Powder Coating Perspex

Q. I am student at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth, currently undergoing my final major project where I am designing and making a light from Perspex pieces. I was wondering if it is possible to powder coat the pieces so color can be added? Is this possible with Perspex or does this technique only work with metal? B. W.

 

A. Ok, I have only one question for you—how did you get my e-mail address?

When did I loose control over my technical Q & A column for manufacturers and end-users of powder coatings. Oh well, I always wanted to be a college professor.

Ok, this one took a little research. Normally I am able to provide answers without any research, but not this time. Perspex is a product from Lucite and is used in a variety of applications (i.e. signage, etc.). When visiting their web site, I noticed this material is available in a wide range of colors. So this brings my first question: “Couldn’t you have just chosen the color you wanted in the first place?”

I also noticed on the Lucite web site that this plastic based material has a melt point of 110°C. This makes powder coating this material problematic since most thermoset powder coatings have melt points higher than this. Unless, of course, this is the look you want—a melted coated piece of plastic?