--- title: Is Metal Spray as Strong as New Metal? | Wolf Machine url: https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/is-metal-spray-as-strong-as-new-metal/ business: Wolf Machine & Fabrication, Inc. address: 4812 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502 phone: (775) 359-5570 hours: Shop Monday-Friday 7:00 am-3:30 pm; closed Saturday and Sunday type: Metal and plastic fabrication and machining (custom and CNC machining, welding, metal and plastic fabrication, gearbox and part repair, align boring, metal spray) --- [Photo: Stock photo: a lathe rough-turning a steel shaft] - [Home](https://wolfmachinenv.com/) - [Questions and answers](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/) - Is metal spray as strong as new metal? # Is metal spray as strong as new metal? No, not in the sense of carrying structural load across the repair. Metal spray restores size and a good wear surface, and it is used where a bearing or seal makes contact, while weld or a sleeve is chosen where a part must carry strength. Stock photo: a lathe rough-turning a steel shaft The question is fair, and the honest answer is about what the coating is for. Spray is a way to put the right diameter back under a bearing or a seal. It is not a replacement for the metal of the part where that metal carries a pulling or bending load. ## How the coating holds on Sprayed metal bonds mechanically. The base surface is cleaned and roughened, and the droplets of sprayed metal grip the roughness and each other as they pile up in layers. A welded repair, by contrast, fuses to the base metal. That difference in bonding is the reason the two are used for different jobs. ## Where spray is the right repair Spray is a wear-surface repair. The surfaces we rebuild with it are bearing and seal areas on shafts, journals and housings. In every one, the surface has to be the right size and smooth, and the load goes through a bearing, seal or bushing to the base metal under it. The [metal spray](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/metal-spray/) page covers the process. The part also gets a lasting advantage: very little heat goes in, so slender shafts and thin parts keep their shape. ## When weld or a sleeve is chosen Where a part has to carry strength across the repair, such as a broken lug or a cracked section, weld build-up fuses to the base metal and is the right choice. Where a seal groove is deep, a sleeve gives a fresh face. The guide on [metal spray, sleeve or weld](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/metal-spray-sleeve-or-weld/) lines the three up in a table, and the [repair or replace](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/repair-or-replace/) guide covers when to start over with a new part. Send photos of the part and tell us what the surface does. We will say which method we would pick and why. Call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, or attach photos to the quote request. ### Sources - [Thermal spraying (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_spraying) (2026-10-18) ### How to send us the job Send a drawing (PDF, DWG, DXF, STEP or IGES), a sketch with sizes, or photos of the part with a tape or scale in the shot. A sample works too: bring it to the shop. [Request a quote](#quote) [What to put on a drawing](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/what-to-put-on-a-drawing/) ### Talk to the shop [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) | Monday to Friday | 7:00 am - 3:30 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Request a quote](#quote) ### Keep reading - [Metal spray](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/metal-spray/) - [Metal spray, sleeve or weld: rebuilding a worn surface](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/metal-spray-sleeve-or-weld/) - [Repair or replace: deciding what to do with a worn part](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/repair-or-replace/) - [Welding, all types](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/welding/) ### More answers - [Repair or replace: every short answer](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/#repair) ## Other questions people ask [What makes a machined part expensive?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/what-makes-a-machined-part-expensive/) [What file types can I send with a quote request?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/what-file-types-can-i-send/) [I do not have a drawing. Can you still make the part?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/no-drawing-what-now/) [Can you machine titanium?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/can-you-machine-titanium/) [My machine is down. What should I do first?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/my-machine-is-down/) [Will you make just one part?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/will-you-make-just-one-part/) [Previous question: Can you weld aluminum?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/can-you-weld-aluminum/) [Photo: Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying] ## Request a quote Tell us what you need, attach a drawing or photos of the part, and we will get back to you during shop hours. Free consultations; prompt estimates. [Call (775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) - From your specifications, drawings or samples. We can also assist you in designing your product or part. - Free consultations and prompt estimates - Stands behind the work: Our rates are very competitive and our quality is second-to-none. Wolf Machine stands behind the work we perform. - Company accounts: all major credit cards, or we can open an account for your company Shop hours Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Send your request any time and we will get back to you during shop hours. Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying