Powder Coating Rims for Vibrant and Long-Lasting Protection will Safeguard Your Investment

Getting your vehicle’s rims refinished should offer you two primary benefits: great color and design, and resilient protection. Whether you want a clear coat, a chromed finish, or an intricate design, powder coating rims will give you better results in both areas. Expert powder coating companies can transform new, used, and even damaged rims into brightly colored parts that will continue to perform for several years. If you want finished rims that will not fade or have a seal that chips away over time, look for a powder coating rims service.

A wide range of protections for all road conditions.

The powder coating process involves layers of protection. Not only will your rims be protected by a layer of base coat powder, but your parts will also be covered by another layer (or layers) to build the color and design. On top of that, you can get a clear powder coat that offers extra protection and durability against all of the roads hazards, including physical impact, kick-up road debris, and chemical corrosion.

Get comprehensive chemical protection.

Road salts and water are constant hazards on Long Island roads. The salty coastal air also makes corrosion a year-round concern for metal parts. But powder coated finishes are exposed to extreme conditions that consider these factors. Powder coats are tested against hours of salt spray exposure, water, and chemicals to ensure a finished product that can stand up to chemicals on the road and in the air. Powder coats can also be thicker than paint without ruining the look of the finished product.

Thicker finishes make traditional paint run.

If you want that thicker finish to guarantee long-term safety against salt, moisture, and chemicals, you do not have to sacrifice appearance. Most automotive and rim paints are not built to be applied in thick layers, which means your design could have runs and sags. But powder coats are used in dry, controlled layers for precise details.

The coloring can withstand microabrasions.

The danger with paint and liquid finishes is that the damage grows. A small chip can tear and grow larger. Scratches will widen, and the paint around the edge will continue to wear away. But powder coating does not let damage grow. Not only is the chip-resistant seal incredible difficult to damage, but the powder is also made up of individual particles. While it adheres to the underlying surface of your rims like skin, that adhesive bind to the metal is strong. Even if a section chips off in a collision, the surrounding finish will not budge.

The finish adheres to crevices and edges.

Corrosion strikes where surfaces are hard to clean. Hard-to-reach interior corners, rough welding surfaces, and intricate designs can trap water in place. That longer exposure time can start to corrode unprotected surfaces quickly, and you might not be able to scrub clean or even see the damage. If you do get your rims painted to protect it from damage, those same vulnerable areas are the most likely areas for the paint to fall short. The application process might skip over small crevices in the metal. Alternatively, it might pool and dry in a thick layer that will chip away.

But powder coating uses electrostatic to apply the powder layers. That strong static cling helps the powder find uncoated surface area even on a minute scale, so every inch of your rims is covered on the back and front. Because the excess material is removed, you also do not have to worry about an uneven coat or buildup in the corners of an intricate design.

Professionals can even use filler for a seamless finish.

Powder coating uses high levels of heat to cure the powder. That means body filler with plastics and resins might not be able to stand up to the process. But that is not a drawback. Those same fillers are less likely to be permanent solutions either for show vehicles or cars and motorcycles in regular use. Professional powder coating companies will instead use a metal repair filler that binds tightly to the original material. Rims can develop a lot of mild to moderate damage over time, including scratches, abrasion from road debris, and cracks along the rim edges. If the damage is caught in time, your rims do not have to be replaced. Not only do temperature-tested metal fillers hold a powder coated finish better, but they can also stand up to impact, wear, and harsh driving conditions. Even more importantly for show vehicles, it stands up.

Powder coating can help all restoration companies.

If you have a restoration shop, one of the most effective ways to stay profitable is to focus on your shop’s core strengths and contract with third parties for specialized services. Operating entirely in-house can help you manage quality control in the short-term, but it also means cutting out restoration processes with equipment that is not in your budget and expertise your employees do not have.

Consumers care about environmental impact.

Going green has been a growing trend for years. But unless consumers made a point of shopping for ecologically sound products and companies that had environmentally-friendly policies, viable alternatives just were not available. But now both technology and restoration processes have evolved to give customers options. They can easily check up on a company’s policies through review sites and check how green a restoration process is through apps. As it gets more and more convenient (as well as less expensive) to consider environmental impact, more and more customers are going to do so.

Powder coating is a great alternative to painting because of VOC emissions. VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemicals that release a lot of vapor at room temperatures. VOCs, just like general chemicals, can range from innocuous to dangerous, but the term generally applies to chemicals like formaldehyde and solvents that are dangerous for people and the environment. As the paint dries, the coats release relatively high levels of VOCs that worsen air quality. Powder coating, on the other hand, is a dry application process that emits far fewer VOCs.

The process also involves a lot less chemical waste. Excess powder can be contained and reused in future projects. Excess paint, on the other hand, dries and becomes waste by the end of the restoration. Even excess paint that stays in the container has a relatively short shelf life and may be thrown out if its a custom or unpopular color.

Even custom colors and textures are in your budget.

Lots of customers are not looking for solid coats of color on their vehicles. Instead, they might be looking for a color gradient, a unique shade with specific undertones and overtones, or even images. Paints cannot handle detailing that is specific down to the last pixel. But colored powders can be mixed to reach that perfect shade. The powder layers can even be applied over each for a tightly controlled gradient before the rims are cured, which makes a seamless transition from color to color in a way that painting cannot replicate. You also do not have to worry about runs, sags, or bubbles in thicker layers of powder: the process does not involve liquid, and excess material is removed.

Powder coating can be faster than painting.

Powder coating does not involve latent dry times. Different paints need different drying environments for a consistent coating, and that means everything from the humidity to the volume of work at a shop specializing in paint finishes can change the timeline. If you are in a hurry to get your vehicle finished before a car show, or you are getting the rims on your primary vehicle refinished, these delays can be stressful. But powder coats are cured in an oven with consistent cure times and steps. Not only is it faster, but it is also predictable.

More time for high-quality prep work.

Just like with any restoration or finishing job, the quality of the completed process starts with the prep work. Powder coating professionals know that metal rims need to be stripped down to the bare metal. They also have the tools to do precision work through fine particle blasting methods and chemical baths. Paint companies do not offer the same guarantee, and poorly applied layers of paint may still have the old finish under it. Even if detailed prep work procedures, powder coating has a faster turnaround time than paint.

Whether you have rims that you want to pop as you drive down the street, you deal in rare cars, or you have a restoration shop that specializes in whole-vehicle restorations, powder coating is the right choice for your rims. You have more control over the final product, and that great-looking finish will outlast other processes. Contact TLC Metal and visit our website to see a professional gallery of finished rims.