A quality set of wheels can significantly enhance your vehicle’s appeal whether you have a sportscar, Jeep, or 3/4 ton truck. Powder coated wheels boasting a sporty, distinct finish have surged in popularity in recent years. If you’re considering powder coating your wheels, you likely have questions.
This guide will answer key questions such as the cost to power coat wheels, how long it lasts, and whether any type of wheel can be powder coated.
Average Cost to Powder Coat Wheels and Rims
For many consumers wishing to have their wheels powder coated, the first question that comes to mind centers around the cost associated with such services.
While reports of “at-home” powder coating are plentiful, the bulk of these cases involve the application of rubberized spray-finishes, such as Plasti–Dip.
Though finishes of this nature can be applied to a vehicle’s wheels, often with satisfactory results, doing so is not considered powder coating, in a true sense. On the contrary, actual powder coating is typically performed by professionals, at a specialized facility.
Due to the complex nature of this work, one can expect to pay a reasonable sum for such services. The exact price of powder coating services often fluctuates with the cost of supplies.
However, one can expect to pay somewhere in the ballpark of $350-$700 to powder coat a set of four wheels.
The lower end of this price spectrum represents the treatment of smaller, sedan-sized wheels, with a singular base coating.
On the other end of the spectrum, the higher end of this price range covers larger wheels that are to receive additional gloss or clear coats, beyond a standard base.
What is Powder Coating?
Powder coating is a dry finishing process that has become extremely popular since its introduction in North America over in the 1960s. Representing over 15% of the total industrial finishing market, powder is used on a wide array of products.
More and more companies specify powder coatings for a high-quality, durable finish, allowing for maximized production, improved efficiencies, and simplified environmental compliance.
Used as functional (protective) and decorative finishes, powder coatings are available in an almost limitless range of colors and textures, and technological advancements have resulted in excellent performance properties.
How Powder Coating Works
Powder coatings are based on polymer resin systems, combined with curatives, pigments, leveling agents, flow modifiers, and other additives. These ingredients are melt mixed, cooled, and ground into a uniform powder similar to baking flour.
A process called electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) is typically used to achieve the application of the powder coating to a metal substrate. This application method uses a spray gun, which applies an electrostatic charge to the powder particles, which are then attracted to the grounded part.
After application of the powder coating, the parts enter a curing oven where, with the addition of heat, the coating chemically reacts to produce long molecular chains, resulting in high cross-link density. These molecular chains are very resistant to breakdown.
This type of application is the most common method of applying powders. Powder coatings can also be applied to non-metallic substrates such as plastics and medium density fiberboard (MDF).
Sometimes a powder coating is applied during a fluidized bed application. Preheated parts are dipped in a hopper of fluidizing powder and the coating melts, and flows out on the part. Post cure may be needed depending on the mass and temperature of the part and the type of powder used.
No matter which application process is utilized, powder coatings are easy to use, environmentally friendly, cost effective, and tough!
Procedure for powder coating wheels
#1. Masking.
To begin with, all surfaces that are not to be coated, such as screw holes and the stop surface, are covered. The valve hole is left out and used for earthing/suspension.
#2. Tempering.
Chemical stripping has caused liquid components to penetrate the casting and sandblasting has also opened up casting pores in the substrate.
In order to prevent outgassing and thus craters and/or pinholes in these cavities, the workpiece is heated in the oven before coating at a temperature at least 20°C above the later specified curing temperature of the powder coating.
The duration depends on individual conditions – in general, however, the curing time of the powder coating is recommended for tempering.
#3. Primer and Basecoat.
For optimum corrosion protection, a primer is applied to the rim before the effect-creating layer. This is followed by the second coat in the desired color and texture.
In practice, the primer is not fully cured before the basecoat is applied, but merely “gelled” (50-70% of the curing time according to the curing window). This increases adhesion with the next coat. It also saves process time and energy.
#4. Clear Coat.
As the effect-giving pigments in powder coating are oriented to the surface, abrasion or the use of aggressive rim cleaners can lead to changes in the original appearance. We therefore recommend applying an additional layer of clear coat (3-layer system).
Thanks to their good chemical resistance, acrylic or polyurethane-based clear coats are particularly suitable for a high-quality, road-washable, and winter-proof coating.
Is Powder Coating Wheels Better Than Painting Them?
In the vast majority of cases, powder coating is seen as a superior alternative to painting a vehicle’s wheels. This typically comes down to a matter of durability.
Since powder coated finishes are applied electrostatically, a lasting bond is created between cured coatings and any metal base stock beneath. This is in stark contrast to paint, which serves simply as a surface treatment.
As a result, powder coated finishes seldom chip, and last exponentially longer than painted finishes. This is important, considering the rigors of life on the road.
Powder coatings also tend to apply evenly, in a rather textbook fashion. One seldom runs into issues with inconsistencies, such as thin spots or apparent blemishes. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for most painted finishes.
How Long Does Powder Coating Last?
On average, most expertly-applied powder coated finishes can be expected to last for 15-20 years. However, this number is also subject to variation, at the hands of such factors as excess UV exposure, heavy wear/tear, and exposure to corrosive agents.
This lifespan is nearly double that of painted-on finishes, which carry an expected service life of 5-10 years, under ideal conditions. However, powder coated finishes are still subject to many of the same pitfalls as paint-based finishes.
With time, powder coated wheels will undoubtedly scratch and fade, as a product of typical road-wear. Though this sort of wear is to be expected of any rim, no matter its surface treatment.
Can Any Type of Wheel Be Powder Coated?
Powder coating can be applied to virtually any metallic surface, including most automotive wheels. Both steel and stainless steel wheels can be powder coated, as can aluminium wheels, though treating the latter of these surfaces presents its own specific challenges.
Careful consideration should be taken before having a set of aluminium wheels powder coated. The temperatures necessary for the curing of powder coated surfaces often exceed those utilized during heat treating of aluminium wheels.
Therefore, in extreme cases, the structural integrity of an aluminium wheel could be compromised during the powder coating process.
For this very reason, many manufacturers void the warranty of any aluminium wheels that are sent for powder coating. While this should be of little issue to those who have owned their vehicle for quite some time, owners of vehicles still within their original warranty period should think twice before carrying on with such endeavours.
Aside from a wheel’s composition, the condition of any rim intended for powder coating should also be carefully studied. This stems from the fact that damaged or bent rims are often difficult to evenly coat, which can in turn lead to several visual defects.
What do powder-coated rims cost?
The cost of a rim coating depends on its condition and size, the desired structure, and the selected surface, but also on the cost of machines and materials plus working and dwell time.
The price for a powder coating in standard colors including basic pre-treatment and a 3-layer structure is between $ 98 and $ 130 per rim. Depending on the quality of the service, the amount can also be lower or significantly higher in individual cases.