Powder Coat is supposed to last much longer and be more durable than paint. Either one won't hold up to the rocks, so my advice is if you like to play in the rocks a lot, just paint it as it'll be cheaper than PC and easy to touch up, but if you don't spend too much time in the rocks where you won't be dragging the bumpers then pony up and go with the PC and do it right once.

 

Powder Coat is supposed to last much longer and be more durable than paint.

Not True, a good paint job will always outlast powdercoat. Powdercoat is cheaper than a good paint job, that is why it is used.

Read my 3 threads on painting steel (part 1 and 2) and powdercoat quality in the FAQ section.

I am a Paint Chemist (I invent new paints) with 20+ years experience in the paint field.

 

Having had powder coated parts and bare steel parts-I MUCH prefer bare steel. Not a big fan of powder coating in the least. I'm sure it has it's place with certain parts, but anything outside the rig that will be used as armour, bumpers, skids, etc.-stick with paint. It is so much easier to touch up/patch it isn't funny. Powder coating is a pain in the butt.

Best of Luck,

Mike

 

Off topic

anybody found a good touch up paint for black powdercoat, Glossy is too glossy, and satin is to flat.

 

Thanks for the replies. So I'm curious if there's any value in ordering the pc bumper and then priming and painting over it (using the pc as a base primer). Otherwise I'll stick with the traditional bare steel and etch/prime/painting. Heading over to FAQ now for technique tips. Thanks.

 

The only problem I see with that is you'll still wind up scratching it off-road in the sticks or rocks. When you do, you would still have the PC as a "base", and about the only way to really do a good job of touching it up or patching it is to blast the thing down to bare steel again and start over. Once the PC starts to develop rust under it, it comes off in sections and is a bear to fix. It's thick too so you'd have a hard time smoothing the transition from the deeper gouge, which would be covered in paint, then trying to match that layer with the PC thickness. Doubt that makes any sense. Maybe I'm doing things the hard way-see what Elwarpo thinks, he's the one that knows for sure. Just going off my own experience. Don't know how important the overal finish is to you-the items that came powdercoated on my rig that are covered in rock rash are just shot over with rustoleum as it's quick and dirty for me to touch up and keep from rusting. To someone who really cares about the finish though, it really does look like crap when you get right down to it. Thankfully it's all underneath the rig! :laugh:

Best of Luck,

Mike

 

Nuff said. That makes perfect sense. I'll stick with the elwarpo method. Now, where to find epoxy primer......

Thanks to all!

 

epoxy primer can be found at any contractor paint store (not wally world...). Just make sure it is for metal and not for concrete. Examples of contractor paint stores can be Sherwin Williams, ICI...

 

...I'll stick with the elwarpo method...

It's worked for me! :cheesy:

I've used Elwarpo's advice to paint all the skids under my jeep.

I don't slither across rocks very often, but I've sprayed dirt and rocks and gravel at
them and have heard a clunk or 2 from branches and the paint is holding up very well.

The main difference from how I used to spray paint is the careful prep work.
I'm told this is key.

Time will tell but it's been a year for the gas tank skid and so far, so good.

As for painting over powder coat:
If you knew it was an A+ powder coat job then maybe, but even then, when it chips
and you touch it up with a spray can it probably won't look that great.

 

Off topic

anybody found a good touch up paint for black powdercoat, Glossy is too glossy, and satin is to flat.

After wasting money on this several times over I found Ace Hardware brand satin black is very close. Well I mean it matched my old Warn bumpers.

 

After wasting money on this several times over I found Ace Hardware brand satin black is very close. Well I mean it matched my old Warn bumpers.

Good to know, my Warn rear tire carrier/bumper needs a touch up in a few spots 8)