Essential Considerations When Powder Coating a Gate

When building a new home, you need to pay close attention to the gate. Most homeowners do not give their gates due attention, and they end up with poor results in as far as property aesthetics go. Beautifully designed and finished gates increase a property's value significantly. It is no wonder most homeowners are approaching gate fabricators who offer powder-coating services. Unlike painting, powder coating has a myriad of advantages ranging from durability to low maintenance. However, you need to make specific considerations before powder coating your gate.

Gate Design

A metal fabricator can help you to design a gate that matches your needs and taste. Some service providers utilise intricate designs, while others use straightforward prototypes. Notably, the design of a gate determines how much powder coat a fabricator uses and consequently the total cost. For instance, a straight rail gate is a simple design that does not need a lot of powder coating and thus costs less. On the other hand, a gate with intricate designs requires extensive powder coating to ensure that all surfaces are covered evenly. Additionally, powder coating an entrance with a detailed design takes time, adding to the total cost of ownership.

Colour Choice

The last thing anybody wants for their new home is a gate that sticks out like a sore thumb due to mismatching colours. Therefore, if you're going to match your gate's colour to other features in your property such as the fence or house cladding, you must approach the colour selection exercise carefully. Unfortunately, most people settle on a powder coating colour after everything else is in place. The downside of doing this is that you will have a hard time finding a powder that matches the exact colour you want. While you can mix different powders for bespoke colours, the process can be expensive. It is better to choose the powder colour first, then conduct test painting, then assess the results.

Powder Rating

Powder coats are resistant to sunlight, chemicals, and scratches, which sets them apart from liquid paint. However, it is easy to fall for low-quality powders if you let the generic benefits cloud your judgment. The reason is that powder coats have different ratings, and awareness is critical to making informed decisions. For instance, mid-level coatings are an excellent choice for gate applications due to the amount of abuse they receive from exposure to the sun and constant opening and closing. Most importantly, they can withstand fading and abrasions. Conversely, low-level powders are used on metal pieces that receive minimal abuse, such as indoor furniture, because they cannot withstand the harsh outdoor environment for long without losing structural and aesthetic value.

To learn more, contact a powder coating service.