PewPreview Guides Cerakote vs powder coat: how they differ
Cerakote vs powder coat: how they differ
Both are durable finishes for metal, and each suits different work. The main difference is how thick they are.
| Cerakote | Powder coat | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A sprayed ceramic-polymer liquid | A dry powder, charged and baked into a film |
| Usual thickness | About 0.001 in (1 mil) | About 0.002 to 0.006 in (2 to 6 mil) |
| Usual cure | Around 250 °F for the common oven-cured line, and some lines cure in air | Around 350 to 400 °F |
| Suits | Parts with close fits, fine detail, stencil work | Larger parts where the thickness does not matter, such as frames and wheels |
| Patterns | Common, through stencils | Possible, but less common |
Figures are typical. The product and the shop decide the real numbers, so check them for your job.
When thickness matters
A thin coat leaves threads, sliding fits and fine markings much as they were, and that is the main reason to choose Cerakote on precise hardware. On a large part with no close fits, powder coat's thicker film and lower cost per square foot can be the better choice.
What about the cost?
It depends on the part and the shop. Powder coating is often cheaper on large, simple parts, and Pew-Price shows what shops advertise for Cerakote work, state by state.