BK Industrial Coatings FAQ

You should know the ballpark before you pick up the phone. These are my typical coating prices:

These prices cover preparation and coating, including polishing and oxidation removal where needed. Size and paint condition are the main reasons a tractor or combine lands at one end of its range. Paint repairs and decal replacement need to be discussed separately.

I confirm the price and the work included before I start.

Yes. I bring the equipment and do the work at your location. I travel throughout the Midwest for agricultural equipment. Trucking, fleet, and multi-unit work is focused in Northern Illinois.

Travel on my regular Midwest routes is included. For a combine or sprayer job, budget roughly $300–$500 for lodging in addition to the coating price.

For work outside my regular routes, I pass along actual transport expenses. We agree on those costs before the job is scheduled.

No. I do not require a deposit. We agree on the price and what the job includes by phone or message before work begins.

Yes. Qualifying installations include a three-year Coating Performance Guarantee, unless we agree to a different written standard before the job. If the coating fails because of my preparation, coating selection, application, or workmanship, I correct the issue at no cost.

Sprayer jobs also include one complimentary inspection and touch-up visit in each of those three years.

You need to wash and care for the equipment normally and report problems when you notice them. The guarantee does not cover pre-existing paint failure or rust, impact damage, neglect, normal wear, or exposure outside what the coating is intended to handle.

Yes. In winter, I need a heated shop. In warmer weather, a barn, shed, or cold-storage building can work. The equipment needs to be indoors for preparation and coating.

Wash off loose dirt, mud, and debris. I handle the detailed preparation, polishing, oxidation removal, and final cleaning before the coating goes on. You do not need to wax or polish it first.

Indoor space, electricity, and enough room to work around the machine. The shop needs heat in winter; cold storage can work during warmer months. I bring the tools and application equipment.

Most equipment jobs take one to three working days. A full sprayer takes close to a week from start to finish because I work through the machine and its hard-to-reach components.

Heavy oxidation, paint repairs, and multiple machines can add time. Those are working days; the coating also needs time to cure before the equipment goes back to work.

Usually about 24 hours after coating. Full cure typically takes five to seven days, and the coating needs to stay clean and dry during that period.

The product and shop conditions can change those times. I will tell you when your machine can go outside, go back to work, and be washed before I leave.

Make it easier to clean, slow down oxidation, and help preserve the finish. Proper preparation brings back the appearance of faded paint; the coating helps protect that work.

It adds a barrier against weather and chemical exposure. You still need to wash the machine, but dirt and residue are easier to remove from a maintained coating.

Ceramic coating is a broad category. Some products have uses across cars, trucks, and equipment, but they are not all interchangeable.

I choose the coating for the surface and what it will face: agricultural chemicals, road grime, heat, weather, or repeated washing. A product that looks good on a car hood is not automatically the right choice for a sprayer.

You can, but preparation is where the job succeeds or fails. Faded paint needs correction, residue has to come off, and the coating needs an even application on a clean surface.

A large machine also has a lot of edges, brackets, and difficult areas to reach. Applying coating over oxidation or contamination does not fix either one.

Yes. The right coating adds a barrier against chemical exposure and makes residue and dusty buildup easier to wash off.

It does not make the machine immune to fertilizer or chemical damage. Clean off residue after use instead of letting it sit and bake onto the surface.

Tractors, combines, sprayers, grain trailers, semis, service trucks, and other working equipment. New equipment can be protected before it goes to work; older equipment often needs polishing and oxidation removal first.

It helps slow oxidation and corrosion on properly prepared surfaces. It does not repair rust, replace missing paint, or fix paint that is already lifting.

Existing damage needs to be addressed first. Coating over a failing finish will not make that finish sound again.

Preserved paint and a clean, well-kept machine make a better impression on a buyer. Before-and-after photos and a job report can also show what was done.

I will not promise a specific increase in resale value. The machine's condition, hours, service history, and the market still determine what someone will pay.

No. A ceramic coating will not stop a rock from chipping the paint or a branch from scratching it. Impact and abrasion can still damage a coated surface.

I use products including Roar AG, Cerakote MC-2200, Cerakote MC-5500, and IGL Aegis. The product depends on the material being coated and the conditions it will face.

Paint, glass, metal, and plastic can need different products. Coating selection is part of the job.

Some are rated 9H on the pencil hardness scale. That is a surface-hardness rating, not a promise that the paint cannot scratch or chip.

For working equipment, I care about chemical resistance, weathering, adhesion, and proper preparation. A hardness number alone does not tell you how a coating will hold up on your machine.

The work reaches beyond the hood and exterior panels. It includes suitable painted components, frames, wheels, weights, steps, handrails, glass, and plastics.

On sprayers, that means getting into the brackets, welds, fittings, hardware, and areas behind access panels where residue collects. A part does not stop needing protection because it is hard to reach.

Coverage is matched to the material and the part's function. Surfaces that need to remain uncoated are kept clear.

Three to five years is the typical expectation with proper preparation and regular washing. Chemical exposure, abrasion, outdoor storage, and washing habits affect how much wear it sees.

A coating on a working sprayer has a different life than one on a machine stored indoors and used lightly. The three-year guarantee explains the installation-related failures I stand behind.

No. The coating takes the place of wax. Keep it clean using the washing methods I show you when the job is finished.

No annual booster is required. Normal washing and proper care are the routine maintenance.

Sprayer jobs include a complimentary annual inspection and touch-up visit for each of the three guarantee years. That is included support, not an extra annual coating package you have to buy.

It can. Coating makes cleaning easier, but manure left on a hot surface can still stain or etch the finish. Wash it off promptly instead of leaving it on the machine for weeks.

If the paint is sound and you want to preserve it, keep the machine looking good, and make washing easier, coating is worth considering. Faded paint can often be corrected before coating.

Peeling paint and serious corrosion need repair first. If the machine will never be washed, I would not recommend spending the money on coating it.