A layer of plastics material is applied to at least one selected surface of a metal article by a method in which the article is heated and positioned in such a way that the selected surface or surfaces is or are lowermost; a table having an upper surface or surfaces carrying a layer of powdered plastics material, said carrier surface or surfaces of the table being of a shape and area such that the surface or surfaces will wholly underlie the selected surface or surfaces of the article, is raised upwardly beneath the article to urge said carrier surface or surfaces against the overlying selected surface or surfaces and so transfer powder from the carrier surface or surfaces to the selected surface or surfaces; and the powdered material adhering to the selected surface or surfaces is permitted or caused to coalesce and form a plastics layer on the or each surface. Preferably powdered plastics material is applied to the carrier surface or surfaces by raising the table upwardly through a fluidized bed of powdered plastics material.