2k clear vs powder coat?
- Thread starter JMT
- Start date
Personally I've found 2k that I've sprayed myself with 2k primer holds up better than powder coat.
That said, aluminum and stainless rule since the finish doesn't start peeling as soon as there's a chip or scratch.
That said, aluminum and stainless rule since the finish doesn't start peeling as soon as there's a chip or scratch.
Tldelaney
TJ Enthusiast
I spray all 3 and found that Powdercoat will be the most durable. Depends on your application though. What were you planning on?
Tldelaney
TJ Enthusiast
It does alright. It's durable but super thin which is nice for parts that need clearance. It is super easy to spray with the correct filter and a 0.8 spray gun from hf.
If you were to cerakote wheels, I'd go h series (oven cured) but then your worrying about uv issues unless your up north.
If you were to cerakote wheels, I'd go h series (oven cured) but then your worrying about uv issues unless your up north.
A few years ago I worked at a plant that produced enclosures for ATM's and signs for buildings. Most units were made from aluminum but we worked with fiberglass and steel too. I was part of a manufacturing processes team and at one point we did a lot of experimenting with different finish types to determine which had the best longevity characteristics such as resistance to peeling, chipping, and fading (the two main contenders were powdercoating and automotive single stage). What we found was that surface prep was the biggest determining factor but more specifically--the biggest predictor for failure was how the surface had been prepped. Our sandblasted test samples held up almost perfectly. After that our samples that had been prepared with a DA sander (320g) held up almost as well as the sandblasted samples but would still yield to chipping. Then after that samples that had been scotch-brited by hand and dead last were samples that had merely been cleaned (you could scrape up the finish with your fingernails). The powdercoated samples were interesting. The finish was thicker and slightly harder which made it more difficult to peel but once it did peel it would tend to come off in bigger pieces (at least with the scotchbrite and merely cleaned samples). Also for the paint--there was a huge difference in results when comparing cheaper self etching primers to catalyzed epoxy primers with the epoxy primers producing the best results.
To this day, all the parts that go on my jeep are either sandblasted (luckily I have a friend with a nice cabinet that he lets me use) or very thoroughly scuffed up with a DA sander and die grinder with scuffing pads. Then I coat everything with 2k epoxy primer followed by the paint of my choice (for most stuff 2k satin black paint from eastwood).
Proper prep is a lot of work and proper primer and paint are expensive but yield very good results when done right. I go through all this because I enjoy it and I personally think that painted parts look better than powder-coated parts but that is just me. I can't argue against high quality powder-coating and most places will sandblast the parts for you which of course saves a ton of work.
To this day, all the parts that go on my jeep are either sandblasted (luckily I have a friend with a nice cabinet that he lets me use) or very thoroughly scuffed up with a DA sander and die grinder with scuffing pads. Then I coat everything with 2k epoxy primer followed by the paint of my choice (for most stuff 2k satin black paint from eastwood).
Proper prep is a lot of work and proper primer and paint are expensive but yield very good results when done right. I go through all this because I enjoy it and I personally think that painted parts look better than powder-coated parts but that is just me. I can't argue against high quality powder-coating and most places will sandblast the parts for you which of course saves a ton of work.
The application is beadlock rings. I know it’s going to get beat up, but I want to start with black. They offer powder coat for $120 and xtra ($30/ring), or I could DIY for probably $70 (2kPrimer, black topcoat, 2K clear). With that small price difference it’s starting to sound like it’s worth it to just get them powder coated.
Tldelaney
TJ Enthusiast
If your doing black, it's the same as sliders and the frame, just rattle can them. If you want a color like bronze or some charcoal grey, then I'd get them powdercoated.
I spent some time last night looking at pics and I decided I’m just going to go with straight aluminum finish. It looks better (to me) with a Flame Red.
Right now, I'm trying to decide on powder coat or paint for a replacement windshield frame and hinges. Everything I read says powder coat is more durable but my concern is will it loose it's shine. I see powder coated bumpers, side steps and cargo carriers stary to turn chalky after a while.
Tldelaney
TJ Enthusiast
You can dual action polish with compound (paint correct) powdercoat just like paint to bring the shine back . The problem is, alot of people ask for just the base powdercoat but skip out on the pc clear coat (uv resistant) due to extra money. Depending on the color, some are more susceptible to uv deterioration than others. This can usually be found on the tech sheets and believe it or not, a lot of the blacks have poor uv properties.
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