Painted Metal
Overview
Metal with spray paint or powder coat surface. Laser ablates the paint/coating revealing bare metal beneath — creating a permanent two-tone mark without any spray aids.
Properties
Difficulty
intermediate
Pros
- Painted surface absorbs laser for marking
- Can mark without expensive compounds
- Wide variety of painted products available
- Good for industrial marking
Cons
- Marking depth limited to paint layer
- Not as permanent as anodized or bare metal with compound
- Paint quality varies
- May need multiple passes
Best For
- Tool marking
- product labeling
- custom engravings on painted surfaces
- contrast marking on colored items
Avoid For
- Cutting metal (impossible)
- bare unpainted metal surfaces (use cermark spray)
Laser Compatibility
Laser removes paint to expose metal underneath. Fiber laser marks bare metal. CO2/diode best for paint removal. Diode 10-20W: 300mm/s 80-100%. Results vary heavily by paint type and metal substrate.
Brands
Any painted metal surface