Powder Coating vs Paint for Gates & Grills

Powder coating By Antoh Decor Enterprises 3 min read

Key points

Powder coating is a dry powder sprayed electrostatically and baked in an oven, forming a hard, even skin on metal.
It resists chipping, rust and fading far better than brush paint, especially on outdoor gates and grills.
Finishes include antique, metallic (silver, copper, gold), gloss black and white, and textures.
Only metal items that can take oven heat can be powder coated; Antoh Decor coats at its Nairobi workshops and receives items by courier.

Powder Coating vs Paint for Gates and Grills in Kenya: Which Lasts Longer? — Professional Powder Coating Services in Kenya — Antoh Decor Enterprises, Nairobi

Kenyan sun, rain and dust are hard on metalwork. Brush paint on a new gate can start chipping and rusting within a few seasons. Powder coating is the factory finish used on quality steel furniture, rims and shop fittings, and it is available for your gate, grills and curtain rods too. Here is how the two compare.

How powder coating works

Preparation: the metal is cleaned of rust, grease and old paint.
Electrostatic spraying: dry powder is sprayed with an electric charge, so it wraps around the metal, including edges and the inside of patterns.
Curing: the item is baked in an oven. The powder melts and hardens into a continuous, tough skin bonded to the metal.

Powder coating vs paint

	Powder coating	Brush or spray paint
Finish	Smooth, even, factory look; no brush marks or drips	Depends on the painter
Durability	Hard, chip-resistant skin	Softer; chips and peels sooner
Rust protection	Sealed coat over the whole surface, including edges	Thin at edges and in patterns
Colour life	Holds colour well outdoors	Fades faster in sun
Touch-ups	Harder to touch up on site	Easy to touch up
Up-front cost	Higher	Lower

Over the life of a gate, powder coating usually costs less because you are not repainting every few years.

Finishes available

Antique and vintage finishes for a classic look on decorated gates and castings.
Metallics: silver, copper and gold, popular on CNC gates and curtain rods.
Solids: high-gloss black and white.
Textures that hide small surface marks and add grip.

What can be powder coated?

Any metal item that can go in the oven: gates, window grills, balcony and staircase railings, curtain rods, metal beds, garden furniture, shop fittings and display stands, office furniture frames, machinery parts, rims and structural steel. Wood, plastic and items with rubber seals cannot be powder coated.

Choosing a colour

Black and charcoal hide dust and suit almost any house; the most popular gate colours.
Grey with gold or copper highlights the pattern on CNC and decorated gates.
Antique finishes bring out the detail on castings and decorative pipes.
White looks fresh on balconies and indoor railings but shows dirt on gates facing a dusty road.

Bring a sample or a photo of the colour you want, and ask to see finished samples before deciding.

Caring for powder-coated metal

Wash with water and mild soap; avoid strong solvents and abrasive powders.
Rinse off salt regularly near the coast.
Deal with deep scratches quickly so moisture cannot get under the coating.
Keep hinges, locks and moving parts lubricated without spilling oil on the finish.