Houston is subject to all manner of weather conditions. Heavy rains and floods, ice storms, extreme heat, and more can all wreak havoc on things that are exposed to the outdoors consistently. Powder coating Houston’s large-scale outdoor installations such as traffic lights, parking meters, park benches and more is a significant expense, but it can lead to significant cost-savings over time. Different climates will require different powder coating finishes and choosing a powder coating finish in Houston that has been tested in other regions may not provide the long-lasting, durable finish the client desires. A tried-and-true powder coating job from an experienced powder coating shop in Houston will lend you the best results, as they are experienced in choosing the appropriate finishes for their customer base. 

When it comes to discussing budget and financials with a customer, it is important to explain that even if up-front costs are higher, that doesn’t mean the finished product will be more expensive over the life of the object. A cheaper, less appropriate powder coating job in Houston can and will cost more money over the life of the product, despite a lower up-front cost. Repairing infrastructure can disrupt the daily flow of life in an area, so investing in long-lasting, durable products for your city prevents needless interruptions to traffic flow, park attendance, and more. Public infrastructure is subjected to heavy use, damaging environmental factors, etc. and preventing premature damage by spending more up-front protects residents and their families.

WEATHER-RESISTANT POWDER COATINGS IN HOUSTON

Powder coating provides great protection and durability for many items subject to the elements. To get the best out of weather-resistant powder coatings in Houston, there are certain steps that should be taken to provide optimal protection, especially if refinishing an item that already has a powder coating. 

The first step is to prepare the surface to accept the powder coat. This can be done by media blasting. Media blasting in Houston is the process of using small granules (can be sand, crushed walnut shells, etc.) blown at high speed against an object to remove debris like old paint or rust. This step, where necessary, is vital to the life of the powder coat.

The next step is the actual powder coating application. A primer or rust deterrent can be applied to the surface before the actual powder coat to serve as a foundation. Zinc-rich primers can be used to prevent the formation of rust in humid or wet environments. The powders used in powder coating stick to the surface of the primed metal through electrostatic charge. 

Whether your application is industrial, commercial, architectural, or just a personal piece, you have many business options to choose from when looking for powder coating in Houston. Since its introduction in the 1960s, the process of powder coating has become very popular and common, and there are many businesses that provide these services. However, as with any purchase, there are some quick guidelines you should keep in mind to be sure that you’re working with a quality provider of powder coating in Houston.

First, and possibly most importantly, you should look for a business that adheres to strict QA and QC standards. Powder coating is not a simple process, and an amateur provider will only serve up amateur results. A high-quality powder coating business will have thorough quality assurance and quality control standards, and should outline them for the customer. Any coating job that doesn’t adhere to strict quality standards will invite irregularities in the finished product due to a wide variety of factors, including lack of proper surface preparation and inappropriate coating thickness. Proper QA and QC standards eliminate these irregularities and provide for a smoother finished product.

Second, try to work with a business that offers a wide variety of powder coat colors. Your coating job will likely require a specific color, and matching that requirement is clearly a high priority. A powder coating business that offers a wide variety of stock colors as well as the option of producing special order colors is more capable of matching the exact color specification you need. Additionally, such a business offering powder coating in Houston is more likely to be experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable in providing high-quality service.

NON-SKID POWDER COATING FINISHES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN HOUSTON

Commercial buildings in large metropolitan areas such as Houston, TX see an inordinate amount of traffic when compared to smaller cities.  With highly populous areas, buildings are typically built up instead of out. While elevators are the main method of going up and down, staircases are necessary for emergencies such as fires or electrical outages. With heavy traffic possible on staircases, it is imperative that non-skid powder coatings in Houston, TX are used to minimize slips and falls of tenants and visitors. Non-skid powder coatings ensure that the treads of the staircase do not become hazardously slippery during a rainstorm or a spill. These special powder coatings can also be applied to stair railings in commercial stairwells to add to the overall safety of the stairwell. 

Non-skid powder coatings in Houston, TX provide all the benefits of traditional powder coating, such as corrosion resistance and durability, while being environmentally friendly. For commercial buildings where handicap accessible ramps are necessary, non-skid powder coatings come in handy for both the disabled and their caretakers. Buildings that require loading ramps benefit from anti-slip ramps for workers and protects packages coming into the building from breaking should an employee fall. Traditional powder coating is beneficial across many industries on its own. With anti-slip properties, your powder coated elements provide protection for your structure and those who may use the structure as a space for their business or home.

There are various protective metal coatings in Houston available for industrial, commercial, and architectural applications. We offer two main options at Houston Powder Coaters.

The powder coating industry makes up around 15% of the market for protective metal coatings in Houston. It was first introduced in the 1960s in North America, and over the decades has become the go-to protective finish for many different industries whose needs are vast.  Powder coatings require no solvents like liquid paints and coatings, so they emit almost no volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short.  Without a liquid solvent the powder coating can be applied more thickly as it is not susceptible to sags like its liquid counterparts. With their low environmental impact, myriad of colors, and near infinite catalog of uses, protective metal coatings in Houston are in high demand.

Fusion-bonded epoxy coating, or FBE coating for short, is a type of protective metal coating typically used to protect steel pipes used in pipeline construction, rebar, valves, and more from corrosion. On the interior of the pipes, a phenolic primer is used as an anti-corrosive basecoat that is resistant to oxygenated atmospheres but also carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane, brine, and petroleum distillates.  After the primer comes the FBE, and with that the interior is done. On the exterior, the phenolic primer step is skipped, instead FBE is applied and then a fusion-bonded polyester finishes the exterior for a superior protective metal coating.

The warm summer months have arrived—or, if you’re in Houston, you may have already been experiencing summer weather for weeks now. In the days ahead, many of us will spend time outside with family and friends. Whether that time includes a dip in the swimming pool or just conversations on the deck, outdoor patio furniture is used in many outdoor gatherings in Houston. These pieces can provide a convenient place to relax and can also add decorative flavor to an outdoor space.

Of course, outdoor patio furniture is also constantly exposed to the elements, which can damage the finish over time. The climate in Houston can be especially unforgiving—the humidity and sun damage can leave patio furniture in desperate need of attention, whether it’s a family piece handed down through the generations or a newer one purchased at the specialty patio store. Outdoor patio furniture restoration in Houston can alleviate the damaging effects of the weather, and keep furniture looking new and inviting.

Though powder coating in Houston is prominently used in industrial and commercial settings, the processes and techniques also provide for superior coating protection in a job as small as the refinishing of deck chairs. The powder coating process utilizes strict surface preparation standards in which industrial equipment is used to remove rust and dirt from the piece, as well as any previous coatings such as paint. These surface preparation techniques, including abrasive blasting, burn-off, or hand-etching, produce a cleaner surface than any DIY job could ever attain. Anchor profiles are also created through these processes, which provides for better adherence when the powder coating is applied.

Powder coating in Houston isn’t just important for the protection of pipelines in the oil and gas industry—it has applications in many other industries. In the economic powerhouse of Houston, powder coating is also used in residential and commercial construction. From the fencing and awnings that protect our homes to the railings, banisters, gates, and light poles that provide accessibility to commercial spaces, powder coating protects a variety of surfaces in Houston’s hot and humid climate.

The advanced electrostatic application process used in powder coating provides an especially resilient and durable surface, but it’s also aesthetically pleasing. Powder coat colors are readily available in a wide variety of on-hand stock, and if stock colors don’t provide an exact match, coat colors can also be specially formulated to match a specific need.

The powder coating in Houston process adheres to strict preparation and quality standards no matter the surface or application. Architectural finishes, like those that would commonly be used in residential or commercial spaces, must follow the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) standards. The AAMA provides offers three specifications for the performance that a coating is expected to achieve:

Sand blasting is a general term used by those inexperienced with surface preparation to encompass all methods of blast cleaning.  However, the more appropriate phrase should be ‘abrasive media blasting’ as not all methods use sand. In fact, sand is one of the worst medias to blast with and is dangerous to the health of those who use it. During the blasting process, the speed and intensity of the sand’s impact on the metal will cause its particles to break down into a fine silica dust which can infiltrate workers’ lungs (causing health problems such as silicosis and kidney damage). 

Houston Powder Coaters uses steel grit for its abrasive media blasting in Houston, as it does not break down the way other blast media does. Blasting with steel grit is much safer for the environment and the workers that use it. In fact, steel grit is the safest method of abrasive blasting when compared to sand, coal slag, or nickel slag. It is important to mention again that Houston Powder Coaters does not, will not, and has never used sand for any of its blast medias.

Documented in hundreds of articles, powder coating is well known for its environmental friendliness. As steel grit’s reusability means less waste and higher levels of recyclability, this blasting media coincides nicely with the ecological responsibility that the rest of the powder application process employs. While steel grit may cost more upfront than other methods of abrasive media blasting in Houston, TX, the true cost is far less than sand or slag. Sand and slag are single-use medias and must be continually replaced. This translates to additional trucking delivery and removal as well as increased man-hours moving new inventories into place. On the other hand, steel grit can be recycled, filtered, and reused time and time again. Steel grit purchases are significantly less often which eliminates the constant replacement of inventories.

Outdoor Patio Furniture Refinishing In Houston

The outdoors can be rough on patio furniture in Houston. The heat, the humidity, the rapidly changing weather, all take part in making your patio furniture dull, rusty, and old looking. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Outdoor patio furniture refinishing in Houston provides a long-lasting barrier between your furniture and the elements. Resistant to fading from the sun, rust from the humidity, and more, powder coating outdoor furniture is simply the best option to prolong the life of your possessions. 

Outdoor patio furniture refinishing in Houston is a multi-step process that starts with surface preparation. The shop will take your old furniture and through burn-off, abrasive blasting (fine particles like sand or ground up walnut shells are blasted at the furniture to remove the previous coatings or rust), or hand-etching prepare the surface for the new finish. This removes any old coatings on the furniture, debris, rust, and dirt and also creates a surface for the powder coating to adhere to. After preparing the surface, the furniture is hung up and cleaned off with compressed air to create a dust-free surface.

When the furniture is fully prepared for refinishing, it is coated in the coating booth and then baked in the oven, going back and forth between the two several times. This creates a unique barrier that will resist Houston’s hot and humid weather and ensure the longevity of your outdoor patio furniture. Another benefit of outdoor patio furniture refinishing in Houston is choosing the color. Powder coating offers many colors both classic and bright. If you want simple and neutral go classic, if you want eclectic and unique go bright!

With the increase of environmental regulations making solvent-based corrosion protection expensive and complicated to apply and dispose of, protective powder coatings such as zinc-rich primers offer premium corrosion protection without harming the environment. Zinc-rich primers are considered sacrificial coatings, a subset of protective powder coatings meant to dramatically slow down the process of corrosion if the top layer is damaged. This makes them the perfect coating for steel in highly corrosive environments. Zinc-rich primers are great for use in marine, tanker, or underground environments, all of which are considered immersive environments.

There are two types of zinc-rich primers: inorganic and organic. Organic zinc-rich primers are primers that use binders such as epoxy, polyurethane, or alkyd, etc. More commonly used for highly corrosive environments on oil rig platforms, chemical plants, and more, organic zinc-rich primers require a top-coat to be long-lasting.   

Inorganic zinc-rich primers do not require top-coats in more mild atmospheric environments and provide better galvanic protection overall.  Inorganic zinc-rich primers usually use only silicate as a binder and is applied as a powder using the blast method on “white” metal, metals that are light-colored alloys. This is the type of zinc-rich primer Houston Powder Coaters uses.

Negligible VOCs

When it comes to environmentally friendly coatings, powder coating is at the top of the list.  The largest difference between powder and industrial wet paint is the presence of volatile organic compounds (or VOCs for short).  VOCs, like one found in wet paint applications, are harmful to the environment as they dry and as they age.  Furthermore, they can create health problems for people who are exposed to them on a repetitive basis. Eco-friendly coatings such as powder and FBE coatings do not require an extensive exhaust system to the outdoors like their wet paint counterparts and are generally considered non-toxic and breathable. The application of powder coatings produces negligible VOCs and does not contribute to air pollution.

Less Hazardous Waste

The powder coating process has steadily gained in popularity since its introduction in the 1960s, with coating distributors and manufacturers popping up along with service shops that perform the actual coating process. It’s clear that powder coating in Houston is an effective process, and a popular one given the presence of heavy industry nearby that can always find a use for the technology. But what exactly happens in the powder coating process?

At its heart, powder coating is a process for applying a finish that protects a wide variety of surfaces from damage, whether chemical, radioactive, or physical. In Houston and surrounding areas like the Woodlands, Katy, and Baytown, powder coating enjoys popularity due to the needs of the ever-present oil and gas industry, but it can also be used to apply a protective coating to something as basic as household appliances.

The material applied to a surface in powder coating consists of a polymer resin base combined with additional materials such as curatives, pigments, and flow modifiers. These ingredients are ground into a uniform powder before being applied to the surface to be coated with the use of a specially-made spray gun, sometimes called a corona gun. These guns use an electrostatic process to actually apply the coating, which differs significantly from other coatings, like the wet coating of a traditional paint. Since the electrostatic process eliminates the need for wet coating, powder coating in the Woodlands, TX can be helpful in protecting everything from large machinery to the miles and miles of piping used in the oil and gas industry.