Overview
Induscoat provides on-site electrostatic painting from LaSalle, Montreal, for plants, warehouses and commercial buildings across Quebec and Ontario. We refinish electrical cabinets, lockers, shelving, doors, guardrails and metal equipment where they stand, without taking them apart: surface preparation, primer, charged liquid paint, and protection of everything around the work area.
Induscoat provides on-site electrostatic painting for industrial, commercial and institutional buildings in Quebec and Ontario, working from LaSalle, Montreal. Liquid paint is electrically charged at the gun and drawn onto the grounded metal part, which reduces overspray and wraps the film around edges and tubes. We refinish production equipment, electrical cabinet exteriors, lockers, shelving, steel doors, walk-in cooler counters and panels, metal furniture and guardrails where they stand. Each job includes degreasing, sanding, priming where needed, protection of adjacent areas, grounding of each item and adhesion and film thickness checks. Unlike powder coating, which is baked in a shop oven, the work needs no removal or transport.
What we paint on site
We paint fixed or bulky metal items on site, the ones nobody wants to ship to a shop. There is one condition: the metal must be conductive and able to be grounded.
- Production equipment: frames, housings, guards, tables and workstations.
- Electrical cabinets and control enclosures: exterior surfaces, following the site's electrical rules.
- Lockers, locker rooms, filing cabinets and metal shop or office furniture.
- Shelving, pallet racking and storage units, emptied or protected as needed.
- Steel doors and frames, sectional dock doors.
- Counters, panels and doors of walk-in coolers in industrial and commercial settings: cold storage warehouses, production kitchens, food retail.
- Guardrails, handrails, barriers and grilles.
The service is for industrial, commercial and institutional buildings; we do not do residential work. Work is carried out by our crews and qualified subcontractors.
How it works, and electrostatic painting vs powder coating
Electrostatic painting uses liquid paint that is electrically charged at the gun and drawn onto a grounded part. The droplets follow the electric field: they land on the face being sprayed, and also wrap onto edges, tubes and part of the back side. The result is less overspray in the air, less wasted paint and an even film on grilles and bars. The part stays where it is, with no removal and no transport.
Powder coating also relies on an electrostatic charge, but the powder must then be baked in an oven, so it is done in a shop.
- Powder coating: a hard, thick film, well suited to new or removable parts that can go through a curing oven. It requires removal, transport and often full stripping.
- Liquid electrostatic painting: done on site, on fixed parts or parts too heavy to move. The film is thinner than baked powder, but it is easy to touch up and needs no oven.
For a batch of new parts, shop powder coating is often the better choice. For a fleet of lockers, doors or cabinets already in place, electrostatic painting avoids moving them and shutting down.
Paint systems and when to choose each
The product is chosen from how the part is used, the environment and the finish you want. It must be suitable for electrostatic application: the data sheet says so, along with the drying time before the item goes back into use.
- Alkyd or acrylic enamel: furniture, lockers and doors in dry interiors; the usual choice to refresh appearance.
- Acrylic urethane or polyurethane: better resistance to rubbing, cleaners and ultraviolet light; doors, guardrails and equipment handled every day.
- Epoxy: adhesion and chemical resistance for production equipment and damp rooms; topcoated if exposed to sunlight.
- Adhesion primer: on galvanized steel, aluminum or very smooth existing paint, before the finish coat.
For steel exposed to corrosion, the job moves to a full protective coating system or to industrial painting.
How an on-site job runs
An on-site electrostatic painting job follows six steps, and preparation matters more than spraying.
- Survey: list of items, material, condition of the existing paint, access and permitted hours.
- Protection: floors, walls, adjacent equipment, glass, locks, hinges and nameplates are masked or covered.
- Degreasing: removal of oil, grease and cleaner residue.
- Sanding: scuff-sanding of the existing paint for adhesion, power tools on rust spots.
- Priming: adhesion or rust-inhibiting primer on bare metal and difficult substrates.
- Grounding and application: each item is grounded, the finish coat is sprayed, then masking is removed and the area cleaned.
Inspection and standards
Each job is checked before, during and after spraying, using recognized methods.
- Cleanliness: solvent cleaning to SSPC-SP 1, hand and power tool cleaning to SSPC-SP 2 and SSPC-SP 3 on rusted areas (power tool cleaning SP 3, SP 11, SP 15).
- Adhesion: tape test to ASTM D3359 on a test patch, especially over old paint of unknown origin.
- Thickness: dry film thickness measured to SSPC-PA 2 and compared with the data sheet (dry film thickness).
- Spraying: ventilation, grounding and control of ignition sources follow the principles of NFPA 33.
Readings and data sheets are handed over at the end of the job.
Site conditions and safety
We work during or outside operating hours, depending on what the site allows. These conditions are settled in the quote.
- Scheduling: evenings, nights and weekends for locker rooms, offices and stores occupied during the day.
- Odour and ventilation: area ventilation and low-odour products when the space stays occupied.
- Ignition sources: open flames and spark-producing equipment shut down near the spray area.
- Adjacent areas: tarps, film and masking on everything that must not be painted; overspray is reduced, not eliminated.
- Machines and cabinets: lockout according to the site procedure before any work.
- Return to use: the data sheet drying time is respected before lockers are refilled or doors closed.
Pricing: by quote
Electrostatic painting is priced by quote, because the cost depends mostly on preparation and how the job is organized. Five factors drive it:
- The number, size and shape of the items: a grille or a shelving unit takes longer than a flat door.
- The condition of the existing paint: rust, flaking, adhesion.
- The protection to set up around the items.
- The product and the number of coats.
- The work window: days, evenings, nights or weekends.
Send photos, approximate dimensions and the location with your quote request: we reply within 24 business hours.
Where we work
Induscoat provides electrostatic painting in Montreal, across Quebec and in Ontario, working from LaSalle:
- Montreal and Montérégie
- Quebec, for the province as a whole
- Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Côte-Nord
- Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
- Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec
- Ontario
When electrostatic painting is not the right answer
Electrostatic painting is not suitable in three cases, and we say so at the survey.
- Non-conductive substrates: wood, plastic, glass, laminate. The paint is not attracted; conventional spray or roller application works better.
- Heavily corroded items: scaling rust, metal loss, paint lifting in sheets. They first need abrasive blasting and an anti-corrosion system, not just a finish coat. For structural frames, see steel structure painting.
- Explosive atmospheres: solvent rooms, spray booths, areas classified for flammable gas or combustible dust. Electrostatic spraying is excluded there; another method is chosen with the site safety lead.
Typical Applications
- Lockers, filing cabinets and metal furniture refinished in place
- Electrical cabinet exteriors, control enclosures and production equipment
- Shelving, pallet racking, steel doors and frames
- Walk-in cooler counters and panels, guardrails and handrails in industrial and commercial settings
Typical Problems We Solve
- Scratched, faded or chipped lockers and cabinets that cannot be taken out of service
- Fixed or heavy metal items too costly to remove and ship to a powder coating shop
- Overspray risk on adjacent equipment and finishes with conventional spraying
- Light rust spots on doors, guardrails and equipment in daily use
What You Receive
- Quote listing the items, the preparation, the paint system and the work hours
- Items degreased, sanded, primed where needed and painted in place, with adjacent areas protected
- Adhesion test to ASTM D3359 and dry film thickness readings to SSPC-PA 2
- Close-out file with product data sheets, colours, batch numbers and before and after photos
Timeline
Set in the quote according to the number of items, their condition, the protection required and the permitted work hours. Quote sent within 24 business hours of receiving photos and dimensions.
Standards & Certifications
- SSPC-SP 1: solvent cleaning
- ASTM D3359: adhesion by tape test
- SSPC-PA 2: dry film thickness measurement
- NFPA 33: spray application using flammable or combustible materials
Industries We Serve
- Manufacturing and processing: production equipment, cabinets, guards
- Warehousing and logistics: shelving, racking, dock doors
- Food retail and cold storage: walk-in cooler counters, panels and doors
- Institutional and office buildings: lockers, locker rooms, metal furniture
Service FAQ
What is electrostatic painting?
It is a liquid paint that is electrically charged at the spray gun and attracted to a grounded metal part. The droplets wrap around edges and tubes, which reduces overspray and gives an even film on complex shapes such as grilles, lockers and shelving. The part is painted where it stands.
What is the difference between electrostatic painting and powder coating?
Powder coating also uses an electrostatic charge, but the powder must be baked in an oven, so the parts are removed and sent to a shop. On-site electrostatic painting uses a liquid paint that dries in place. Powder gives a harder, thicker film on new or removable parts; liquid electrostatic painting avoids removal and transport for items already installed.
Do lockers and shelving have to be emptied?
In most cases, yes, at least the surfaces being painted must be clear. Lockers are usually emptied or their interiors protected, and shelving is emptied by zone. The quote sets out what the site must free up and when, so the work can follow a sequence that keeps the building running.
Can you paint in an occupied building?
Yes. Work is organized by zones, often in the evening, at night or on weekends, with ventilation, low-odour products where needed and masking of adjacent areas. Electrostatic spraying is excluded in areas classified as explosive atmospheres; another method is chosen with the site safety lead.
How much does on-site electrostatic painting cost?
Pricing is by quote. It depends on the number, size and shape of the items, the condition of the existing paint, the protection to install, the product and the work window. Send photos, approximate dimensions and the location: we send a quote within 24 business hours.
Technical guides
Related applications
Concrete industrial use cases where this service is applied.
Other Services
Areas we serve
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Quebec
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Montreal
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Ontario
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Industrial coatings and maintenance on the Côte-Nord
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Montérégie
Go deeper
Our technical notes on the subject — applicable standards, selection criteria and implementation traps.