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Powder Coating

Paint, powder & polymer coatings · Spray applied

Powder coating electrostatically deposits dry thermoset powder on conductive parts and melts it into a continuous film.

CNC machiningSheet metalStandard cost $$Insulating
Quote a part with Powder coatCompare paint, powder & polymer coatings
Powder Coating on a machined part

What is Powder coat?

It is widely specified for durable colored metal enclosures, frames, and architectural components.

How it works

Clean, pretreated metal is electrically grounded while charged powder is sprayed toward it. Electrostatic attraction holds powder on accessible surfaces, after which the part is baked until particles melt, flow, and chemically crosslink. A representative cure is 180–200 °C for 10–20 minutes at part metal temperature, but the powder data sheet controls. Field strength falls inside deep recesses, producing the Faraday-cage effect and thinner or incomplete coverage.

Why specify it

  • Typical finished film is 50–150 µm
  • No liquid solvent is needed for film formation
  • Tough decorative coverage suits fabricated metal
  • AAMA 2604 and AAMA 2605 define higher-performance architectural coating classes

Where it falls short

  • Faraday-cage effects reduce coverage in deep recesses and tight corners
  • Oven temperature excludes many plastics, adhesives, and assembled parts
  • Thick film can bridge holes and bind threads
  • Sharp edges often receive less film and lose corrosion protection first

Powder coat at a glance

Powder coat is strongest on corrosion protection (83 of 100) and cosmetic quality (85 of 100), at a standard cost. It adds little surface hardness.

Corrosion protectionVery good83 / 100
Surface hardnessMinimal14 / 100
Cosmetic qualityExcellent85 / 100
LubricityLow15 / 100
Relative costStandard25 / 100
CorrosionHardnessCosmeticLubricityEconomy

Each score is 0–100 against every finish in this catalog. Corrosion comes from salt-spray life (ASTM B117, log scale) and hardness from the finish layer's Vickers or pencil hardness; cosmetic, lubricity and cost are FabDigit's engineering assessment. Economy on the radar is the inverse of cost.

Powder coat key numbers

Typical values from the governing specifications and shop practice; bars are this finish against the highest value among paint, powder & polymer coatings finishes.

Thickness50–150 µm2–5.9 mil
Salt spray500–1,000 h
Max service temp.150 °C302 °F
Thickness
50–80 µm for a thin decorative coat; 60–120 µm common; up to 150 µm for heavier protective coats.
Hardness
2H–3H pencil hardness (ASTM D3363) — typical polyester / epoxy-polyester powder; specifications usually call for ≥ 2H
Corrosion (salt spray)
500–1,000 h per ASTM B117 scribe creep ≤ 3 mm, 60–100 µm over phosphate or zirconium pretreatment on steel (typical) — Pretreatment decides the result; AAMA 2604 requires 3,000 h on aluminium.
Electrical
Insulating
Colours
  • RAL colors
  • custom color
  • clear
Appearance
Smooth, fine-texture, wrinkle, or hammertone; matte through high gloss.

Where Powder coat sits among all finishes

Surface hardness (Vickers, log scale) against corrosion protection (salt-spray hours, log scale) for every coating FabDigit offers, one cloud per finish group. Powder coat is highlighted; hover a dot for its name or open the full map.

02550751000255075100Corrosion protection (0–100)Surface hardness (HV, log scale, 0–100)Plating — 19 finishesHard coatings — 17 finishesAnodize & conversion — 8 finishesPaint & powder — 7 finisheshard, low corrosion protectionhard and protectiveprotective, softsoft, little protectionType II anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 54BSA anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 52Type I anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 49Hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61PTFE hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61Nitriding — corrosion 55, hardness 73PEO — corrosion 70, hardness 74Sherardizing — corrosion 83, hardness 56Brass plate — corrosion 35, hardness 44Bronze plate — corrosion 40, hardness 49Cadmium plate — corrosion 70, hardness 26Copper plate — corrosion 32, hardness 39Decorative chrome — corrosion 64, hardness 71Electroless copper — corrosion 20, hardness 41Electroless nickel — corrosion 70, hardness 68Nickel plate — corrosion 51, hardness 55Gold plate — corrosion 68, hardness 39Hard chrome — corrosion 40, hardness 73Hot-dip zinc — corrosion 90, hardness 42Nickel-PTFE — corrosion 72, hardness 57Silver plate — corrosion 55, hardness 39Solder plate — corrosion 42, hardness 9Tin plate — corrosion 34, hardness 0Zinc plate — corrosion 60, hardness 30Zinc-nickel — corrosion 86, hardness 60Cerakote — corrosion 83, hardness 27E-coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Epoxy coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Wet paint — corrosion 59, hardness 10AlCrN PVD — corrosion 58, hardness 93AlTiN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 94CrN PVD — corrosion 62, hardness 83DLC — corrosion 55, hardness 93MoS2 PVD — corrosion 20, hardness 26TiAlN PVD — corrosion 50, hardness 93TiCN PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 92TiB2 PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 94TiN PVD — corrosion 45, hardness 87WC/C PVD — corrosion 48, hardness 77ZrN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 90CVD alumina — corrosion 70, hardness 85CVD TiCN — corrosion 38, hardness 92CVD TiN — corrosion 45, hardness 87Multilayer CVD — corrosion 62, hardness 88HVOF coating — corrosion 78, hardness 77Plasma spray — corrosion 60, hardness 68Plastic chrome — corrosion 72, hardness 71Electroless plastic — corrosion 58, hardness 39Clear coat — corrosion 20, hardness 12Soft-touch — corrosion 20, hardness 5PLATINGHARD COATINGSANODIZE & CONVERSIONPAINT & POWDERWet paintE-coatType II anodizeZinc plateZinc-nickelHard chromeDLCTiN PVDTin plateCadmium plateCerakoteHot-dip zincNitridingHVOF coatingPowder coat — corrosion 83, hardness 14Powder coat
02550751000255075100Corrosion protection (0–100)Surface hardness (HV, log scale, 0–100)Plating — 19 finishesHard coatings — 17 finishesAnodize & conversion — 8 finishesPaint & powder — 7 finishesType II anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 54BSA anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 52Type I anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 49Hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61PTFE hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61Nitriding — corrosion 55, hardness 73PEO — corrosion 70, hardness 74Sherardizing — corrosion 83, hardness 56Brass plate — corrosion 35, hardness 44Bronze plate — corrosion 40, hardness 49Cadmium plate — corrosion 70, hardness 26Copper plate — corrosion 32, hardness 39Decorative chrome — corrosion 64, hardness 71Electroless copper — corrosion 20, hardness 41Electroless nickel — corrosion 70, hardness 68Nickel plate — corrosion 51, hardness 55Gold plate — corrosion 68, hardness 39Hard chrome — corrosion 40, hardness 73Hot-dip zinc — corrosion 90, hardness 42Nickel-PTFE — corrosion 72, hardness 57Silver plate — corrosion 55, hardness 39Solder plate — corrosion 42, hardness 9Tin plate — corrosion 34, hardness 0Zinc plate — corrosion 60, hardness 30Zinc-nickel — corrosion 86, hardness 60Cerakote — corrosion 83, hardness 27E-coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Epoxy coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Wet paint — corrosion 59, hardness 10AlCrN PVD — corrosion 58, hardness 93AlTiN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 94CrN PVD — corrosion 62, hardness 83DLC — corrosion 55, hardness 93MoS2 PVD — corrosion 20, hardness 26TiAlN PVD — corrosion 50, hardness 93TiCN PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 92TiB2 PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 94TiN PVD — corrosion 45, hardness 87WC/C PVD — corrosion 48, hardness 77ZrN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 90CVD alumina — corrosion 70, hardness 85CVD TiCN — corrosion 38, hardness 92CVD TiN — corrosion 45, hardness 87Multilayer CVD — corrosion 62, hardness 88HVOF coating — corrosion 78, hardness 77Plasma spray — corrosion 60, hardness 68Plastic chrome — corrosion 72, hardness 71Electroless plastic — corrosion 58, hardness 39Clear coat — corrosion 20, hardness 12Soft-touch — corrosion 20, hardness 5PLATINGHARD COATINGSANODIZE & CONVERSIONPAINT & POWDERWet paintE-coatZinc platePowder coat — corrosion 83, hardness 14Powder coat
Anodize & conversionPlatingPaint & powderHard coatings

Specifications for Powder coat

The documents a drawing cites to define this finish, with the Type / Class rows that apply. Each links to a page explaining the standard.

Drawing call-out

POWDER COAT, POLYESTER, RAL 7016 ANTHRACITE GREY, 60–100 µm DFT, 20–30 GU AT 60°; ASTM D3359 CLASS 4B MIN; MASK THREADS AND GROUND SYMBOL AREAS

Which materials take Powder coat?

Verdict per material family, with the grades that behave differently. Each family links to its datasheets in the material library.

Material familyVerdictNotes
Aluminum
YesPretreatment is essential for durable adhesion and corrosion resistance.
Steel
YesBlast or phosphate pretreatment is commonly used.
Brass
With careAdhesion and tarnish bleed-through require a qualified primer system.
Copper Alloy
With careTarnish and adhesion must be validated; pretreat immediately before coating.
DMLS / SLM
With careMetal AM parts can be coated after powder removal and suitable pretreatment.
Magnesium Alloy
With careRequires a validated conversion pretreatment and prompt coating.
Stainless Steel
With careSurface profile and pretreatment must support adhesion.
Titanium
With careNeeds mechanical profile and a compatible pretreatment.
Zinc Alloy
With careOutgassing and cure-temperature effects must be controlled.
FDM
LimitedLayer lines and low-temperature polymers limit conventional oven-cured films.
MJF
LimitedPorous nylon can be coated after blasting and sealing.
Polymer
LimitedConventional electrostatic thermoset powder and oven cure are generally unsuitable.
SLA
LimitedFully post-cure first; many oven schedules exceed resin limits.
SLS
LimitedPorous nylon can be coated after sealing; film build fills texture.

How Powder coat is applied, and what it does to the part

  1. 1Clean and degrease
  2. 2Blast or chemically pretreat
  3. 3Dry
  4. 4Mask and rack
  5. 5Electrostatic spray
  6. 6Cure to powder data sheet
  7. 7Cool
  8. 8Inspect thickness, adhesion, color, and gloss
DimensionsA 50–150 µm coat is significant on both sides of slots, holes, threads, and mating interfaces; design clearance or mask.
Build-up per side50–150 µm — Each coated surface grows by approximately the measured dry-film thickness.
MaskingUsually needed. Use high-temperature plugs and tape on threads, bores, grounding pads, sealing lands, and precision fits.
ElectricalInsulating
Temperature limit150 °C (302 °F) continuous
AppearanceSmooth, fine-texture, wrinkle, or hammertone; matte through high gloss.
Added lead time3–7 working days on top of the bare part

Design rules for Powder coat

What to decide on the drawing before the part goes to the finisher.

  1. Use generous drain and spray access in deep pockets.Electrostatic shielding causes the Faraday-cage effect.
  2. Round exposed edges where possible.Powder pulls away from sharp edges during flow and leaves reduced barrier thickness.
  3. State whether thickness is total or per coat.A primer-plus-topcoat duplex system can exceed a single 60–120 µm layer.
  4. Confirm the complete assembly survives the cure oven.Representative cure temperatures of 180–200 °C can damage inserts, seals, or adhesives.

Powder coat versus the alternatives

Finishes engineers weigh against Powder coat, and when each wins.

FinishCorrosionHardnessCosmeticCostThicknessChoose it when
Powder coat
this page
831485$$50–150 µm—
Wet Painting
Powder coat vs Wet Painting →
591090$$20–80 µmwhen lower cure temperature or finer cosmetic repair is needed
Electrophoretic Coating
Powder coat vs Electrophoretic Coating →
831555$$15–35 µmwhen recess coverage and uniform primer film are more important
CorrosionHardnessCosmeticLubricityEconomy
Powder coatWet Painting

The radar overlays Powder coat with Wet Painting, its most common alternative — chosen when lower cure temperature or finer cosmetic repair is needed. Scores in the table are 0–100 across every finish in the catalog.

Cost, lead time and compliance

Relative cost

Powder Coating is a standard-cost finish ($$): cheaper than about 71 % of the finishes FabDigit quotes.

Finishing is priced per part with a lot minimum, from FabDigit's own China-side rates cross-checked against US job-shop pricing. The exact figure appears on the instant quote once the part is uploaded.

Lead time and compliance

Added lead time3–7 working days
RoHSCompliant
NotesConfirm exact pigment and formulation; overspray can often be recovered, and the process avoids liquid coating solvent.

What Powder coat is used for

  • Industrial metal cabinets
  • Outdoor equipment frames
  • Bicycle frames
  • Shelving
  • Architectural aluminum

Powder coat — frequently asked

powder coating vs painting

Powder coat is commonly 50–150 µm, tough, and efficient for conductive metal. Wet paint works at lower temperature, supports easier field repair, and can be thinner, but often has lower impact and edge durability.

how thick is powder coat

A typical single coat is 50–150 µm dry-film thickness. Heavy texture, recoat, and primer-plus-topcoat systems can be thicker, so the drawing should state an acceptable range.

does powder coating work on aluminum

Yes. Aluminum should be cleaned and given a suitable pretreatment before coating; architectural work may specify AAMA 2604 or AAMA 2605 performance.

what is the Faraday cage effect in powder coating

Charged powder follows electric field lines and has difficulty entering deep recesses, tight channels, and inside corners. Those areas can remain thin even when open faces reach 50–150 µm.

does powder coating fill threads

Yes. A 50–150 µm film on each flank can make a thread unusable and can bridge small holes. Functional threads are normally plugged or masked before spraying.