Powder Coat VS Anodize

[ggunter]

Has anyone Anodized their aluminum panels as opposed to Powder Coat,, Powder coat is nice but still susceptible to rock chips and peeling.

[toadster]

I guess the biggest issue IMHO is finding an anodizer with a large enough setup for panels - I've never really shopped around for it.

if you can get it for a good deal, say < $700 for all your panels then do it

[Duster]

Anodizing is a great way to go if available. I powder coated all of my panels and I'm very happy with them. I wanted to anodize but there was no one anywhere near me that did anodizing. The difference in the thickness of the coatings, durability etc. gives the nod to anodizing IF you can find it. I'm sure you have options up in your area. Out here in the sticks it was 30+ miles to get powder coat.

[ggunter]

There are four Anodizers in the Baltimore area. I used to get a lot of marine stuff done because it held up so well to salt environment.

[edwardb]

Properly prepped and applied by a quality shop the powder coat shouldn't peel. The only panels that are really susceptible to rock chips are the splash guards. Typically we're putting bedliner or whatever on them. Not even so much to guard against rock chips, but just the noise of rocks and whatever hitting them. Makes a difference. I've used power coat on all my builds and in 10+ years and thousands of miles, don't have a single rock chip in the powder coat. So personally I wouldn't use that as a deciding factor.