No passwords, no registration, no paywalls, no popups, no AI

As an Amazon Associate & eBay Partner we earn from affil links

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

Search our quarter-million Q&As

Home of the finishing HOTLINE since 1989

-----:

Need Silky Smooth Rubberized Coating on Pushbuttons

Quickstart:
We don't like to offer free advertising because it often turns the page into a spam-fest, but we also don't like to publish pages which offer only questions and no answers 🙂
So one supplier of such coatings is RepelFlex ST.

Q. I'm a car hobbyist and customizer and have done at least dozen different marathon search sessions trying to find out the name and process that's responsible for this finish.

I would describe the finish as ultra smooth silky rubber coating. which can seen on everything from computer mice and TV remotes to Car interiors. I'd describe it as almost like a powdered rubber flocking or paint. It's exceptionally flat (referring to gloss level) like a pencil eraser. The durability is outstanding, on the back of a 5 year old TV remote I own there's no signs it's ever been touched, no scratches at all ... Scraping with a fingernail leaves a mark that is non-permanent ... Rubbing the area smooths any marks back out.

I've seen it on Tools (very common because it's not slippery and it's so durable) "rubberized" impact resistant Cell phones, Aluminum PDA's and the mouse I'm currently using. I'd like to duplicate this finish on some Metal and Fiberglass custom car interior bits but I don't even know what to call the finish (rubberized doesn't seem to do it full justice, it's so silky smooth and velvety that I really enjoy touching it (if that doesn't sound weird).

Simon Juncal
Hobbyist - Culpeper Virginia, USA
March 28, 2009

Hi Simon.

Some of my calculators and remote controls, and the computer keyboard I'm typing on, have those soft velvety buttons you describe, so I know what you mean -- but I don't know what the coating actually is -- nor whether it is in fact a coating or a solid plastic.

P.S.: Enjoying tactile sensations doesn't sound weird to me; I have a pink neck pillow that is such a perfect balance between silky softness vs. resilience that it's the world's 2nd-nicest place to nestle your head.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.

Q. Hi Simon

Did you manage to find what you were looking for? I am also interested in such paint and did some research but the results are not encouraging. ⇦ Answer?

Thanks
Marius

Marius Moldovan
- Dubai, UAE

Q. I've been looking for just the same thing, to make some Intellimouse 1.1 mods (yes in 2012), and came across your question here.

Apparently it;s a polyurethane of some description. ⇦ Answer?

JD Ryan

Marius Moldovan
- Dubai, UAE
June 14, 2012

Q. Did you ever find what this coating is called? ⇦ Answer?

Mike Nacke
Nacke woodworks - Tulsa Oklahoma
October 2, 2018

Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Ted Mooney is retiring but I have several offers to take it over.
We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: