Powder coating is a process that involves coating the surface of your rims with a dry powder that is applied electrostatically and then heat-cured. The powder is polymer-based with a mix of curing additives, leveling agents, pigments, resin, and flow modifiers. The blended powder bonds to the electrically excited surface, and the wheels are then baked in an oven . The powder melts, coating the wheels with an even surface. It cures to an extremely hard, even, smooth surface as the coating cools.
Wheel rims see a lot of action. Corrosion, chipping and flaking can be caused by exposure to outdoor elements, not to mention damage from road debris like stones and gravel. Powder coating creates a non-porous surface shield that is more resistant than traditional liquid paints, which means that your powder-coated rims will be able to withstand even the most unforgiving road environments.
Once the powder coating particles are sprayed onto your wheel rims, the rims are baked in an oven at very high temperatures. This baking process not only causes the particles to fuse together, but it actually allows the powder coating to cure. The end result is a thicker, more durable surface coverage. In fact, under the same conditions, powder coating lasts up to three times longer than traditional painting.
Powder coating provides better coverage compared to liquid paints. For some complexly designed wheel rims, certain facets of the rim can be difficult to reach with liquid paints. With powder coating, however, due to the electrostatic method combined with the curing process, even the most difficult-to-reach parts of the rim get adequate coverage.
Getting your rims redone is something nice that you can do for yourself, but why not do something nice for the environment while you’re at it? Opting to use powder coating over liquid paints is better for the environment. Liquid paints contain volatile organic compounds that are harmful to the ozone, as well as to anyone who breathes them in. Plus, excess liquid paint is nearly impossible to capture and reuse. Powder coating, on the other hand, contains no dangerous VOCs and any excess powder can easily be recycled.
We make sure to power wash your wheels and sand out any curb-rash or blemishes to ensure we have a clean surface to work with.
Acid dip would be required if you have extensive corrosion or old paint that is difficult to remove. Once the acid dip is completed the rim would basically be completely stripped of all old coatings. In the rare instant something was not removed it would be taken care of in the sandblasting .
Sandblasting is crucial in the powder coating process. Strict quality control ensures that every centimeter of the wheel is checked because the powder will not attract to the wheel if there is factory paint or clear on the wheel. The more time that is put into the sandblasting, the better quality of the finish. After sandblasting is complete We mask the back of the face where the rim sits on the hub. This is important for the fitment of the wheel on your vehicle.
In order to cover the entire wheel, it is important to hang the wheel freely in a well-ventilated booth. With the wheel is freely hanging we completely cover the front and back of the wheel with powder using the powder coating gun. There may be a second round of powdercoating for clear coat or another colour depending on the colour chosen.
With the powder applied we place the wheel in the oven making sure that it has been preheated to 400 degrees F. We Refer to the powder’s manufactures label for specific time to cure as it can be different for various powders.
