Bike Rack Coatings

Thermoplastic:
Thermoplastic is a copolymer-based powder coating. Thermoplastic is environmentally safe, and the coating will not fade, crack, peel, warp or discolor for the life of the product. Thermoplastic has the best adhesion rate of any other process. This keeps the metal base free of any corrosion possibilities. Thermoplastic is applied at a thickness of 25-30 mils. This allows maximum protection with the best possible surface. Thermoplastic can be easily repaired. Cuts are repaired by heating the affected area with an industrial heat gun. The thermoplastic will melt and rebind itself. The properties of thermoplastic also make spray painting difficult for vandals. Simply wash product with a standard industrial cleaner.

Galvanized:
Galvanized steel has gone through a chemical process to keep it from corroding. The steel gets coated in layers of zinc because rust won't attack this protective metal. For countless outdoor, marine, or industrial applications, galvanized steel is an essential fabrication component.

The principal method of making steel resist corrosion is by alloying it with another metal, zinc. When steel is submerged in melted zinc, the chemical reaction permanently bonds the zinc to the steel through galvanizing. Therefore, the zinc isn't exactly a sealer, like paint, because it doesn't just coat the steel; it actually permanently becomes a part of it.

The zinc goes through a reaction with the iron molecules within the steel to form galvanized steel. The most external layer is all zinc, but successive layers are a mixture of zinc and iron, with an interior of pure steel. These multiple layers are responsible for the amazing property of the metal to withstand corrosion-inducing circumstances, such as saltwater or moisture.

Zinc also protects the steel by acting as a "sacrificial layer." If, for some reason, rust does take hold on the surface of galvanized steel, the zinc will get corroded first. This allows the zinc that is spread over the breach or scratch to prevent rust from reaching the steel.