Key Differences Between Diamond Cut & Powder Coated Alloy Wheels

All vehicles will have wheels that are either made from aluminium or magnesium, that are formed with other metals to give the alloy wheel more strength.

Powder coated alloy wheels have been proven to provide your wheels with a long-lasting finish. On the other hand, diamond cut alloy wheels give a shiny visually appealing appearance that is often utilised by prestigious brands such as BMW, Mercedes and Audi to showcase their finest models.

Alloy wheels, regardless of whether they are diamond cut or powder coated, will have a layer of lacquer applied during the finishing phase in order to prevent future corrosion.

Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels

Firstly, diamond cut wheels are painted in your desired colour and then they are baked in an oven at 200°C. Once dried, the wheel is ultimately placed on a Computer Numerical Controlled Diamond Cutting Lathes to meticulously cut across the face of the wheel to give its metallic diamond cut feature.

It's also important to consider that the diamond cut finish will still be susceptible to damage even though it will have been lacquered. Also, it's not always possible to continually re-cut the diamond cut wheels as they have a limited number of cuts as the wheel can become weakened.

Powder Coated Alloy Wheels

Alloy wheel powder coating is sprayed on using a dry powder. The key difference between a diamond cut alloy wheel and a powder coated alloy wheel is that powder coating doesn't need a solvent. The powder coating is applied electrostatically by using state-of-the-art powder coating equipment and cured using heat to allow it to create a durable layer.

The Process

The appearance of diamond cut alloy wheels comes with a finish that is shiny and looks similar to a 'DVD' finish. Whereas it's the fine grooves that give its shinier finish.

Using the customers chosen colour choice, the specialist powder coating tools are utilised to apply the paint. The wheel is then placed in an oven at 200°C and a specific time before the application of the clear coat. As a part of the final procedure, the diamond cutting lathes are used to cut an additional edge in the alloy. This is what forms the "grooved" effect that creates the shiny finish. 

Most modern vehicles have a key element in either powder-coated alloy or diamond-cut alloy wheels. The look of a new car can be perfectly set off with the ideal set of wheels, nonetheless, most customers fail to understand the main difference between powder cut and diamond-cut alloy wheels.

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