Ask the Expert Question-and-Answer Archive

by Ron Joseph

October, 2010

Painting Over Powder Coat Primer

Q. I took my car to be media blasted. It's a full body restoration the company said I should coat it with powder coat primer to preserve it and he said I could paint over it. Is that true?

A. I don't think the person who told you to apply a powder coating primer is necessarily talking about powder coatings in the conventional sense. To powder coat your vehicle would mean that the entire body would need to be pristine clean before applying the powder coating. Then, assuming the operator is and expert at applying the powder, the film thickness would need to be completely uniform without any glitches, which in my opinion is almost impossible in a manual powder coating operation. Finally, the vehicle would need to be baked in an oven at greater than 350oC at which temperature your upholstery, plastic, rubber tubing, etc. might melt or be damaged. If there is any gasoline in the gas tank, you might never see your car again except perhaps as some molten metal.

Regards,

Ron Joseph