Paslaugos

Painting Metal Surfaces: Long-Lasting Protection

In the business world, every project that involves metal structures requires one thing – reliability. Whether it’s bridges, industrial halls, or production facilities – painting becomes the main protection against corrosion, environmental impact, and the passage of time. For companies seeking long-term value, protecting metal surfaces is not just an aesthetic choice – it’s an investment in the durability and safety of the structures.

Metalo Asai has specialized for many years in metal processing and painting, providing solutions tailored to the needs of the B2B sector. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the entire metal painting process: from surface preparation to quality control, technologies used, economic benefits, and maintenance recommendations.

Fundamentals of Metal Structure Painting

What is Metal Painting

Painting is the process of coating a metal surface with a protective layer that forms a barrier against moisture, chemicals, UV radiation, and mechanical damage.

In a business context, painting is an essential part of industrial maintenance that helps reduce repair costs and prevent downtime. A properly selected coating can ensure up to 20 years of protection without the need for repainting.

Why Painting is Essential

Corrosion is one of the greatest challenges for metal structures. According to ISO 12944 standards, up to 70% of metal failures occur due to insufficient protection. Painting not only protects but also enhances the aesthetic value of structures, which is especially important for clients working in public environments or exporting products.

Surface Preparation – The Foundation of Success

Shot Blasting and Cleaning

Before painting begins, the metal must be carefully prepared. Metalo Asai uses shot blasting technology that removes rust, oxidation, and grease up to a Sa 2.5 cleanliness grade. Shot blasting not only cleans the surface but also creates a microtexture that improves paint adhesion.

Chemical Treatment and Primer

After shot blasting, the surface is coated with an anti-corrosion primer. The primer choice depends on the subsequent painting method – powder or liquid. Using epoxy primers ensures the highest protection against moisture and chemicals, which is especially important for industrial facilities.

Painting Technologies and Methods

Powder Coating

Powder coating is the most modern and environmentally friendly technology, where paint powder is electrostatically applied evenly to the metal surface and then cured at 180–200°C. This method provides excellent resistance to mechanical damage and outstanding durability.

Advantages:

Solvent-free – lower environmental impact.
Uniform layer with no dripping.
Ability to coat complex-shaped products.

Metalo Asai equipment allows painting metal structures of various sizes, ensuring high surface quality and consistent color across the entire batch.

Wet (Liquid) Painting

This method is used when the size or function of the structure does not allow powder coating. Liquid painting offers a wide range of colors and enables the use of specialized coatings (e.g., fire-resistant or zinc-based paints).

Types of Paints and Coating Systems

Epoxy and Polyurethane Paints

Epoxy paints provide excellent adhesion and chemical resistance, while polyurethane paints offer UV resistance and aesthetic gloss.

Metalo Asai recommends combined systems where the epoxy layer is used as a primer, and polyurethane – as the top decorative layer.

Zinc-Protective and Fire-Resistant Paints

Zinc-rich paints act as a cathodic protection – even if the layer is damaged, zinc “sacrifices” itself to protect the steel from corrosion. Fire-resistant paints are commonly used on structures inside buildings where fire resistance up to 120 minutes must be ensured.

Equipment and Production Capabilities

Painting Booths and Ovens

Metalo Asai workshops are equipped with modern powder coating booths with automatic temperature and airflow control. This ensures consistent drying speed and coating structure, even for large products.

Automated Processes

Automatic conveyors and filtration systems allow efficient painting of serial orders, while manual spraying is used for custom projects. This guarantees precision, cost efficiency, and on-time delivery – crucial factors for B2B clients.

Quality Control and Standards

ISO 12944

Metalo Asai complies with the ISO 12944 standard, which regulates corrosion protection for steel structures. Layer thickness, adhesion, and salt spray tests are carried out to ensure compliance.

Certificates and Traceability

Each painting project includes documentation covering the paint batch number, applied temperatures, technical data sheets, and warranty period. This ensures transparency and full process control.

Maintenance and Renewal

Even the highest-quality coatings require regular maintenance. Metalo Asai offers maintenance plans that include visual inspections and coating thickness measurements every 2–3 years.

If defects are found, local “touch-up” repairs are performed, and in the long term, full refurbishment may be scheduled.

Return on Investment (ROI) for Business Clients

Professional painting helps save up to 40% of long-term operational costs. Long-lasting protection reduces maintenance and repair expenses, while higher aesthetic quality increases the asset’s value.

Metalo Asai project analysis shows that companies choosing powder coating instead of cheaper alternatives reduced maintenance costs by up to 2x within 5 years.

Why Choose “Metalo Asai”

Experience: Over 15 years of expertise in metal processing and painting.
Technology: Modern shot blasting and coating lines.
Quality: ISO standards, testing, and guarantees.
Reliability: On-time B2B order delivery throughout Lithuania.

Metalo Asai not only paints metal structures – they provide a complete solution chain from preparation to delivery.