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.

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!