Powder coating or painting Bass pans??

[fanofdmb84]

I'm seriously considering getting a Bass pan for one of my cages. Raven has the annoying habit of hanging her fuzzy bum off her bridge or a high shelf and peeing - which lands on the tile bottom and splatters everywhere. Tala and Groo are both super-reliable about using their litter pans, but Raven prefers the hang-and-spray method :banghead:

Soooo... if I get a Bass pan for her cage I can fill it with shavings and not have to worry about the splatter.

Anyways, I hate hate hate the look of galvanized steel, and it grosses me out when it starts to get yucky where it's been wet or peed on, so I would really prefer it to have either some kind of paint or powder coating on it. I would think this would make cleanup a lot easier and keep it from getting scaly.

I've read latex paint is the only thing that will stick to galvanized steel, and I've got a request for a quote in to a local powder coating place, but I have a feeling that it's going to be too expensive.

Does anyone have any experience with painting or powder-coating metal in their chin cages? I realize the paint is risky with the possibility of chewing, but honestly, my chins chew the powder coating off their FN too, and that hasn't had any ill-effects on them, so I wonder if paint would be the same. From what I've quickly read, the toxicity of paint comes from the VOCs (so the fumes, essentially) and not so much the paint itself, so in theory, it shouldn't hurt them if they ingest a tiny bit of it.

 

[jags]

I have tried many types of paint, even 2 part epoxy paint and it just does not hold up to the urine. The best solution I have found is getting pans of stainless steel (very costly) or getting the pans made from galvalume roofing steel which comes in many colors, cleans super easy and lasts a very long time. I have found someone near me that has the right equipment to make them right and makes them very reasonable but does not just do one or two at a time. He sets up a pattern and then likes to do a run of at least 20 or more of that size at a time. I usually get them 100 at a time in the sizes I use.

 

[Cat75]

I have had several pans (new and used) powder coated and they are holding up pretty well after 2 years now. The powered coated ones held up much longer than the painted one.

 

[fanofdmb84]

I just got an email from the powder coat place, they said it would be around $30 which I would be fine with. And since it sounds like paint would be a never ending battle, that might just be the way to go.

 

[fanofdmb84]

Anyone try an acrylic enamel paint? Further research says that may be a viable and durable option.

 

[Spoof]

Anyone try an acrylic enamel paint? Further research says that may be a viable and durable option.

Yup, it chips and will crack/break if you flex the pan too much. I've also tried spray paint, polyurethane, rustoleum and anything else you can get your hands on at the local hardware store. Polyurethane if cured for a couple weeks holds up the best but you will still need to re-coat every year. It isn't the urine that tears mine up but them scratching on the floor to roll in dust.

 

[fanofdmb84]

Yup, it chips and will crack/break if you flex the pan too much. I've also tried spray paint, polyurethane, rustoleum and anything else you can get your hands on at the local hardware store. Polyurethane if cured for a couple weeks holds up the best but you will still need to re-coat every year. It isn't the urine that tears mine up but them scratching on the floor to roll in dust.

Ahh I hadn't thought of the flexing. My DH is bent on painting this thing instead of letting me get it powder coated.

I still think the investment in PC would be worth it, even though I know that can be chewed and chip off as well, but painting or re-coating it every year sounds like a lot of work.

I had another place quote me $50-$75 to powercoat a pan - think I'll stick with the first place! Decisions decisions.

 

[Spoof]

Remember, you don't need to powdercoat the entire pan - just the bottom and 1" up the sides on the inside. That will cut the cost significantly.

I agree with JAGS though, next go-around I'm just going to use a different type of material.