There is nothing more unsightly than metal patio furniture that has rusted, chipped or fallen prey to the harsh effects of the sun. Local businessman Reggie Weeks is giving patio furniture a second lease on life with a new hi-tech, environmentally friendly process called powder coating. His business, Bermuda Powder Coating Services, has been in operation since May and The Royal Gazette <$>dropped by to get the low-down on the process.

Mr. Weeks believes most people do not give a second thought to throwing away their rusted, chipped, out-dated metal patio furniture, and he too sometimes has his doubts when a set comes in for “restoration”.

But in a process that takes less than a day, he is able to restore any metal set, no matter what size, to its former glory, if not better: “Powder is better than paint because it is environmentally friendly, tough, attractive, durable, scratch-resistant, versatile and long-lasting.”

Unlike paint, powder contains no solvents. Mr. Weeks explains that finely ground particles of pigment and resin are electrostatically charged and sprayed onto products to be coated.

“The parts to be coated are electrically grounded so the charged particles adhere to them until melted and fused into a solid coating in a curing oven.

“This oven is large enough to drive a car into and items are “baked” for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

He explains on the process: “First the item is stripped of previous coatings and corrosion until we’re down to the raw metal. Then we rinse it down with a chemical to prevent rust. After we powder coat the item with a powder gun, it goes into the oven for the final cure.”

As for colours, there are 192 to chose from and Mr. Weeks is also able to create different textures.

In a demonstration as to the durability of the finished product, he bashes a metal pole against another that has been powder coated. Nothing, not even a scratch.

“I’m not saying it will last forever, but if you bump it, or knock it when you move it around, there is little chance of causing damage,” he chuckles. But should it chip, he suggests covering the area immediately with clear nail-varnish to prevent corrosion.

Besides metal patio furniture, Mr. Weeks also restores garden tools, boating equipment, car and motorcycle engines and wheels - anything made of metal can be powder coated.

Bermuda Powder Coating Services operates from Unit 7 of the Perinchief Burrows Building on Industrial Road in Southampton and can be reached at 234-2727.