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Q&As since 1989


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Powder coat verus paint for fence

Hello,
I got your address from your website on Powder Coating. If you don't mind me asking, I would like to get your opinion on powder coated fence versus painted fence. I need a fence around my residential swimming pool. One Contractor told me that painting is better than powder coating. Reason being, heat due to sun will expand the steel and crack the powder coat. Realizing that there will have to be some touch up maintenanace on either one, he said it is easier to touch up paint than it is to touch up powder coat.

Irene Rinta
Residential - Livermore, California, USA
2005

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Your contractor MAY have the right answer, but he has the wrong answer. The powder coat cure temp is many times higher than the temp that it will get to in your yard.
That said, IF the powder coat is not properly formulated (there are like 6 or so major chemistries with dozens of mixtures) for outside use it will fail. Also, it will normally have a healthy amount of UV stabilizers or it will gradually fail. Guess what, the exact same goes for wet paint.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2005