Powder coating & sandblasting

Powder coating and sandblasting in Australia: prices and what to ask

Updated 5 November 2026

Powder coating in Australia typically costs about A$40 to A$90 per square metre for standard steel and aluminium, and about A$90 to A$160 for complex or specialty finishes. Sandblasting to remove old paint or rust is usually charged by the hour, at roughly A$30 to A$80. To get a price for your own items, post a request on BlaBlaPrice and compare the offers from local coaters.

Rules for coating work and safety

Spray painting and powder coating are regulated trades. South Australia has a Spray Painting and Powder Coating Code of Practice that applies to any business doing that work. In NSW, the regulator's code for spray painting and powder coating exists because powder coating brings electrical hazards, and some equipment needs a licence from the regulator to operate. Ask any coater how they follow the code for their state before you hand over an item.

Season and weather

Powder coating generally needs a single coat and minimal drying time, which keeps the job quick compared with wet paint. The season matters for the finished item, though. Gates, fences and trailers that stand in the sun from December to February need a finish that handles strong UV, so tell the coater where the item will live. November is late spring, a good time to order ahead of the summer months.

How coaters price and deliver

Coaters quote powder coating per square metre because the area decides how much powder is needed. Blasting and labour are billed by the hour. Dismantling, pick-up and delivery between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide all add cost, so state who moves the item and whether it must be taken apart first. Many quotes show GST on top of the price, so check which figure you are comparing.

What to write in your request

Say what needs treating, such as a gate, a trailer frame or machine parts, and whether it is steel or aluminium. Give the size or area and the quantity, the surface condition (rusted, painted or bare), and the colour, including the RAL code if you have one. Add your city, deadline and budget, and mention whether the item must be dismantled or delivered. Areas in square metres and sizes in metres make quotes easy to compare.

On BlaBlaPrice you describe the job in a chat for free. The AI asks about missing details, such as surface condition and colour, then looks through coaters' websites and price lists in your city and shows the prices and businesses it finds. Coaters registered on BlaBlaPrice receive your request and reply with their offer, price and terms, and your contacts stay hidden until you decide whom to contact. For related machining work, see metalworking and parts fabrication, or start a request on the home page.