Powder coating and sandblasting: how to order without overpaying
Why sandblast before painting
Powder coating holds on clean metal. Old paint, rust, scale or grease must be removed, otherwise the coating will peel. Sandblasting cleans the surface down to bare metal and leaves a matt texture that the coating grips well. That is why the two services are often ordered together: cleaning first, then the powder is applied and cured in an oven.
Sandblasting can also be ordered on its own, for example to restore cast parts, frames or decorative elements.
What to put in your request
- What to treat — wheels, gates, frames, furniture, vehicle parts.
- Type of treatment — powder coating, sandblasting, both, priming.
- Size or area — important for the size of the oven.
- Quantity of items.
- Condition of the surface — old paint, rust, galvanised or new metal.
- Colour — RAL code, gloss or matt, texture, chrome effect.
- Delivery and removal — will you bring it yourself, or do you need a visit, dismantling or on-site sandblasting.
- Deadline, city, budget.
Example: “Sha Tin. I need 4 cast 17-inch alloy wheels sandblasted and powder coated, matt black, RAL 9005. The old coating is rusty. I will bring them myself, ready in a week, budget up to HK$550.”
How ordering works on BlaBlaPrice
You describe the job once on BlaBlaPrice and add a photo of the item. Workshops with ovens and blasting booths reply in the chat with a price, a lead time and terms. You do not have to drive round workshops or hear “bring it in and we will have a look”. Workshops compete for the request, so the terms often improve.
What affects the price
- Size: the item has to fit in the oven, and large structures are painted in parts or by other methods.
- Condition of the surface: more rust and more layers of paint mean longer cleaning.
- Colour and effect: unusual shades, textures and custom-mixed colours can cost differently.
- Quantity: a batch usually works out better than a single part.
- Preparation: primer, masking of threads and holes, dismantling.
What to ask the workshop
Ask whether they mask the areas that must not be painted: threads, mating surfaces, contacts. Find out how many coats they apply and whether there is a primer. Check the curing temperature: not all materials can take it, and parts made of plastic or rubber have to be removed.
Powder coating is usually tough and even, but for complex surfaces ask to see examples of work. Reviews of each provider are visible next to every offer on the site.
If the parts also have to be made or reworked, see turning and milling or laser cutting and engraving. How the service works is explained on the “How it works” page.
