Powder Coating FAQ

Powder coating is a dry finish of resin and pigment that is sprayed onto a grounded metal part with an electrostatic gun, then cured in an oven so it melts, flows and cross-links into a hard, even film. It is more durable than most single-coat paints and gives off very little VOC.

Parts are cleaned (solvent degrease or our multi-stage wash), pre-baked when castings or galvanized steel need to outgas, masked where the drawing calls for it, then sprayed and cured. Cardinal standard powders cure about 10 minutes at 400°F measured at the part; heavy parts take longer to reach that temperature.

Our process is built for metal parts that can be electrically grounded and survive the cure temperature: steel, aluminum, galvanized steel, stainless and most castings. We do not coat plastic, wood or assemblies with rubber, plastic or lubricants that cannot take the heat.

We are set up for production work, from dozens to thousands of parts per order, and that is where we are most competitive. We still take smaller jobs; a small minimum charge applies.

It depends on the part. Small brackets with no masking can run at 2,000 or more a day. Large cabinets, long frames or parts that need a lot of masking run far fewer. Send the drawing and quantity and we will give you a realistic schedule.

About one week for standard jobs. Large runs, custom colors, heavy masking and multi-coat specs can take longer, and every quote states the lead time for that job.

We coat with Cardinal powders. That covers stock colors in a range of gloss levels and textures, RAL and AMS-STD-595 matches, and custom color batches when you need an exact match. Tell us the color code or send a sample with your request.

Yes. We apply liquid paint systems for mil-spec and government work and for industrial parts that need a wet coating, such as assemblies that cannot go through a powder cure or drawings that call for a specific primer and topcoat.

Yes. We paint to the specification on your drawing or PO, including CARC topcoats, aerospace epoxy primer and polyurethane topcoat systems, and AMS-STD-595 color matches. Each job is quoted to its spec, so a demanding spec costs more than a simple one.

Yes, on request. On production programs we can also follow your QC procedure, such as recording film thickness readings. We do not perform certified lab testing.

Only as part of a coating job. When parts need abrasive blasting before paint or powder, we coordinate it through a trusted blasting partner and include it in the quote. We do not offer blasting as a standalone service.

Yes. We coat the parts, send them to our screen printing partner for legends, logos or markings, and deliver the finished parts. You get one quote and one point of contact.

Send parts as clean and dry as you reasonably can, and tell us about oils, old coatings, heavy weld spatter or rust so we can quote the right prep. Put masking requirements on the drawing: threads, bores, mating surfaces and ground points.

Yes. We arrange pickup and delivery per job for customers in the Denver metro and southern Colorado, especially for larger runs, and we can work with freight for customers farther away.

Mainly by part size and how many fit on a rack, masking labor, prep condition, the coating spec and number of coats, color changes and quantity. Repeat part numbers and larger runs bring the per-part price down.

Use the request-a-quote form to send drawings, quantities, material, finish or spec and due date, or call (719) 531-6275. We are open Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM.