The standard Rack-It 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 Series Racks receive a gloss black enamel "wet" paint finish, providing a nice clean look and a durable finish. There is an upgraded powder coat finish as well. Here is the Powder Coating difference:
In the upgraded powder coating process, a uniform mixture of electrostatically charged powder particles containing plastic resins and pigments (that impart color) is sprayed on a pretreated metal surface. It is then cured in an oven. In the oven, the powder goes through a gel and hardening stage that ensures a uniform, drip free surface.
The initial preparation or pre treatment is very important for a successful powder coating. If necessary, chemical treatment and abrasive blasting is done for successful powder coating. Pre treatment increases adhesion of the powder coat to the metal.
No matter what level of powder coating finish you select for your Rack-it Truck Rack, a phosphate pretreatment is always applied. The phosphate coating is a porous transition layer between the coating and the material and can absorb the coating material. Upon curing, the coating solidifies, locking into the phosphate pores. This action provides excellent adhesion. We also use a D.I. water system which improves the final pretreatment quality by eliminating any mineral deposits on the parts.
Let's take a look at our Powder Coating offerings from most economical to the top of the line finish:
Top Coat only - This is the most common powder coating job we offer. One coat of powder goes down on the rack and it's off to cure in the oven.
Primer Coat + Top Coat - Adding a primer coat to the rack is a great idea as it provides an additional moisture barrier layer. The primer is laid down right after the phosphate rinse and then is cured before receiving the final top coat.
Primer Coat + Top Coat + Clear Coat - Finishing off the rack with a clear coat creates a triple layered finish that is very difficult to penetrate.
Media Blast Pretreatment + Primer Coat + Top Coat + Clear Coat - This is the best finish solution available through Rack-it. We begin by media blasting the entire surface of the rack. This process provides good bonding of the coating to the material due to the surface profile left by the blast media. Pretreatment is the most important step in the powder coating process. It is this process that ensures adhesion of the coating to the material and also provides long term performance of the final finish.
The surface finish can be visually examined to ensure a quality finish, however what's underneath the surface only your powder coater knows.
Whatever your need is, Rack-It can provide it.
