings are typically a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paints, can be applied in much thicker DFT without running or sagging, a near zero VOC emission and no waste.
* Powder coatings are typically a hard finish and tougher than conventional paints
* Rust Bullet, a smooth hard, impermeable surface~ scratch, chip, chemical and UV resistant with a look and feel very similar to a powder coating.
* Powder Coating is limited to stationary application locations. The application and curing must take place at the application station with specialty equipment and curing ovens.
Rust Bullet Coatings are a one part, multiple coat process, which can be applied with a brush, roller or spray equipment by the professional and the amateur painter. The desired thickness of the application can be controlled by either the number of coats or the method of application from a simple roller to the industrial spray equipment. Rust Bullet Coatings cure in the ambient atmosphere and are ready for a second or subsequent coat in a matter of hours. Rust Bullet Coatings create a smooth, hard, impermeable surface that is scratch, chip, chemical and UV resistant with a look and feel very similar to a powder coating. Rust Bullet Coatings meet the California VOC Standards for metallic pigmented coatings. These standards are among the most stringent in the world. Although there are advantages to a powder coating, the limitations and high cost of a powder coating can diminish these advantages very quickly in many applications.
Surface Preparation and Chemical pre-treatments must be meticulous prior to powder coating with the methods vary dependent upon substrate size and composition. The preparation process consists of a thorough cleaning which may be done chemically or mechanically; the chemicals may include phosphates, titanium zirconium and silane as well as the environmentally toxic chromates; abrasive blasting, the mechanical method on surface that can withstand the impact without damaging the substrate. Surfaces to be coated with Rust Bullet require little or no surface preparation. They must be clean and dry. Rust Bullet Coatings may be applied to clean or rusted surfaces and will exhibit excellent adhesion to each.
With a powder coating, it is easy to achieve smooth thick films but it is very difficult to achieve a thin smooth film without orange peel, therefore it requires more product to achieve an acceptable finish. Rust Bullet Coatings can be applied in multiple thin coats to achieve an extremely smooth surface without an orange peel effect. Rust Bullet Coatings can easily be applied in thicker coats for those industrial projects requiring high mil DFT.
The equipment, both the electrostatic spray equipment and convection cure or infrared cure ovens are costly, require specially trained personnel and require their own dedicated facilities. Not only is this equipment costly to purchase and operate, but is equally expensive to maintain and repair.
Rust Bullet Coatings may be applied with a roller, brush, or spray equipment. This equipment can easily be purchased at a local paint supply or hardware store. The most complicated of which may be the industrial spray equipment, which other than reading simple instructions requires no special training or certifications. Rust Bullet Coatings may be applied in almost any location, with virtually no restrictions.
Due to the inherent nature of a powder coating which requires the specialty ovens for curing, there are limitations on projects of any great size. Small portions may be factory coated and transported for assembly on site, but risk the danger of damage in transit. Rust Bullet Coatings may be applied on-site to substrates ranging from miniscule in size to surfaces as large as a train trestle bridge or a dam. Rust Bullet Coatings require no catalyst, either chemical or mechanical for proper curing, using only the moisture captured from the atmosphere.
Repairing damaged powder coating is a costly and time consuming process, usually requiring a trained professional and many components. Rust Bullet Coatings rarely experience the need for repair, however if a repair is required, it is easily and quickly repaired using the same coating as the original application, with a simple scuffing of the immediate area and application of two coats or a build of coats equal to the original application.
Although there are certain applications that may require specific coatings, it should be recognized that a powder coating is still a paint thus being sacrificial in nature. The complexity and costly nature of a powder coating compared to the relative ease and moderate cost of Rust Bullet Coatings speak for themselves when a clear and wise decision is required.
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