Outdoor Finish System
I am the manager of quality control for my company, which manufactures sports and playground equipment. One of our product lines is basketball equipment—pole, backboard and hoop—that is used outdoors. Presently, we powder coat the equipment, but we have had issues with rusting, especially in coastal and humid climates. Do you have any ideas for coatings that would give us better corrosion resistance in these environments?
Q. I am the manager of quality control for my company, which manufactures sports and playground equipment. One of our product lines is basketball equipment—pole, backboard and hoop—that is used outdoors. Presently, we powder coat the equipment, but we have had issues with rusting, especially in coastal and humid climates. Do you have any ideas for coatings that would give us better corrosion resistance in these environments? W.F.
A. If the construction material is steel, and it usually is, it would have better corrosion resistance if the components were galvanized. A two-coat paint finish—primer and topcoat—will provide sufficient protection for outdoor exposure. In the case of plain or galvanized steel used in outdoor sports equipment, I recommend the following finishing system:
1) Pretreat the steel parts with a zinc phosphate.
2) Apply a two-component epoxy primer.
3) Top coat using a polyurethane enamel (a two-component enamel would be best).
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