Blackwell’s, Inc., a leader in flooring and specialty coatings for decades, is expanding its service offerings to include high-quality powder coating services at its new Abrasive Blasting and Finish Coating facility.
Starting a powder coating service is no small undertaking but it begins by delving into a lot of research. The concept itself is not difficult to understand. It’s a process of coating metal (or other material) with a plastic finish applied in a powder form and then baking it to a fluid form that bonds to the metal.
Powder coatings use electrostatic force
Powder coating is different from the more commonly used liquid coatings that use an evaporating solvent that allows the coating to dry and harden on the metal. Powder coatings are applied by using one of three methods. All three methods of powder coatings use electrostatic force (better known as static electricity) but the most widely used powder coating method for general purposes is the electrostatic powder coating gun.
Remember your elementary school science? All matter is made up of atoms which in turn are made up of negatively charged electrons and positively charged protons. Except for certain forms of hydrogen, there’s neutrons in there, too. Like charges repel, while opposite charges attract.
Electrical attraction between the unlike charged particles
The electrostatic spray gun creates positively charged electrons within the gun’s spray nozzle to positively charge the powder particles. The metal object being coated is grounded or negatively charged. This creates an environment that results in the electrical attraction between the unlike charged particles. This results in the powder particles being attracted to and sticking to the metal being coated.
The most critical step in the powder coating process

Vac truck header pipe after prepping and profiling for powder coating
That’s how the powder coating process works. But prepping the metal object to be powder coated quite possibly is the most critical step in the powder coating process. If the metal has rust on it, the rust needs to be removed. Abrasive media blasting will clean it up nicely. Abrasive media blasting is also excellent for removing any paint on the metal and profiling the metal surface for better adhesion of the coating.
Oils and grease need removal with degreasing materials and a low pH chemical solution diluted with reverse osmosis water washing. A zirconium primer is then applied to cleaned and prepared parts and allowed to dry with an air blower.
Proper cleaning and profiling are essential. Powder coatings adhere best to clean bare and primed metal. Any contaminants left on a powder coated part can cause bonding issues including complete delamination of the coating.
The final step in the powder coating process

The header pipe after powder coating
After cleaning, profiling, and priming the object prior to the powder coating application, and after the powder coating has electrostatically been applied and adhered to the object, the final step in the powder coating process is curing the coating.
Curing the powder coating is the essential step that ends the process. This final step involves heat to melt the powder coating to the surface of the metal. This curing process is done in a special curing oven. The normal curing temperature is 390 degrees F. but that can depend on the thickness of the powder coating. The curing time is 10 to 15 minutes.
Resistant to chipping, scratching, fading, and corrosion
This process results in a uniform, high-quality finish that is resistant to chipping, scratching, fading, and corrosion.
Blackwell’s, Inc. is very excited about expanding our services to include powder coating service. We are equipped with the expertise and tools needed to deliver high-quality specialty coatings that meet the demanding needs of industrial and commercial projects.