Painting,powdercoating,ect....

[coca-bika]

Hi. I would like to know different way to put more colour on my bike. I'm kind of a beginner in painting and stuff like that. I know that there is also powdercoating but I don't know the difference between painting and powdercoating ! If someone could help me I would be really happy.

And by the way, is there other way apart of powdercoating and painting to colour things up ?

[rtorrenga]

Powder coating uses electric current to attract the powder "paint" particles to the metal surface (not liquid like painting), then they bake the powder in an oven. If the frame isn't clean, or there is paint still on the surface the powder coat will not stick very well if at all.

Frames can also be anodized, but it is very expensive. Steel frames can be chromed, but also expensive. It think powdercoat is the way to go.

http://www.observedtrials.net/vb/showthread.php?t=13771

[coca-bika]

Do powdercoating make a matte finish (like on 2005 specialized p.3) or can it make a gloss finish ?

[rtorrenga]

You can have a glossy or matte finish, depending on what the powder coating operation can do. Neither should be a problem.

[coca-bika]

good ! thanks ! But an other question ... where do i go to make my bike powdercoated ? Do I need to go in a shop that only do powdercoating or can some bodyshop or things like that do it too ?

After my frame is powdercoated, can I put vinyl decals on it and then put clear coat to protect the decals ?

[rtorrenga]

Usually you will need to go to a powder coating shop. I don't know of too many body shops that would have a powder coating facility. As far as clearcoating the decals, I don't see a problem with it, but I haven't ever done it so hopefully someone else knows.

There is another thread about powdercoating that I had a link to above. PM one of those guys and see if they have any info for you.

[RomanR]

You're a beginner in painting and stuff like that, so I don't know how comfortable you'll be spray painting a frame yourself.

Search your yellow pages, under Coatings, or Protective Coatings. They will have listed the places that do powdercoating around your area, call em up and ask to make sure they can do your frame, and shop around for the best price. You can get whatever finish you want on it, matte, gloss, metallic. I put new decals on my frame after I had it done gloss white, but I didn't bother with clear coating it, and they've been fine for almost a year now, riding in every type of weather. No peeling or anything, just nicks from bails riding natural, but a clear coat isn't gonna stop them getting damaged from an impact.

You'll need to prep the frame, one way or another, whether that be media blasting it, or stripping the finish off by yourself. Make sure that the coaters protect the areas of the frame where you don't want any powdercoat, like inside the headtube, bb shell, and brake threads. Also, you'll need to have the headtube and probably the bb shell faced afterwards, at a bikeshop that has a headtube facer. Getting that done cost me almost as much as the powdercating itself.

So yeah, there are costs you need to keep in mind with powdercoating, which you'll be able to get away with if you're spray painting the frame. you can just correctly and carefully mask off the headset (still in the frame) and bb threads/faces, and brake mounts, and not have to spend a bunch of money getting the tubes faced.

[coca-bika]

Thanks a lot guys you are very helpful ! But I would like to know, is spray paint as resistant as powdercoat ? Does it really make sense to pay for powdercoat or should I try to paint it by myself ? One of my friend have an airbrush so maybe he could help me getting my frame painted...