Cerakote vs Powder Coat: Choosing for Plastic Parts

Two of the most common questions we get asked about are when should you use Cerakote versus powder coating, and can they be used interchangeably? Short and sweet, they are similar in that they are both are very tough coatings that are unyieldingly resistant to extreme uses, but the differences are what set them apart.  
 
Powder Coating
Most people who visit our Spectrum Coatings shop in Cocoa are familiar with powder coatings as a process used for metal applications. Applied as a free-flowing dry powder, the method employs static electricity and compressed air to electrically charge powder to stick to the surface of a part. The part is baked, the powder essentially melts, and then it is allowed to cure to a hard finish over the underlying material. It is a coating which has been around since the late 1940s, but to some degree, it really started being adapted for wide commercial use in the 1960s when the application process was improved.
 
Heat Considerations of Powder
As long as that material can survive the high temperatures in an oven, powder coating is a viable choice. Still, it also means a variety of materials are ruled out for this treatment because of the potential melting factor. Conductive metals are a great candidate for powder coating, but materials like plastic, wood, or synthetic plastic polymer (PVC) will burn or melt because process to cure requires exposure to more than 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Some experimental processes are being tried out right now, but for the most part, they are not cost-effective when compared to other products on the market such as Cerakote, Teflon, or Hydrofilm.
 
More About Powder Coating
As we stated, it is best to only powder coat metals. If there are any rubber or plastic parts, they must be removed before the application starts. Consider too, that powder coating typically is made up of a thicker surface. If you wonder about applying powder to a firearm, it is possible, but since the coating is quite thick, the job requires a great deal of prep work, adding additional costs due to labor. Another reason to avoid powder coating a gun is due to the tight tolerances required for the proper fit and smooth operation when it is put back together. 
 
And then There is Cerakote
As the world leader in thin-film coating technology, Cerakote offers a polymer-ceramic composite coating with chemical resistance, readily applied to metals, plastics, polymers, and wood. The ceramic coating is applied using a high-volume spray gun and compressed air.
 
Heat Considerations of Cerakote
Some materials require specific cure schedules. Spectrum technicians receive training on product-specific technical datasheets from Cerakote. We know how to prepare materials and properly cure and cool parts until they are ready for reassembly and use. This chart provides general temperatures and curing times for various objects.