Stainless Steel Epoxy Coating
✅ Why Buildopox Can Stick to Stainless Steel
Epoxy resin has excellent adhesion properties and can bond to many materials—including metals like stainless steel—but stainless steel is very smooth and non-porous, which makes bonding more difficult unless properly prepared.
🔧 How to Ensure High build Epoxy Bonds Well to Stainless Steel
- Surface Cleaning
- Remove all oil, grease, and dirt using a degreaser or solvent (e.g., acetone or isopropyl alcohol).
- Avoid leaving any residue—epoxy won’t bond to contaminated surfaces.
- Abrasive Surface Preparation (Critical)
- Sandblast, Sand or grind the stainless steel to create a rough surface (e.g., using 80–120 grit sandpaper or a wire brush).
- Alternatively, blast cleaning or Scotch-Brite pads can help.
- The goal is to give the epoxy something to “bite” into.
- Chemical Etching or Acid Wash (Optional but effective)
- Some use a mild acid etch (like phosphoric acid) to microscopically roughen the surface.
- This must be neutralized and rinsed thoroughly afterward.
- Apply a Primer (Recommended for maximum adhesion)
- Use an epoxy metal primer for best results—especially in marine or chemical environments.
- For example, RichopoxZ epoxy primer is a suitable base for stainless steel.
- Apply Epoxy While Surface Is Fresh
- Coat the prepared surface promptly to avoid “flash rust” or contamination.
⚠️ Things to Keep in Mind:
- Poor prep = epoxy will peel or delaminate over time.
- Bonding is mechanical, not just chemical, so roughness matters.
- Some stainless-steel grades (like 304 or 316) are particularly smooth, so prep is even more important.
Give us a call to give you some more tips and tricks!