How Liquid Powder Coating Works
Are you curious as to how a liquid powder coating works? With the rising demand in the coating industry – an average of 3% per year – from 2016 to 2021 in the United States alone, the market value of global powder coatings was expected to reach $12.48 billion in 2020.
The two primary functions of coatings are for protection and decoration purposes. Liquid powder coating is the latest technology that covers both tasks expected from a coat. It combines the quick and easy application process you get with liquid coatings with the benefits you enjoy from a powder coat.
Before delving deeper into how liquid powder coats work, it’s essential to determine its difference from other types of coatings.
What Makes Liquid Powder Different From Other Coatings?
Compared to liquid powder coating, a powder coat has limited capabilities. There are specific effects that it can’t achieve. That’s why most people nowadays prefer its liquid powder counterpart.
The composition of a powder coat is almost like its liquid equivalent. However, it doesn’t require the use of a solvent.
When the powder coat is subject to extreme heat in baking, it melts and converts to a viscous liquid. This process makes it highly reliable if you want a durable coat that offers both decoration and protection.
Liquid coating starts in liquid form and is often utilized for massive volume production runs because it offers maximum throughput and fast results. However, with just a single coat of its powder counterpart, the performance is the same, if not better.
Powder coats are often used in metal appliances to achieve professional finishing. If you want to decorate metal substrates with pinstripes, it can be easy to paint using liquid powder. With the new liquid powder coating, the possibilities are endless.
Liquid powder coats can be applied to various parts and surfaces that are impossible to reach with other coating types. It can be used to different materials, including:
- metal
- plastic
- ceramic
- glass
- wood
Why Use Liquid Powder?
If you want to use a cost-effective, reliable, and environment-friendly coat, then the first thing that comes to mind is a powder coat. There are many advantages to using the powder form compared to liquid.
In many instances, a project or production process is impossible to achieve with powder coats. Some surfaces can’t handle the high temperature that comes with curing or baking, and some substrates need unique design and effects. These tasks leave people with no choice but to go for a solvent-based liquid coat instead of its powder equivalent.
With this issue in mind, companies developed the liquid powder coat. This new type of coating has all the advantages of a powder coat. It is combined with the easy application of a liquid coating.
Because the carrier is water-based, it is possible to include other ingredients. It allows easy creation of unique designs and special effects that you don’t get with a powder coat.
How Does It Work?
The variable viscosity characteristic of the carrier has a consistency like that of gel. It needs stirring or agitating for it to become a liquid that allows spraying. This aspect enables the product to be used in applications that require considerable flexibility.
During the curing or baking process, the carrier solution dissipates. It leaves you with a powder coat that has a professional look.
You can achieve numerous effects by either blending several shades or applying several coats. Glitter, iridescent, and metallic materials can also be mixed with the solution, providing various finishes and stunning effects. To make your project achieve professional finishes, you can also add fades that are not possible with either liquid or powder coat.
How To Use It Effectively?
While this new technology has a wide range of benefits, there is a learning curve to using it. To bypass it, you need to prepare the surface or substrate the same way you would with a powder coating. You must also consider the thickness necessary in applications. Like most powder coating, if you want the perfect finish, you need to use around 3 to 5 mils.
Choose the Best Coating for Your Project
Are you still on the fence regarding using the liquid powder in your project? You may want to use powder coating Richmond CA, and other cities sell. However, you should choose the one that will give you the professional finish that your products need.