Unified Coating Industries

There are not any businesses in the area that take on the diverse set of clientele that Unified Coating caters to, Bruce said. Some just specialize in auto parts while the bigger companies solely work on industrial projects.

Like the customers' valued possessions, a lot of care is put into the process. Powder coating is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. It differs from regular paint because it does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. The coating is cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a skin. It is often used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint.

Unified Coating paints watercrafts with a corrosion resistant coating that will repel barnacles, oxidation, rust and prevent deterioration for years. The powder coating has chemicals built into it to deal with the hot Texas summers, making it perfect for lawn furniture, Justin said.

"You can sand your lawn furniture down in your backyard and just rattle can it, but you are going to be doing that next year," he said. "Or you can pay to get it done the right way and won't have to mess with it for about seven years."

Metal furniture costs $85 per chair to powder coat and tables start at $125. Rims are $95 each with two-tone rims being more costly. Other auto parts vary.

Unified Coating will pick up and deliver items within 10 miles on jobs priced $350 and more. Most projects take a week and a half to two weeks to complete with the exception of rims because customers will not wait that long to get their wheels back, Bruce said.

Typical projects at UCI

• Automotive
• Bikes, motorcycles
• ATVs
• Watercraft
• Lawn furniture

Unified Coating Industries, 17545 Huffmeister Road, Ste. A, Cypress, 832-326-5096, www.ucind.net