What You Should Know About Galvanizing Steel

While it’s certainly strong enough on its own, many fabricators apply some type of coating to their steel products to provide further protection. One of the top methods is known as galvanizing.

But what is galvanizing, and what is galvanized sheet metal? As industry experts, we have all of the answers. Continue reading to learn more about galvanizing and why your steel should always be galvanized.

What is galvanizing?

Galvanizing is the process of coating steel (or any other metal) with zinc. Once the zinc dries, it works as a protective barrier against the elements or any dents and dings that may occur. Galvanizing can either be performed by spraying a cold compound on the metal or by dipping the metal in a tank of molten zinc.

The thickness of the zinc coating is correlated to the mass of the item being galvanized. As you can imagine, larger items receive a thicker coat of zinc. Whether the object is big or small, galvanized steel is always completely protected, which is a significant advantage of galvanizing.

Why should you choose to galvanize your steel?

There are a few other benefits of galvanizing besides complete protection. Here are a few of the reasons to galvanize instead of going with another coating method:

• Lower cost: Compared to other coating techniques, galvanizing is fairly inexpensive. The low cost can be attributed to the fact that galvanizing is a fast process and doesn’t require a ton of manual labor to complete.
• Less maintenance: Paint and other coatings require maintenance to ensure the metal looks great and is protected from the elements. Galvanizing, on the other hand, requires basically no maintenance.
• Long lifespan: Galvanized metal objects can last anywhere from 20 to 50 years! That’s a much longer lifespan than unprotected metal or metal that’s merely painted over.
• Toughest coating: The metallurgical structure of galvanized coating makes it the toughest coating option on the market. Whether the metal is being transported, erected or experiencing the effects of bad weather, your steel is protected.
• Reliable: Because the coating is even across the entire surface, galvanized steel is more reliable than some other coating options. Paint, for example, can be thinner in some areas, providing less protection.
• Protection for damaged areas: Although we typically add a protective coating immediately after the steel is fabricated, that’s not always the case. Some clients choose to add a coating after the metal suffers some wear and tear. Galvanizing is perfect for protecting any weaker spots.
• Easy inspection: You can check up on the status of your galvanized metal simply by looking at the surface. If a more in-depth inspection is required, there are several non-invasive methods you can choose from.

See what Benchmark Fabricated Steel can do for you!

At Benchmark Fabricated Steel, we offer a wide variety of design, erection and manufacturing services. Give us a call today to get a quote for our services or to learn a little more about what galvanized sheet metal is and how it can benefit your project.

Categorised in: Steel Fabrication

This post was written by Writer