finish options

Choose Your Finish Type

Coated Lab works across four finish families. Every finish is a real, coded powder, either kept in stock or available by order, not a generic catalog color.

Solid

Clean, single-color finishes with a sharp, timeless look. Solid is the most direct way to change a part's color without adding texture or depth effects. A strong choice for daily-driven parts that need to look consistent from every angle.

Metallic

Metallic finishes add depth, reflection, and movement through fine metal flake suspended in the powder. Light plays differently across the surface depending on the angle, giving the part more presence than a flat color. A common choice for wheels, engine covers, and parts meant to stand out.

Texture

Texture finishes trade gloss for grip and character. The surface has a tactile, slightly rough finish that hides minor imperfections and holds up well on parts exposed to regular contact or rough conditions, such as brackets, frames, and functional hardware.

Transparent

Transparent finishes are layered, special-effect coatings that create candy-style color depth over a prepared base. The final look shifts with the base layer, the part's shape, and the light hitting it, so no two transparent finishes read exactly the same. These finishes need more controlled prep and application than solid colors, and usually call for a primer and clear coat depending on the base metal and part condition.

Selecting the Right Finish

A few things worth thinking through before choosing:

• Daily use vs. showcase. Parts that see regular wear, like brackets, frames, and functional hardware, usually do well in Solid or Texture. Parts meant to be seen up close, like wheels, calipers, and engine covers, are where Metallic and Transparent earn their keep.
• Primer and clear coat. Transparent finishes typically require a primer and a clear coat to protect the color depth underneath. Solid and Texture finishes may still benefit from primer depending on the part's condition, but usually don't need clear coat the way Transparent finishes do.
• Base metal and part condition. Rust, old coating, and surface damage all affect which finishes are realistic for a given part. This is reviewed as part of every quote.
• Availability. Some finishes are kept in stock, others are by order. Both are noted on each finish's page in the coating library.

Still Not Sure?

Send us photos of the part and a description of what you're going for. We'll recommend a finish setup, including primer and clear coat needs, as part of your quote. You can start by browsing the coating library to see every finish in stock or by order.