Car owners that appreciate a shiny finish can benefit immensely from a super chrome powder coat. This reflective powder creates a finish that resembles chrome.
A super chrome powder coat is a much better alternative to chrome plating for those familiar with it. It’s durable, has a vivid and bright appearance, plus it’s more resistant to the elements.
The Super chrome powder coat isn’t, however, flawless. It does have certain problems that car owners can find frustrating.
If you consider getting a super chrome powder coat, here are popular finish problems, their causes, and possible solutions.
1. Orange Peel
If you thought that orange peel only affects paint, we have got news for you. A super chrome powder coat is also susceptible to orange peeling. This is when the surface of the powder coat looks uneven or unsmooth.
When it comes to super chrome powder coat, there are several causes for an orange peel. First, if the surface wasn’t thoroughly cleaned. It can also occur when the surface is over-prepped.
The other reasons are when the chrome powder coat doesn’t cure correctly or if it’s not applied correctly.
Powder coating a car surface is a task that requires knowledge, skill, and precision. Most newbies are likely to run into problems, such as an orange peel.
Considering how difficult it is to fix such a problem, you need to do adequate research before embarking on such a project.
Leading Causes of Orange Peel with Super Chrome Powder Coat
• Over Prepping the Surface
Over-prepping is when you create an uneven surface. This mainly occurs due to sandblasting. If you make this mistake, you will have to use a lot of powder to cover the depth you had over-prepped.
If you don’t spray enough powder, this will result in an orange peel. During preparation, you need to work with a lower blasting pressure.
If you have already blasted deeper into the surface, mark the area and spray more chrome powder coat there.
• Using Too Much Powder
How you apply the powder coat can also result in orange peel. You need to go through the technical data sheet and confirm how much powder should be applied to the surface.
It’s advisable to stick to what is recommended rather than come up with your figures, which will most likely lead to orange peel.
• Working With the Wrong Temperatures and Curing Times
As you confirm the amount of powder you should spray to a surface, you also need to check and confirm the time the super chrome powder coat should take to cure and what temperature it should cure at.
These two are very critical in ensuring that you achieve a smooth finish. An orange peel can easily occur when you don’t give the powder coat enough time to dry or cure it at a low or higher temperature than recommended.
Please set a reminder that will alert you to check on the part that is being powder-coated in the oven.
• Outgassing of Contaminants
The other issue that might lead to orange peel is the failure to outgas contaminants.
Even when you clean an object that you want to powder coat with super chrome, you must outgas it by putting it under slightly higher heat than that of baking super chrome powder coat.
This will ensure the contaminants outgas before spraying the super chrome powder coat. And that will prevent orange peel issues.
If you check on these issues, you won’t have to deal with orange peel on your super chrome powder coat.
When you consider how shiny chrome is, an orange peel can be easily detectable and affect the aesthetics of your vehicle’s surface.
2. Pinholes
We should have started with this problem because it’s the most common. Super chrome powder coat should cure into a smooth and flawless finish.
But if you see pinholes, you may have made a mistake somewhere in applying the powder coat.
Pinholes on a chrome powder coat resemble tiny blisters whose surfaces popped or broke as the powder coat was drying.
A dirty surface or one that hasn’t been adequately prepared will result in pinholes. Applying a super chrome powder coat is a task that needs to be handled with a lot of seriousness.
Failure to clean a surface before powder coating leaves contaminants and dirt trapped by the chrome powder coat.
Since these contaminants shouldn’t be here in the first place, when the chrome powder coat is being baked to the surface, they will turn into pinholes.
The best method to prevent pinholes from developing on a super chrome powder coat is by cleaning the surface thoroughly.
Instead of wiping the surface by hand, it would be better to use a dip tank. You also need to choose a cleaning agent carefully.
The stronger the cleaner, the more contaminants you will remove from the surface. We are against hand wiping because, during this process, you may drag contaminants back to the surface.
Once you are done cleaning, you need to outgas the object you want to powder coat with super chrome. That prevents the formation of pinholes when you finally put the super chrome powder coat in the oven.
3. An Inconsistent Finish
If you were dealing with other types of powder coats, you wouldn’t have to worry a lot about the final finish. But super chrome’s appearance requires the finish to be flawless.
An inconsistent finish will significantly affect the look of your car once you are done baking the super chrome powder coat. Several factors can cause a dull finish.
The first is baking the super chrome powder coat at the wrong temperatures and wrong duration.
Overbaking the super chrome powder coat can also lead to similar results. This issue can best be avoided by sticking to the required temperature settings.
4. Fish Eyes or Cratering
Contamination of the powder coat can also lead to the development of fish eyes on the surface. These are small craters that may develop on the surface.
On a super chrome powder coat, fish eyes look terrible. Some of the leading causes for the development of fish eyes in powder coating a car are the presence of oil, water, and silicone.
Suppose the surface that you want to super chrome powder coat had paint on it. You should confirm that the paint had no contaminants inside it.
Cause if it had, there is a massive chance that fish eyes will develop after baking the powder coat to the surface. It’s also important to prepare a surface thoroughly before engaging in any application of a powder coat.
Do not also skip the outgassing step, which will help remove contaminants that may later develop into pinholes.
What Causes Most Super Chrome Powder Coat Problems?
The number one culprit for your super chrome powder coat woes is dirt. Just like painting, a powder coat should be applied on a clean and contaminant-free surface.
The presence of dirt can lead to severe issues which take time and money to fix. There are several ways dirt can find its way to your car’s surface.
First, it will be if you didn’t clean the vehicle before applying the super chrome powder coat.
Secondly, if you spray the powder coat in an open area, there is a possibility of dirt being blown to the surface by the wind. This is why individuals interested in powder coating a surface are advised to do so in an enclosed area.
Work in your garage and ensure the door is closed if you are doing it at home. Ensure that the working area is also clean and won’t stain the surface.
Other than dirt, the other cause for most super chrome powder coat problems is failing to outgas the object before spraying the powder coat.
Outgassing before powder coat application ensures that the surface is free of contaminants.
In case you go ahead and bake the powder coat without outgassing, an orange peel can develop.
Do not forget to stick to the required temperature settings when powder coating super chrome on a car surface.
If you use your temperature recommendations and duration, there is a chance that the finish will be inconsistent and dull.
That’s something that you shouldn’t want on a chrome powder coat finish since it will make the vehicle look hideous.
Super chrome powder coating isn’t rocket science. It’s something that you can successfully perform. But you should stick to the recommended guidelines and avoid running into the above problems.
Please note that a super chrome powder coat is very sensitive. If you get something wrong in the application, you won’t be pleased with the results.
Can I Avoid These Problems by Hiring a Professional?
If you have the tools to complete a super chrome powder coating job, you can attempt several tries to perfect your skills.
But if you lack the tools, skills, and knowledge to pull off a successful powder coating job, then don’t hesitate to have your car part powder coated by a professional.
Depending on the size of the surface being powder coated and the expert’s level of experience, the prices will vary. But with a professional, you will be assured of not running into any issues.