How to choose a WANAN powder coating series for your part

When to use this guide

Use this before requesting samples, when replacing an incumbent powder, or when a specification gives only a performance target.

What you need

Steps

1. Define substrate and pretreatment

   Steel, galvanised steel or aluminium, and the conversion coating on your line. Every TDS value is generated on phosphated steel panels.

2. Define the service environment

   Indoor or sheltered parts can use E epoxy. Outdoor exposure needs a weather-resistant polyester, because epoxy chalks under UV.

3. Pick a single coat or a system

   For aggressive outdoor steel, consider E or EZ primer plus a P series topcoat, qualified as a system.

4. Match the test target

   Compare the TDS values: salt spray 1440 h (E), ≥ 2000 h (EZ), 480 / 720 / 1000 h (P480 / P720 / P1680); xenon-arc 500 h (P480) or 1000 h (P720, P1680).

5. Check labels the project requires

   QUALICOAT projects need the approved system on P-1436 or P-1982; outdoor electrical enclosures for North America may need UL 1332 model WA-DQ 001A.

6. Confirm on your line

   Request sample powder and colour panels and run a line trial before final selection.

Key values

Common mistakes

• Choosing by series name (P1680 is a designation, not 1680 h)
• Using epoxy E on parts exposed to sunlight
• Adding primer and topcoat values together
• Assuming a P series is itself a QUALICOAT-labelled product

Related

• Interactive selector and comparison table
• Application × series matrix
• Request samples
• All how-to guides

Published 7 October 2026 by the WANAN technical team. Figures are taken from WANAN technical data sheets and the pages linked above.