haydenbutler•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Question about that new ceramic coating for boiler tubes

I just spent $800 on a fancy ceramic coating kit that promised to double tube life. Followed the instructions to the letter on a small boiler in our shop. After just three months of normal use, the coating flaked off in sheets and left a huge mess in the water side. The rep won't return my calls now. Has anyone else tried these coatings and had them actually work, or did I just get a bad batch?

3 comments

3 Comments

margaret_taylor421mo ago

Ugh, I used to think those coatings were legit until @the_james set me straight.

joseph_adams661mo ago

Did you do a full surface prep with acid etching before you applied it? That's where most people mess up. Those coatings need bare metal to stick, and even a little scale or oil will make them fail fast. I've seen this exact thing happen when the prep work gets rushed. The company ghosting you is a bad sign, but honestly most of these miracle coatings are junk for boiler tubes.

the_james1mo agoTop Commenter

Acid etching is key, but even then some coatings just don't hold up to the heat cycling. A proper grit blast to white metal is the only prep I've seen work long term.