Powder Coat or Spray Paint?

[SSDDBRONCO]

I am wondering if i should powder coat or spary paint my protofab bumpers when they arrive in a couple days. I would really like to powder coat but as you all know it is quite expensive. I been quoted anywhere from 250-400. Should i just spray paint instead? If so what is the best way to do it? How many coats should i use? Would it be a good idea to use like dupli color bed liner spray? If you really think i should powder coat then i guess i would just end up doing that instead.
Thanks

 

[Chief Master Sergeant]

I was having the same question a few days ago. Protofab asked me this question...What are you planning to use the bumper for? If you're going to wheel it, they recommended painting the bumper. If it's a show pony then powder coat is the way to go. I spoke to Gordon Bailie yesterday and he recommended powder coating them. His thought was, "If you paid this much for a bumper, then might as well spend the change to get it powder coated." I think that's how he said it, but he'll correct me if I'm wrong. In the end I am just going to spray paint it with some quality primer and rattle can paint. That way I can touch it up when I scrape it along the rocks next year at the LEBC Round Up. Plus, I'm too cheap to pay for the powder coating.

 

[Broncitis]

If you want to wear your trail damage as some sort of badge of honor, then powder coat would be a good choice ;D

However, IMO, scraped up PC looks like crap and is more difficult to repair than paint.

I use paint on bumpers, frames, etc that will get rock rash or may need to have things cut off or welded in the future. Generally, I use PPG chassis black over a quality primer (PPG DP series epoxy or similar). Looks great, durable, and easy to blend to make look good again. In fact, you can also touch up with Krylon spray can satin black and it it a good match as well.

 

[Old School]

Can't vote until you say whether you're gonna 'wheel it hard or it's a show car.

Paint can be touched up or even bondo the dings you acquire, powder coat- not.

 

[DrLathrop]

I sprayed mine for the sole reason of being able to touch it up easily. I used the duplicolor bed liner for mine but I sprayed self-etching primer over all the bare metal, sprayed the bedliner stuff on most of the bumper except where the mounting area for the winch & sections bolted together. I didn't want the thickness of bedliner to interfere with mounting if that makes sense. I then covered the bedliner or the etched areas with a top coat of color & then 3 coats of clear to make it as nice as possible. Use a red scotchbrite pad on all the surfaces & wipe down with grease remover prior to painting. I posted a write-up last night with pictures.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193012

 

[sprdv1]

I was having the same question a few days ago. Protofab asked me this question...What are you planning to use the bumper for? If you're going to wheel it, they recommended painting the bumper. If it's a show pony then powder coat is the way to go. I spoke to Gordon Bailie yesterday and he recommended powder coating them. His thought was, "If you paid this much for a bumper, then might as well spend the change to get it powder coated." I think that's how he said it, but he'll correct me if I'm wrong. In the end I am just going to spray paint it with some quality primer and rattle can paint. That way I can touch it up when I scrape it along the rocks next year at the LEBC Round Up. Plus, I'm too cheap to pay for the powder coating.

X2

If you're going to wheel it, they recommended painting the bumper. If it's a show pony then powder coat is the way to go

 

[Explorer]

Spray paint and I wouldn't put Duplicolor bedliner on a wheelbarrow.

 

[Izzy]

I recently bought a bumper that was powder coated. It was still in the wrap from the powder coaters. I will say that it is already scratched just from the transport. I also have a PC roll cage that already has scratches on it just from working around it and getting in and out of it.

Point is, I'm gonna paint everything from now on so I can touch it up easier.

 

[Steve83]

Everything's more expensive out there, huh? I paid less than $150 to get mine done, and it's several pieces, including storage boxes.

.

I think scratched powder looks better than spray.

 

[Tim in Az]

Hate to get to far off topic but I recently had my family cage powder coated and the shop had several body parts from classic cars that they were powder coating for a body shop. The guy said they wanted them powder coated before they prep them for paint. I thought that was strange cause I've heard you can not paint over powder.

Anyway I prefer pc.

 

[stock1970]

clean with paint thinner to get any oils off, duplicolor flat black primer, then any semi gloss flat black.. easy to touch up, I wheel it and show it and drive it every day. powder coating a bumper no way.. i spent that money on another upgrade.. o and i did one coat of primer and two coats of paint.. also did my rocker guards the same way..

 

[SSDDBRONCO]

Thanks everyone for the help.

@ DrLathrop
i like the way you painted your bumper.

Looks like i may just spray paint to save myself some money;D

So now my other question is what is the best way to prep up the bumper and then spray paint them?
Some said 1 coat primer and 2 coats of paint. Should i do more than this?
Should i add a clear coat after i spray paint the bumpers?
If there is anything else that i should know post it up.
Thanks

 

[TN1776]

I am a fan of powder coat. I've done the Rubicon and other rocky trails and while it does scuff, I do not regret my decision. To be fair though I spray painted my rear bumper just to get something on it to protect it for the "short term" and I've been too lazy to remove it and take it down for powder. I will powder coat my rear bumper one day though... maybe.

I spray painted my BC quarter guards and I find myself having to touch them up often just so they look decent. The front bumper looks almost as good as the day it came home from the powder shop aside from a few scuffs.

 

[Steve83]

...I've heard you can not paint over powder.

Stock Ford wagon wheels like my truck originally had are powdered gray, then painted.

...I spray painted my rear bumper just to get something on it to protect it for the "short term" and I've been too lazy to remove it and take it down for powder. I will powder coat my rear bumper one day though... maybe.

Same here. :-[ My front only has 8 bolts holding it to the frame; the rear has 14.

 

[SSDDBRONCO]

One of my biggest concern is that if i spray paint it will it rust as time goes by?

What about line x-ing the bumpers instead?

 

[Steve83]

If you use "spray paint" from an aerosol can, it'll eventually start rusting. Rustoleum will probably last longer than you have the truck if you prep the surface & spray several light coats, but the cheap stuff will fade & rust within a few years unless you keep it touched up.

But if you powder it first, it'll only rust where you scratch it, and only if you don't touch up with spray.

If you shoot it with a real automotive gun & paint, it'll be as durable as the truck's paint, until you scratch it. But you'll be able to keep it touched up.

A spray-on bedliner will be difficult to touch up.

 

[bigmuddy]

My experience with powder coat, is that once it gets scratched you cannot repair it enough to conceal the damage and then you have given a place for water to get under the coating. The next thing is the coating starts peeling and starts to look like hell.

I personally like the hammertone spray paint. It seems to be more durable with proper prep and since it has a mottled finish you can repaint over it very easily to touch up scratches and such. It comes in quite a few colors as well. I always try to use a good quality primer with several coats before using the hammertone. Hell I have use the same technique on my master cylinder and rarely have they peeled.

 

[Greg_B]

I read some of these comments and I dont understand why people think you cannot touch up powder coating just like any other type of paint. I have a powder coat line in my plant and we touch up everyday.

Yes some colors are very hard to make look good but if you choose a color like satin black or a color that you can buy matching spray paint for then all you have to do is smooth out chips and scratches with scotch brite or fine sandpaper and spray paint over it. It will look just as good as any other touch up job and you will still have the benefit of powder coating.

If you use a color from a PMS chart it is very easy to get matching paint for it and keep it looking great for a long time.

Greg

 

[doghows72]

I have to agree with Greg. I own a powder shop and touch up is easy. The new powders are much more durable and much easier to repair if needed.
I have many customers that I powder coat their parts and then they paint to match the color of their choice over that. I have been doing this for the marine industry as well as the coast guard.
Powder is the only way I will go, but I do have a little bias going here??

 

[SSDDBRONCO]

Just bumping this thread as i have another idea of getting my bumpers Line X. It would be almost the same price as powder coating, but would line-xing the bumpers be a good idea??