Powder Coating Cost Calculator
Estimate the cost of powder coating in Australia, by item type, surface area, pre-treatment and finish grade.
💰 Ways to save
- Batch your work. Powder coaters charge a colour changeover and oven setup, so a single small item carries a minimum of $80 to $200 regardless of size. Sending four gates, a balustrade and a set of furniture together in one colour spreads that fixed cost and can cut the effective rate by a third.
- Pick a colour the coater already runs. A stock Dulux or Interpon colour they hold in the shop avoids a powder purchase minimum, which can be a whole 20 kg box for a job needing two kilos. Custom and specialty colours frequently add $100 to $300 in unusable leftover powder.
- Do your own disassembly and masking prep where you can. Removing hinges, latches, glass, rubbers, bearings and fasteners yourself avoids labour billed at shop rates, and it also avoids the risk of a component being ruined in a 200 degree oven.
- Get galvanising and coating quoted together for outdoor steel. Hot-dip galvanising then powder coating, known as duplex, costs more up front but delivers several times the life of powder alone on exposed steel, which is far cheaper than stripping and recoating a rusted gate in eight years.
How we estimate this
## Powder coating prices in 2026
Pricing reviewed: June 2026.
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Pricing reviewed June 2026. Indicative Australian costs, not a quote.
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Understanding powder coating costs in Australia
Powder coating prices in 2026
Powder coating in Australia is quoted either per item or per square metre of surface area. In 2026 the common rate is $40 to $90 per square metre for straightforward work in a standard polyester colour, rising to $90 to $160 per square metre for complex, heavily masked or specialty finishes. Translated to familiar items, a set of four car wheels runs $400 to $800, a single driveway gate $350 to $900, a balustrade run $60 to $120 a lineal metre, and an outdoor setting $400 to $1,200. Nearly every shop applies a minimum charge of $80 to $200 to cover oven and changeover time, so a single small bracket can cost the same as a much larger one.
Why pre-treatment dominates the price
The coating itself is cheap. What you are really buying is preparation. Bare, clean, new steel or aluminium needs only degreasing and a chemical pre-treatment, and that is the base rate. An existing item with old paint or powder on it needs either abrasive blasting or a chemical strip, which typically adds 25 to 50 per cent. Rusted steel is the worst case, because the rust must be blasted back to bare metal and the pitting assessed, and any section that has lost thickness needs weld repair or replacement. Powder coating is a barrier coating, not a rust treatment. Applied over residual rust it will blister and lift, usually within one to two years, and the shop will rightly decline any warranty claim.
Standard, architectural and specialty finishes
Standard polyester powders are fine for interior and sheltered exterior work. Architectural and super durable grades cost roughly 25 to 40 per cent more and hold gloss and colour far longer in Australian ultraviolet, which is why they are specified for facades, window frames and coastal work. Metallic, pearl and textured finishes carry a premium because they are harder to apply evenly and less forgiving of overlap. Two-coat systems with a clear over a base colour, common on wheels and premium architectural work, cost around half as much again but resist chipping and give a deeper finish. In coastal environments, the warranty on any powder is usually conditional on periodic fresh water washing, which surprises a lot of owners.
Item-specific realities
Wheels need to be de-tyred, valves removed and TPMS sensors taken out, because oven cure temperatures around 180 to 200 degrees will destroy a sensor. The bead seat and hub face must be masked so the wheel still seats and centres correctly. Gates and fence panels are billed by area but complexity matters, since ornamental scrollwork takes far longer to blast and coat than a flat panel. Outdoor furniture usually needs disassembly and the removal of slats, glass, cushions and fasteners. Structural steel is priced highest per square metre because of handling weight, the need for lifting equipment and the oven length required.
Size limits and what will not fit
Every powder coating shop is limited by its oven. Typical batch ovens handle items up to around 6 to 7 metres long, and larger shops run longer lines, but an oversized item either has to be cut and rejoined, coated in sections, or sent to a specialist. Weight matters too, since the item has to hang from a line hook without deforming. If you are having something fabricated, ask the coater's oven dimensions before the fabricator welds it into a single piece, because designing to the oven is free and cutting a finished frame in half afterwards is not.
Powder coating versus galvanising versus paint
For outdoor steel in Australia, the strongest system is duplex, meaning hot-dip galvanising followed by powder coating. The zinc provides sacrificial protection at any scratch or cut edge, and the powder provides colour and ultraviolet resistance. It costs more up front, commonly $20 to $45 a square metre extra for the galvanising, but it multiplies service life several times over in exposed and coastal conditions. Powder alone on bare steel is a barrier only, so any scratch through to the substrate starts rusting. Wet paint is more repairable in place and better for very large or fixed structures that cannot go in an oven, but it is softer and fades faster than a quality powder.
Getting a quote that holds
Give the coater accurate dimensions and, ideally, photographs of the current condition. The most common cause of a price moving after drop-off is undisclosed rust or old coating. Ask what pre-treatment is included, whether the price covers disassembly and masking or expects you to do it, what powder brand and grade is being used, the colour reference, whether a warranty is offered and what conditions attach to it, and the turnaround. Confirm any minimum charge and any colour changeover fee. If you have several items, ask whether batching them in one colour reduces the rate, because it usually will.
Frequently asked questions
How much does powder coating cost in Australia?
Roughly $40 to $90 per square metre for standard work and $90 to $160 for complex or specialty finishes in 2026. A set of four wheels is $400 to $800, a driveway gate $350 to $900, balustrade $60 to $120 a lineal metre. Most shops apply a minimum charge of $80 to $200 regardless of item size.
Can you powder coat over rust?
No. Powder coating is a barrier finish, not a rust treatment, so residual rust keeps corroding underneath and lifts the coating in blisters, usually within one to two years. Rusted items must be blasted back to bare metal and assessed for section loss, and badly pitted steel is often cheaper to replace than to coat.
Do wheels need the tyres removed for powder coating?
Yes. Wheels must be de-tyred and valves removed, and any TPMS sensors taken out because oven cure temperatures of 180 to 200 degrees destroy them. The bead seat and hub face must be masked so the wheel still seats correctly. Tyre removal and refitting is usually a separate charge at a tyre shop.
Is powder coating better than galvanising?
They do different jobs. Galvanising gives sacrificial corrosion protection including at scratches and cut edges but has no colour range. Powder gives colour and ultraviolet resistance but is a barrier only. For outdoor steel in Australia the strongest system is duplex, galvanising then powder coating, which adds roughly $20 to $45 a square metre and multiplies service life.
How long does powder coating last?
Indoors, effectively indefinitely. Sheltered outdoors, a standard polyester holds up eight to twelve years before noticeable chalking. Architectural and super durable grades in the same position run fifteen to twenty-five years. Within a kilometre of surf coast, expect materially less on standard grades, and note that most warranties require periodic fresh water washing.
Why is there a minimum charge for one small item?
Because the fixed costs are oven time, line setup and colour changeover, not the powder. Running a single bracket occupies the same oven cycle as a full rack, so shops apply an $80 to $200 minimum. Batching several items in one colour spreads that fixed cost and can cut your effective rate by a third.
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