We offer our customers the option of applying a wide range of coatings to the metal frames and components we manufacture — as well as a standalone service, particularly as part of local cooperation.
We use both electrostatic (Corona) and triboelectric (Tribo) powder coating application. We operate our own dedicated coating line for this purpose. Depending on customer requirements, we apply single-layer, two-layer, or coating combined with additional primer paints. Depending on the application, frames can optionally undergo abrasive blasting (shot blasting) beforehand, or be electrogalvanized, if required.
We powder coat up to a hundred thousand metal frames every year, and over the years our factory has coated millions of them. They go mainly to B2B clients — brands and companies — who, through their own expansion, have brought our frames to all kinds of places: hotels, restaurants, schools, private homes, airports, and many others. It’s fair to say that quite a few Europeans have sat on a chair fitted with one of our frames without ever knowing it.
Powder Coating – Paints
Powder-coated products most commonly use epoxy-polyester blends (for indoor use) or pure polyester paints (for indoor and outdoor use). Polyester paints are known for high UV resistance (stable color and gloss over time), while epoxy-polyester blends offer somewhat greater mechanical and chemical resistance as well as better substrate adhesion — which explains their popularity in interior/furniture products.
We can work with paints selected by the customer, or offer paints from our own stock or sourced directly from paint manufacturers. We work with the world’s leading paint producers.
For metal frames used in interior furnishings, the choice typically comes down to:
Surface texture:
- smooth
- fine structure
- coarse structure
Paint gloss level, most commonly expressed in GU (gloss units), measuring light reflection at a 60° angle — 100 GU represents a perfect mirror, 0 GU a perfect black. Classification is not strictly standardized and varies between manufacturers; an example breakdown is given below (a note from practical experience: the gloss of structured/textured paints is generally considered unmeasurable with this method and is instead a rather subjective assessment by the manufacturer):
- deep matte – < 10 GU
- matte – 10–20 GU
- semi-matte – > 20 GU, < 35 GU
- satin – 35–65 GU
- semi-gloss – > 65 GU, < 80 GU
- gloss – 80+ GU
Color / effect:
- Pigmented paint according to a color chart (e.g. the popular and widely available RAL palette, or premium palettes such as NCS, Pantone, RAL Design)
- Metallic paints, e.g. containing metallic flakes that imitate various metals such as silver, aluminum, titanium, or gold
- Clear (colorless) transparent paints — used, for example, to preserve or accentuate the appearance of the underlying coating, or to retain the look of a natural metal surface. In practice, essentially only two variants are widely used: matte and full gloss; intermediate finishes are far less available and rarely applied. Matte paint scatters and evens out reflections, while glossy paint accentuates the appearance of the layer beneath it. The main drawback of these paints, especially glossy variants, is the need for very thorough preparation of the underlying surface and removal of discoloration, as any imperfections will be emphasized once coated.
- Pigmented transparent paints — similar to the above, but allow the underlying layer to be given a different shade. For example, raw stainless steel can be coated with an amber-pigmented paint to imitate copper or brass. Powder coating serves as a supplementary method here.
- Primer paints — usually in neutral colors, as they are not the final layer; available for both indoor and outdoor use. For frames made of black (unalloyed) steel, zinc-enriched primers are recommended. For frames where powder coating is not the primary form of corrosion protection (electrogalvanized steel, stainless steel), applying a primer rarely makes sense.
Powder Coating – Methods
Two main application methods are used for powder paints: electrostatic (Corona) and triboelectric (Tribo). The choice depends on the paint used and the shape of the part being coated.
Advantages of the electrostatic method (the gun generates a high voltage, typically several dozen kV; deposition occurs through electrostatic attraction — the grounded workpiece attracts the powder charged by the gun):
- higher efficiency
- easier to operate
- faster application
- very well suited to serial/mass production
Advantages of the triboelectric method (the applicator contains a special material that charges the powder through friction; the workpiece is likewise grounded):
- better penetration into recesses and tight spots
- fewer issues with the Faraday cage effect
- useful for complex geometries
- potentially more even coating thickness
Unfortunately, not every powder paint is suitable for both methods. Metallic-look powder paints in particular are not recommended for the Tribo method, as they require specific alignment of particles/flakes and highly repeatable process parameters. The Corona method is the method of choice in general. It’s mainly complex shapes and hard-to-reach areas that call for the Tribo method — with the exception of metallic paints, for which Tribo is not recommended.
Below are examples of coated frames where the customer chose powder coating as the final finish.
Gallery:
If you’d like to deepen your knowledge of coatings and surface preparation, the Powder Coating Institute offers excellent resources on the topic