The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Re-coating pvc steel

We buy pvc coated steel to make our accuflanges, we have to scrape the coating off to weld, I would like to know if you have an easy way to re-coat these after welding, we now buy plastic coat in a spray can and is not cost effective, time consuming and a lot of waste of paint.

JAMES MCVAY
manager of sheet metal shop - ROANOKE, VIRGINA, USA
2003

---

Hi James,

You didn't say 'how' the PVC was joined/connected/bonded to your flanges... I'm guessing (probably wrong) that it was a so-called Plastisol process where the part is dipped in a vinyl compound and then heat cured, ie. it becomes polymerized.

What you could 'try' to do is to use a do-it-yourself PVC paint. Go get some PVC primer BUT clear not tinted or get some PVC cement. The solvent used is THF. Then, ideally, get some lathe scrapings of PVC and put them in the can of primer/cement to a consistency of, say, 20%. Mix well!

Then paint it on! You probably won't get a good bond to the steel, Let is air dry (one day) but you should get a a reasonable thicker coat than a spray can.

Freeman Newton [deceased]
(It is our sad duty to advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).
2003