Speeding Up Out-Gassing

Question:

I purchased some steel-powder coated furniture for our office that was made in Asia. The paint has been out-gassing for over a month. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? Should I take the parts to a local powder coater for additional curing? J. D.

Answer:

Now I know what that guy in Shanghai China is doing with all that waste powder!!! Just joking.

If your office furniture is out-gassing it is not from the powder coating. A coating would have to be “reacting” to outgas. Powder coatings do not react at room temperature. They do react at temperatures above 250°F. Unless your office is a lot closer to the sun than average, this cannot be possible.

The odor you may be experiencing may be coming from the other materials used to make the furniture, such as fabrics, glue, liquid paint, dead cats or dogs, who knows. Whatever, you do don’t send it to your local powder coater for re-curing. It may come back a pile of ashes.