The answer to this question is yes. However, you would need to strip off the powder coating and prep the surface for epoxy.
Epoxy is an adhesive that will bond with powder coating when applied correctly, but you must make sure that it’s well-bonded before painting over it!
Can I epoxy over powder coating?
You can epoxy over powder coating. In fact, this might be the perfect way to make your tumbler more durable and attractive if you’re looking for a fun DIY project.
Powder coating is actually a type of paint that’s applied to metal objects (like tumblers) before they’re baked in a kiln at temperatures over 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the item cools down after being painted, its surface appearance is hardened by chemical reactions between different layers of paint and metal under it.
Epoxies are another type of paint that hardens when exposed to heat or cold, but they’re not designed specifically for use on metal objects like powder coatings are—and epoxies do not contain any binding agents like oil or resin that would prevent them from sticking well against other types of surfaces (like plastic).
Table of Contents
- Can I epoxy over powder coating?
- Can you epoxy a colored tumbler?
- How do you prepare powder coated tumbler?
- How do you remove powder coat from tumblers?
- What will adhere to powder coating?
- What kind of paint will stick to powder coating?
- Can you epoxy over a sublimated tumbler?
- Do you have to spray paint a tumbler before epoxy?
Can you epoxy a colored tumbler?
You can use epoxy to paint a colored tumbler. To do this, you will need to prime the tumbler first with a spray primer and then apply two coats of epoxy. You can also use oil-based paint if you prefer; however, oil-based paints are not as durable as epoxy.
If you want to paint your tumbler without priming it first, try using spray paint instead of an aerosol primer (which needs some kind of surface prep).
Spray paints are typically more durable than other types of paints though they may not provide as thick a coat or be quite as easy to work with (especially when painting small areas).
Another option is brushing on latex-based acrylics like Liquitex Basic Acrylic Artist Colors or Golden Fluid Acrylics which have been diluted in water – this method works well for large surfaces like walls but less so for smaller objects like cups because it tends not to retain its shape very well due to gravity pulling down on any excess liquid during application (even by someone experienced with these kinds of materials).
How do you prepare powder coated tumbler?
The first step in preparing a powder coated tumbler is to remove the coating. The easiest way to do this is with sandpaper, but other methods include:
- Using a wire brush to scrub off any remaining powder coating.
- Using a heat gun on low power to soften up the coating, then wipe it away with paper towels.
- Applying a chemical stripper and let it sit until all of the coatings has softened or melted off (this may take hours or even days). Be careful not to use too much stripper—you don’t want to damage your tumbler’s metal finish underneath!
How do you remove powder coat from tumblers?
There are several options for removing the powder coat:
- Chemical stripper. This is the safest and easiest option, but it also depends on your level of patience. The idea is that you’ll apply the chemical to all surfaces of your tumbler, then let it sit for a few hours before scrubbing off with a wire brush or sandpaper. Be sure not to use this method if you have any doubts about what kind of paint will be underneath (it might damage any underlying metal), or if there’s anything else painted such as wood accents on your tumbler (they could be damaged too!).
- Heat gun. If you want something faster than a chemical stripper, consider using a heat gun instead—just make sure not to get too close! A heat gun works by heating up metal so quickly that its molecules expand beyond their normal limits and break apart from each other; this causes cracks that allow liquid solvents like lacquer thinner or mineral spirits better access to inside layers of material in order to dissolve them away completely down at their base level where they’re attached together tightly enough together but still loosely enough apart so that they don’t fall apart completely during removal process when heated up too much during application process after being exposed long enough period time without proper protective measures taken beforehand during initial application procedure steps taken before starting project work tasks performed while working job tasks assigned duties given assignments duties assigned responsibilities assumed duties given
What will adhere to powder coating?
Epoxy will adhere to most surfaces. It will stick to galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum, plastic, and glass. Epoxy is non-toxic and protects the surface from rusting or corrosion.
Epoxy does not need a primer for adhesion purposes although you can use a primer if desired for aesthetics (i.e., black epoxy over aluminum).
What kind of paint will stick to powder coating?
The paint you are using will stick to powder coating, acrylic, polyurethane, and polyester. You’ll need to make sure you have good adhesion before laying down the epoxy.
Epoxy will also stick to glass but not as well as it sticks to acrylic or polymers because the surface is very hard.
Can you epoxy over a sublimated tumbler?
In short, yes, you can use epoxy to finish your tumbler. The main thing to remember is that there are different types of epoxies and they aren’t all created equal.
Some epoxies are designed to be used over certain substrates (metal or wood), others are designed to be used over other epoxies, and some even work on powder coating.
In order to determine which type of epoxy is right for your project, it’s important that you first understand the differences between them:
Do you have to spray paint a tumbler before epoxy?
If you want to paint a tumbler, you’ll have to strip off the powder coating first. There are several ways you can do this:
- Chemical stripper (e.g., CitriStrip)
- Heat gun (on low setting)
- Sandblaster (or similar power tool)
Conclusion
That is to say, you can’t. The powder coating will prevent the epoxy from bonding with the metal surface, and it won’t be able to adhere properly.
If your tumbler is still in excellent condition and you just want to give it a new look, then I would recommend using spray paint instead of epoxy.